rat issue

[larco]

http://www.trap-man.com/rat-trap-multi-catch-humane-rat-trap.htm

do these work for rats?

We have some rats in the garden but also squirrels and birds.
I want to kill the first but not other little animals that come to our garden.

I know traps are better than poison but i was wondering if a trap like the one in the link would work or is it a waste of money as the rat won't go in it?

We fed birds sop i think this got the nasty buggers interested in the garden. I have today removed all feeders but reading other popsts it seems that rats may come back anyway so I want to be one step ahead of the game.

thanks

 

[gregers]

get an air rifle

 

[Bodgeit and scarper ltd]

Poison is the best way. Fen traps if set properly. I have tried that cage and caught every thing except rats.

 

[Symptoms]

larco - yes they do work. My old man used to use these (similar) on the farm in the 60's & earlier and they were very efficient at CATCHING rats; it was never a problem for us to then dispatch the rats with a spike or a .410 shotgun* ... yes, you WILL have to kill them. No good tipping ratty out in the local wood ... he will return. They also do catch squirrels; but do remember that if you catch a squirrel it is illegal to then release it back into the wild (unless it's a red, and if it is a red-un you've already broken the law by catching it )

Don't use poisons unless you've got an 'industrial' sized problem with the vermin 'cos traps won't keep-up.

*You can buy a cheap air-weapon (pistol or rifle) from your local gun shop without a license , which you need for a shotgun, to dispatch the beasty.

 

[breezer]

View media item 6472
get these sort of rat traps. (yes i know its not a real rat) only had 1 bird killed by one, never any squirils, but killed loads of rats.

The ones you linked to as said you still have to kill the rat. and possibly buy an air pistol, more expense, above rat trap £3 ish, B & Q

 

[swbjackson]

My father tried one that electrocutes the rat. Never caught a thing in it.

 

[larco]

thanks for the advice.

I would not mind killing a rat with a pistol, i am just concerned that a squirrel could get caught in one of those traps. I know many treat squirrels as vermin but imho they are nice.

Today i've removed most of the decking and yesterday i got rid of bird food, is it true that they will return no matter what measures one takes?


I'll monitor the situation and then i'll try these traps, i may give the cage a chance.

 

[Thermo]

a local pet shop guy near me uses squirrel traps, he catches quite a few (but no squirrels)

We had a pest guy up in the summer to deal with a wasps nest. He told me that rats are mainly attracted to bird food people put out. once the food goes so do they.

heres food for thought. his colleague who specialises in dealing with them averages 30 tonnes of rat poison a year. last year he used 65 tonnes in the first 5 months of the year. strangely the local council went to fortnightly collections for refuse. anyone see a link?

 

[angie6767]

just call up your local council housing office get your nearest pest control number they will come out free of charge i had the same problem before xams i feed the birds fat balls and i ended up with a rat in my garden pest control came out left a box with bait in it they came back last week rat ate bait no more rat did not harm birds as bait in box also you dont have to be a council tenant its free for everyone

 

[breezer]

and while you are waiting for an apointment you can buy a trap from B & Q for a few quid, set the trap kill the first rat, set it and catch another all before you can even get an apoinment, and poison is a waste of time since the rat eats it, and dies but where is the corpse? oh is it over there under all those flies?

rat trap is quicker, no mess (only a dead rat) and can be reused again and again and again

 

[Symptoms]

Rats in the garden ... that's nothing to worry about if the report in today's Guardian is true about droppings in bread:
www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jan/22/rat-droppings-in-bread

 

[pantsmachine]

My wife spent part of her late teens on a farm and a popular method there was to fill a barrel about 1/2 to 3/4 full with water. Throw a couple of handfuls of barley across the surface of the water to give illusion of a full barrel of barley. Put a piece of wood running from ground to lip of barrel. Many many drowned rats later, no more problem. I know it seems a bit of a hassle to go to for a rat or twelve but it works all the time and does not need reset.

 

[larco]

Hi again,


got rid of the bird food weeks ago but tonight i just saw one of the b....s wondering around my garden.

I will opt for a trap. Can someone tell me which food is best for bait?
Also how likely is it that a cat could get stuck in the trap? There are many cats on the area and i do not want to harm them but i don't want rats close to my house either.

many thanks

 

[Stivino]

I've got lots of traps like that. You'll get other things in them apart from rats. Hedgehogs are a favourite.
Rats are very wary of new things on their patch so you won't get instant results. They are also very clever. If you just stick the trap in the middle of the garden you'll get nothing. You need to be clever about how you place them. Find a run, rats use the same route over and over and if you look carefully you'll see a wee path. Try to hide or cover the trap on or close to the path, place it so that you can see it without have to go close to it all the time to check the trap. Once you get a rat you'll have to replace the trap because another rat will take the place of the missing one.

 

[larco]

hello steve,

i know the rat run in the garden. they like to hide behind a waterfall and under some rocks.

I will purchase a trex trap tomorrow and see how it goes. I hope i won't kills cats but i do need to act.