Rat trap chat

[Milzy]

My neighbour has been catching rats near his bins with old dog food in. They’re saying they are coming from under my summer house but I haven’t seen any. I’m a bit pissed off they’re pretty much blaming us for wild rats which are everywhere.
If I place some humane traps down & get some hits, what do I do with the rat?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The old dog food is attracting the rats. Get rid of it.

 

[presta]

I prefer I Don't Like Mondays.

 

[wafter]

They have to live somewhere and if your shed is safe and close to a convenient food source they may well be living under there.

Legally you can't release them once trapped so IMO you either want to use the best lethal traps you can get your hands on, or shoot them / get in a trustworthy enthusiast to do this for you.

The other alternative is poison, however I won't touch this as it's a horrible death to inflict on anything and carries the risk of travelling up the food chain if stuff eats the carcasses.

Long term you want to secure the area around the shed so they can't get underneath (dig out the perimeter and bury upright slabs around it if this is feasible) and remove the food source... otherwise you'll never get rid of them.

 

[Milzy]

They have to live somewhere and if your shed is safe and close to a convenient food source they may well be living under there.

Legally you can't release them once trapped so IMO you either want to use the best lethal traps you can get your hands on, or shoot them / get in a trustworthy enthusiast to do this for you.

The other alternative is poison, however I won't touch this as it's a horrible death to inflict on anything and carries the risk of travelling up the food chain if stuff eats the carcasses.

Long term you want to secure the area around the shed so they can't get underneath (dig out the perimeter and bury upright slabs around it if this is feasible) and remove the food source... otherwise you'll never get rid of them.

I used to have a .22 pcp carbine. However I will lay some lethal traps. The shed will be removed eventually anyway to open up garden space. It’s the fact they have loads of dogs then blame others that gets me. We have a cat eating dry biscuits. Also we’ve never seen any. Nearly ever neighbour has bird feeders too.

 

[Dogtrousers]

What to do with the rat? Kill it. Drown it maybe. Sorry but I don't have any sentiment when it comes to rats.

As @wafter says the long term solution is to build them out. Deny them access to food and shelter.

Break back traps are effective but they should only be used where other animals won't get access and be injured. And really it only addresses the symptom not the cause.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

My neighbour has been catching rats near his bins with old dog food in.

Your neighbor is the cause of the rat infestation.
The old dog food is the rats' food source.
If there are no other ways to dispose of the dog food, he must put a heavy weight on the bin so the rats cannot access it, clean the bin regularly, keep the area around it clean.

 

[Drago]

Rats do like secluded dark spots such as under sheds or decking.

However, if your neighbour is finding rats near his his bjns it is probably the bins themselves that are attracting them. He needs to be taking steps to secure them and make them less appealing to Mr Rattus Norvegicus.

 

[wafter]

I used to have a .22 pcp carbine. However I will lay some lethal traps. The shed will be removed eventually anyway to open up garden space. It’s the fact they have loads of dogs then blame others that gets me. We have a cat eating dry biscuits. Also we’ve never seen any. Nearly ever neighbour has bird feeders too.

Evidently given the past tense the rifle's off the menu, but it would have been ideal with some night vision and a bait station down the garden.

If the neighbours are sloppy with their dog food they could of course be responsible; although bird feeders will absolutely do it too.

Sounds like you're on top of it anyway 👍

What to do with the rat? Kill it. Drown it maybe. Sorry but I don't have any sentiment when it comes to rats.

As @wafter says the long term solution is to build them out. Deny them access to food and shelter.

Break back traps are effective but they should only be used where other animals won't get access and be injured. And really it only addresses the symptom not the cause.

Drowning them is illegal as it's classed as inhumane.

Tbh I've never really shared this visceral hatred than many have of rats. IMO if they're not causing any harm they should be left alone like anything else. Grey squirrels on the other hand...

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Legally you can't release them once trapped

Pah, take trap to Accrington and let them go. Humane traps work great

 

[Profpointy]

Seems pointless killing them. As others have said, if there's food left around there will be rats. Nothing for them to eat, they'll go elsewhere.

 

[raleighnut]

Grey squirrels on the other hand...

My old GSD hated them.................Pigeons too.