Making a compost heap less rat friendly

[ssray]

I have two black plastic darleks for our compost, I noticed the other day that something with largish teeth had been at a large bit of turnip, I checked a cople of days later and there were more teeth marks, during the snow i left the lids off to allow some cold in and also watered the whole area.

as we have a dog I dont want to put down posion, so would putting caustic soda into the darlek chase the little(or not so) blighters off? is ther anything else i can do?

when It warms up i will put them on chicken wire type stuff to stop them getting in from underneath

Ta
Ray

[ssray]

Thanks, just found they don`t like mint and lavender, will get some of those also

Ray