Mmice in garden

[eggplant]

Hi all,

For the last few weeks we've been getting small dug up bits in the garden, we put it down to a neighbours cat that visits frequently, however yesterday we had a larger area that was dug up, I had a look and theres a hole going down. On closer inspection there seems to be a series of tunnels a few inches below the surface. Then last night I saw a mouse leg it down yet another hole at the edge of the garden.
How do we get rid of these? Cant really use a mouse trap as the aforementioned cat will progably end up getting snagged by it.
All ideas welcome!

 

[JohnD]

How big are these holes?

 

[eggplant]

about 2" or so, look very much like these ones

 

[JohnD]

A 2-inch hole is rats. You probably have a large underground nest. Buy yourself a couple of plastic tubs of Rentokil Rat killer (it contains wheatgrain or similar, dyed blue so you can identify it, and poisoned. Put down a number of baits, protected from rain and birds, preferably near the holes or next to a wall or fence (rats like to run along next to a solid object as they feel safe. Continue refilling the bait holders every day until they stop being eaten. Then fill in all the holes you can find. There is no point in filling the holes until all the rats are dead.

If you have been putting out food for wildlife or birds, STOP.

If you are in the habit of leaving your rubbish in plastic bags, buy some bins.

If you live near a kebab shop, you have no hope.

 

[eggplant]

A 2-inch hole is rats.

The one I saw didnt look like a rat, looked like a mouse unless it was a baby rat
[code:1]If you have been putting out food for wildlife or birds, STOP[/code:1]
we havnt

If you are in the habit of leaving your rubbish in plastic bags, buy some bins

rubbish goes in wheely bin which is round the other side of the house

If you live near a kebab shop, you have no hope

I dont but if I did I might be able to sell the rats

I assume rat killer will also kill next doors cat?

 

[JohnD]

A mouse will get through a hole the size of your thumb. Rats make 2-inch tunnels.

I don't think cats or hedgehogs eat grain. Rats, mice and birds will. Small children will eat anything (except vegetables) .

You put the blue grains under cover so other creatures (especially birds) don't get at them, and also to protect then from rain (they will go mouldy if damp).

E.g. between two bricks, with a tile on top.

Inside an old biscuit tin with big cut-outs each side.

In a tunnel made with scraps of wood

trickled down the rat tunnels in the ground.

You can put the bait in flower-pot saucers to keep it off the damp ground.

You can add bits of leftover meat so the smell attracts them. Once rats have found a food source they will keep coming back to it, but they wander about, snacking, hence the reason for several small baits.

Rats have to live near water so if you have any ponds or fountains or leaky pipes that will attract them.

The rats have to eat the poison for several days before they die. Expect to put it out daily for a week. Mostly they will die underground but you may find some bodies. Burn or bury them. Dogs, cats or foxes might eat them. Do not touch with your hands as they can carry disease.

 

[eggplant]

ok thanks for that, i'll get some.
I'm back home now and the holes are definately larger than a thumb, but not 2" - maybe 1 - 1.5 at the most.
How far down do they go? The tunnels dont seem that deep at all as I can see the ridge made by them, I dont particularly want 100's of dead animals under the garden! Also how many are there likely to be? 1's, 10's, 100's?

Thanks

 

[JohnD]

I had one with 2 holes, we only found 2 dead rats. There is a saying that if you see one rat, there are always more. The ones I dealt with had burrowed under a concrete slab next to an outdoor tap, they went down at least a foot.

The longer it has been there the more there will be.

If they are underground they will conveniently bury themselves.

You could put down a "catch and release" mousetrap if you want to inspect the live animal and see what it is. That will be no risk to the cat.

 

[breezer]

b & q also sell rat poison, why not roll a few sheets of newspaper into a long thin funnel and pour it down all the holes you can see?

 

[eggplant]

Thanks all,

Mrs came back with a mouse trap - one of those humane things but I cant see a rat fitting in it - tho the creature I saw would)
I'll get some poison tomorrow and pour it in the holes, I also thought about pouring petrol down and lighting it - that should flush the buggers out but mrs is non too keen on that idea - or poisoning them for that matter.

 

[JohnD]

petrol would (at the least) pollute the ground and the surface water. At the worst the fumes might leak into the foundations of your house with spectacular effects.

Put the poison down when your wife is not looking.

 

[breezer]

humane traps only mean you may get one r two, rats can multiply at a phenomoinal rate. kill them

 

[JohnD]

Put the poison down when your wife is not looking.

or wait until they stroll into the house, then she'll want you to kill them.

 

[coshhassessor]

These probably *AREN'T* rat holes. Those look for all the world like the tunnels left by voles. My garden backs onto open meadows and is riddled with the things! I know mine are vole tunnels, because a few live-trap experiments (along with seeeing the little beggars running over the surface!) confirms it. In these circumstances, I don't think there's anything you can do. If you do manage to remove all the voles from your garden, then "reservoir" in the environment soon gives you some more. Still, owls, kestrels, stoats etc love 'em...

M

Oh, and they *LOVE* compost heaps...

 

[diywhizz]

If it were me i'd buy some beers, stick a deck chair out side and buy one of those ratcatcher guns with the laser sights and take em out !