Rats.

[badkitty]

I am so fed up. I've had an infestation of rats at the wood yard in all the sheds, and the chicken run etc.

I've cleaned the place up, dug out underneath the chicken shed, only fed the chickens away from the shed, meticulously removed the spillage from the feeder after the birds are finished, and made sure that every possible source of food has been removed from the entire yard, so that they would be hungry enough to eat the rodenticide blocks I've put down.

And, it's worked to a point. The evil little sods have happily devoured every block I put down like sweeties for the last fortnight!And seem to be as alive and kicking as ever before!

And they've sprung the traps and moved them out of the way!

I had a "proper" poison recommended to me today by the guy in the gun shop where I was researching buying an air gun - its called 'Tomcat' and would be interested to hear from any of you people who may have used this stuff . I cant remember the make I was using, but there was some debate about it being for people with only a couple of rats in their gardens etc, not a full on infestation in a commercial premises, which makes sense.


I could get the rat man in, but since rats are ever present, I really need to get a grip on this myself.

Idea's/shooting parties welcome..



ps. I used to think they were kind of cute, and felt sorry for them. Ha! What a fool!

 

[Night Train]

Have a look at this thread on a tractor forum. Granted it is about mice but the 'bucket' trap might be of interest if you made it deep enough.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2257734#post2257734

(I do not condone cruelty or suffering of any creature so please make sure any form of pest control is quick and humane.)

 

[buggi]

you need to get the rat man in. They have the proper poison. Rats become immune to certain poisons over time. The rat man will have the most up to date effective poison.

The bucket won't work. well it might, once, but they will quickly learn that it's a trap. they are extremely clever, much cleverer than mice.

the rat man will also tell you how to best lay traps, and where to put them and which ones to use (remember, rats can actually knaw through metal!)

keep it humane please.

 

[dellzeqq]

stick with the traps. It won't get all of them, but they're darned entertaining....

we used to stick a high-pitched sounder in to the hole and flatten them with the back of a shovel when they ran out

 

[Fnaar]

Have you got cats?

 

[mcshroom]

I know it's Moles not rats, but
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fePU5CIHpas

 

[Bman]

I prefer the shooting method. Its just as humane, providing you're a good shot and you know what you are doing. Its also strangly fun (I cant help it, its instinctual). If you were within cycling distance, I would have to take you up on your offer.


However, unless you enjoy shooting and are good at it, I would advise buggi's method and bring in the pro rat man.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u9a6l54idU
Sorry

 

[Cubist]

You need a proper purge of them, best conducted with terriers, cricket bats and tied up trouser bottoms. Not for the squeamish or sentimental I'm afraid, as the nature of rats means that it's a bloodbath or nothing.

Kitty, don't waste your money on an airgun. Ratting with firearms is a specialist subject, and extremely unproductive compared with other more traditional methods. Whereabouts do you live? I have a few contacts in the terrier world that would be more than wiling to help out.

 

[Arch]

You need a proper purge of them, best conducted with terriers, cricket bats and tied up trouser bottoms.

I was going to say Terriers - only from having seen a TV programme about pest controllers who had a Jack Russell, very efficient and an instant kill.

Not keen on poison - a slow death, and a potential danger to any other animal that eats the carcass. Anyway, there's the risk they'll become immune. I don't think any rat is immune to a Jack Russell.

For the long term, a terrier of your own, or a cat with a proven ratting record?

 

[Norm]

+1 for buggi's recommendation, decent poisons and traps.

If you have an infestation, then shooting will fail or, at best, take months. They'll breed faster than you can get them. If it's just one or two, an air gun and a good book are a solution but not if there's too many of them.

I've also used a fork in the past, when one appeared in the compost heap I was turning.

Terriers or ferrets will help bring them out, but you need dogs that have worked with rats before as you wouldn't want to lose an inexperienced pedigree pooch to a rat bite.

 

[Lisa21]

We had a beeeeeg infestation of the little mahoosive blighters up at the shoot last year. We tried ferrets, poison, traps and terriers (not at the same time ) and all worked but not to any great success. eventually we got some smoke bombs, stuffed them down the holes and waited with shotguns.......

Plenty of rat-mince and they have not been back since

stating the obvious, keep things as humane and quick as possible but never under estimate the diseases they carry.

 

[slowmotion]

This looks hopeful.

[media]http://www.break.com/video-user-yt/8-2009/1160614[/media]

 

[dellzeqq]

Proust used to masturbate to the sound of starving rats tearing each others stomachs out - so there might be a market for any you catch.

 

[Lisa21]

Proust used to masturbate to the sound of starving rats tearing each others stomachs out - so there might be a market for any you catch.

Aah yes, but that would only apply to people with strange kinks and perverse tenden.........oh........yes..........I see why you feel she could use that........................





Am waiting for waspyfecker's second cousin twice removed to turn up before long to stick his whiskers in............Rattyfecker, c'mon......here boy.........

 

[slowmotion]

You live and learn...