Rats!

[SteveWat]

I’d thought I’d visit “The Pub”
We’ve had our fair share of rats over the years, but just now we’ve got more than our fair share of the buggers.
In the past I’ve shot them, put poison down, live and fatally trapped them.
I’ve just been watching a sizeable example of “Rattus Norvegicus” nonchalantly mooching around the patio.
Two weeks ago I went to war on the feckers. I bought two rat traps from Toolstation and a couple of bags of poison bait blocks.
The traps looked a bit small, but the packing definitely said “Rat Trap”.
I cut up some foot long sections of Brown 4” pipe, positioned them around outbuildings (You can clearly see scrapings and holes under the slabs) I loaded them up with bait blocks, I scattered bait blocks under my steel container and anywhere else I felt the little sods would hang out.
I was careful to position them in locations where my dog couldn’t get to the blocks.....oh yeah!
I put the rat traps under a pallet of fire wood and a pallet of flags.
What was the result?
One dead blackbird, one rat trap totally gone......possible scenario:- I caught something and a fox came along and carried it off together with the trap and a £200 vet bill to have my dog’s stomach pumped....she loved the bait blocks but the rats weren’t that keen. Thankfully she’s fine now.
Anyhow I’m not into killing birds so the remaining trap has been binned.
So this morning I’ve ordered two live catch traps and a 5kg bag of wheat based poison.
We enjoy wildlife, but you can’t pick and choose, my Mrs won’t stop feeding the birds and we have to accept that we’ll always have rats.....I’ve got a bit of respect for them actually...but I do want to control the numbers.
Any suggestions?

[Tonibe63]

Rats only come for food and I have the same problem but unfortunately it is illegal to poison/shoot the bird feeder. If you find an answer to the problem please please let me know.

[Snaf MKII]

Call your local authority, they should deal with it. Rats will take food back to the nest so any poisoned food runs a risk to other wildlife once out of a trap.
Can you muzzle your dog for a couple of days.
Feed wild birds early in the morning and clear up spills during the day.

[SteveWat]

Call your local authority, they should deal with it. Rats will take food back to the nest so any poisoned food runs a risk to other wildlife once out of a trap.
Can you muzzle your dog for a couple of days.
Feed wild birds early in the morning and clear up spills during the day.

Good advice.
Our local authority charges £40 to come out. I’d rather deal with it “in-house” really. Plus the council website hides behind “Covid” restrictions to offer an even shabbier service!
I’d rather not muzzle the dog.....I’ve ordered some wheat based poison....which will be a lot less appealing to the dog than the sweet bait blocks I used.
Also, I should mention I ordered some proper big black plastic bait stations to put the poison in.
I think the sweet tasting blocks are a bad idea....like you say the rats will take food back to the nest I’d imagine the blocks are more likely to be moved or dropped by rats.
Unfortunately, my wife (The bird feeder) can’t be controlled as to when see feeds the birds!

[Tonibe63]

Over the last 10 years I have tried:-
Itchy&scratchy spring type traps
Water buckets with rolling bridge
Poison wheat
Poison blocks
Air rifle
all with varying degrees of success and cruelty but more rats just replace the dead ones. Now I just point out that feeding the birds has consequences which I am no longer prepared to deal with. It really is a battle which the 'birdfeeder' has to realise and live with.

[byewayrider]

I contact my local terrier ratting group.. Just make sure no bait around.... Its fun watching and the dogs love it.. They will go to ground too so not much ratty left alive...

Plenty of groups on Facebook... Just keep your pets Inc cats out the way because its hyped up killing....

[SteveWat]

I agree.
For me it’s a case of (attempted) control rather than eradicate.
It’s a battle we’ll never win.

[SteveWat]

I contact my local terrier ratting group.. Just make sure no bait around.... Its fun watching and the dogs love it.. They will go to ground too so not much ratty left alive...

Plenty of groups on Facebook... Just keep your pets Inc cats out the way because its hyped up killing....

I’ve seen the YouTube videos!
We’re not at that level of infestation yet!
However....at some point I’ve got a crane coming to move my 20’ container which is on railway sleepers.....that could be a real rat-fest!
I may contact them.

[Snaf MKII]

Call your local authority, they should deal with it. Rats will take food back to the nest so any poisoned food runs a risk to other wildlife once out of a trap.
Can you muzzle your dog for a couple of days.
Feed wild birds early in the morning and clear up spills during the day.

Good advice.
Our local authority charges £40 to come out. I’d rather deal with it “in-house” really. Plus the council website hides behind “Covid” restrictions to offer an even shabbier service!
I’d rather not muzzle the dog.....I’ve ordered some wheat based poison....which will be a lot less appealing to the dog than the sweet bait blocks I used.
Also, I should mention I ordered some proper big black plastic bait stations to put the poison in.
I think the sweet tasting blocks are a bad idea....like you say the rats will take food back to the nest I’d imagine the blocks are more likely to be moved or dropped by rats.
Unfortunately, my wife (The bird feeder) can’t be controlled as to when see feeds the birds!

£40? I thought it was their duty, we had them out this week within four hours of calling for free. They placed (fixed) blocks in bait stations so the rats can't remove them, I'll check to see how that works. We get rats in the local mill leat that venture into the garden whenever the birds are fed.

[SteveWat]

Yep £40 (per month!)

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