Gardeners can step in and accelerate the composting process 
by creating optimal conditions for decomposition. 
Get the balance right. Compost = Air + Water + 2 Parts 
Browns + 1 Part Greens 
Shred, chop, or chip ingredients. Smaller pieces of 
material have more surfaces for microorganisms to work on, 
so your pile decomposes faster. Pieces ranging from 1?2 to 
11?2 inches decompose best. 
Have a critical mass. A pile will not heat up if it's too 
small. Minimum size is 3 by 3 by 3 feet. 
Mix your ingredients. For a long time, experts (including?
gasp!?this magazine) recommended piling up ingredients like 
a layer cake, but compost should really be more like a 
tossed salad?mixing all the goodies together produces the 
best results. "You definitely want to mix," says Dr. 
Cogger. "You want to get the green and brown material in 
intimate contact." Layer cake?style composting causes 
compaction and reduces biological activity. 
Aerate your pile. Compost can be turned twice a week or 
never; it's up to you. But the more you turn it, the faster 
you'll get results.
Monitor moisture. Dry piles decompose slowly, so adjust 
moisture as needed. 
Add some microbes. Mix in a shovelful of finished compost 
or garden soil to get the microbial activity rolling. 

If you find an animal in the wide open, i think you should 
probably leave it for a couple of weeks. But, if you speed 
up, use a zipping bag and leave it in the sun for about 2 
weeks. A chipmunk like that will decompose in about a week 
and a half.