Rats in the garden

[jowwy]

The problem with the poisons is that they kill hedgehogs and other predators such as Owls and Kestrels.
A simple live trap will do it I got 4 in the last month, but you need to wear gloves so as not to leave any scent and not disturb the trap.
Best of all, but expensive is the gas fired squirrel traps that act like a humane killer. They can be set up to kill rats as well. A cafe had a lot of problems with rodents eating their way into food and waste bins and destroying expensive lids. He got 7 on the first day.
They have a counter on them which was good as the local foxes caught up quick and carried off the first 6 before he saw a dead one.

We dont have owls, kestrels or hedhogs were i live………

 

[jowwy]

The problem with bait is that is entices rats to the property when it’s placed outside as it is a lovely food source, you are better off trapping outside as they are more likely to stumble across the choice of food in the trap as a snack rather than in active search of food.

You should also put these non return valves in you sewer outlet and rainwater outlet to stop them coming up the pipe works or going under and flaps/man hole access points https://www.screwfix.com/p/mcalpine...zGRJk7B77Omav-p8zpBoCbLQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

The bait boxes are around 10mtrs away from the house, around halfway down the garden were the slatted fence starts. They can come there all day and feed on the poison blocks if they want, but at least they wont come back a second time

 

[jowwy]

The BTO research says otherwise !

Would you like to provide a link to that research as proof???

 

[Mr Celine]

I've had chickens in the garden for over 10 years and the only evidence of a rat I've ever found was one tail. It was in the coop, presumably the rest of the rat had been eaten by the chooks.

 

[jowwy]

I've had chickens in the garden for over 10 years and the only evidence of a rat I've ever found was one tail. It was in the coop, presumably the rest of the rat had been eaten by the chooks.

i suppose its all according were you live i suppose......im in a pretty rural area of wales and up in the mountain air too. there a few farms around us on the hills. also a lot of the houses around me have been sold to the younger generations and they are starting working on their very over grown and large gardens and turning them into veggie patches, so may be disturbing nests and hiding places and dispursing the rats to other areas

All i know is, they've been in my garden, my shed and in my wall cavity. I will deal with them in they way i see fit to protect my home environment. if poisons weren't allowed to be used then rentokill and such like companies wouldn't be allowed to sell them for public use.

 

[cyberknight]

My view on rats in the garden is live and let live, so long as they're not in the house. There are rats pretty much everywhere, but I doubt killing them has any value as there'll be a number of rats the area will support and however many you kill will be replaced, so might as well accept them.

The only rats we get in the house have been brought in by this girl

similar although one rat set up residence in the shoe cupboard, living off cat biscuits and pooping in shoes ..............

 

[Drago]

The BTO research says otherwise !

Bachmann Turner Overdrive certainly seem to be branching out these days.

 

[Dave7]

We have "a" rat visiting (don't see more than one as a time).
I am not too fussed but it is getting bolder.
I keep my air rifle handy but as soon as I open the door it is OFF.

 

[Gillstay]

Would you like to provide a link to that research as proof???

It was in one of the magazines and recall talking to a farmer at the time and he said that the farmers weekly had a simlar article in relation to lack of breeding in Owls. I will try and find it. Are you going to do the same as I am not sure the companies who sell the stuff do much research on the wildlife.

 

[Gillstay]

If poisons weren't allowed to be used then rentokill and such like companies wouldn't be allowed to sell them for public use.
[/QUOTE]
Yes of course they would. We sell cigarettes and asbestos still ! Slug killers that poison hedgehogs.

 

[jowwy]

If poisons weren't allowed to be used then rentokill and such like companies wouldn't be allowed to sell them for public use.

Yes of course they would. We sell cigarettes and asbestos still ! Slug killers that poison hedgehogs.
[/QUOTE]
Nope slug killers that poison are banned……….and stricknen for killing rats is banned, but other poisons are not.

as for comparing it cigarettes or asbestos, they both arent banned either, so your comparisons are a moot point.

 

[midlife]

Used to have several rat visitors, one was recognisable so called him Scamp. Pretty rural here so as long as they stuck to the garden was OK with me. Since we have had a regular feral cat mooching around (called Winston) no sign of Scamp and family!

 

[silvervanplumberman]

Our guard cat left us a rat last weekend. Good boy.
First one we’ve seen for a couple of years.

 

[steveindenmark]

Anyone had issues with rats in their garden.

i had one get through a repired hole around my waste pioe and get into the wall cavity And climb the cavity up into the attick…..he’s dead now and the hole repaired, bait boxes put out around the edges of the garden between the fences and planter boxes. Since last thursday 8 bait blocks have been eaten and the ones in there now have been nibbled at.

bloody neighbours and their chickens gggrrrrrr

Im taking it that the bait boxes are plastic. Plastic has fish oil in it and rats are attracted to it. Bait boxes should be metal.

 

[jowwy]

Im taking it that the bait boxes are plastic. Plastic has fish oil in it and rats are attracted to it. Bait boxes should be metal.

They are plastic and come from professional pest control suppliers.