Rats

[ban-all-sheds]

Funny really. Over the years, on and off, we've seen the odd wood mouse or field mouse in the garden, industriously running to and fro with bits of bird seed, and it's "Aww, ickle mousie". Never had them in the house though.

Never had the rat(s) we've now started seeing out there in the house either, but it's not "Aww, ickle ratty", it's "kill the damn thing(s)".

Poison and bait stations are on the way, and I know that we'll have to suspend feeding the birds, and I know that ickle mousie will probably be collateral damage.

Now - I know where the little b******s are living, or at least I know where an access point is (in a flower bed by a fence, the other side of which is a concrete drive, and they've burrowed under the slab). When I first discovered it, I did block it up, but they just dug their way out around it.

So finally to my Q - should I just put the bait stations down, or should I block the hole up first, on the grounds that when they do get out they'll be desperate for food and more likely to go for the poisoned bait?

 

[conny]

Recently had cause to get a pest control guy out because we were getting field mice in the loft. Turns out they were climbing up the Ivy in the back garden when the weather was cold and he suspected they had nested under a shed we had built at the side of the house.
When I suggested taking the shed down for a while, (its simply a plastic click together one for our camping equipment), he said to leave them as they would go somewhere else and we would then have to trace them and relocate the traps.
I would therefore suggest not blocking them in again in case they move home and therefore avoid the areas you put the traps in. At least knowing where they are you will be able to 'monitor' their numbers and where they search for food.

 

[Brigadier]

Don't block their run - put the traps there.

Another thing I found: bait the traps with chocolate. Very effective.
I was told that rats have become wary of traditional baits, as these are where the poison is.

 

[blightymam]

Being in London and feeding the birds, you may just get another family move in when these rats are gone.. Feeding birds really does encourage them. You could also try feeding stations & food that minimise spillage and waste, as well as greasing any access, like if you use a feeding station on a pole, so the rascals can't climb up.

 

[bobby spray]

Buy yourself some fenn traps (mark 6). Put them on a box tunnel with restricted access so as not to trap the local moggies. Bait with raw potato or as suggested chocolate. Fenn traps won't kill mice but are good fir ratty. I don't use poison as its unselective and the corpses reek to high heaven if you can't retrieve them.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Buy yourself some fenn traps (mark 6). Put them on a box tunnel with restricted access so as not to trap the local moggies. Bait with raw potato or as suggested chocolate. Fenn traps won't kill mice but are good fir ratty. I don't use poison as its unselective and the corpses reek to high heaven if you can't retrieve them.

The poison available is also an extremely inhumane way to kill rodents.

Richard

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Had feeders on a metal pole once (until some toerag intruder tried to use it to break the padlock off my garden shed one night ). Used to grease (well, oil) it sometimes to stop squirrels, which did work, particularly when it was raining - it was quite funny to watch them slide down. It never lasted permanently, though. Got a wooden bird table now, which looks much nicer, and is a POP for rodents to climb. Have never seen a rat climbing it or being up on it - they seem content with what's spilled on the ground.

Seeing the mess the birds make, I'm not sure that any feeder design could prevent that. Plus we also have a low-level table for ground feeding birds.

And yes, I am fully aware that what we are doing to feed birds is also providing an eat-all-you-can buffet for Ratty. But we've been feeding them for years, and haven't had rats all that time.

Have now bought poison and bait stations, so too late for traps, but I can't say I'm bothered about missing the opportunity to go around them removing dead rats. I hear what you're saying about decaying corpses, but they are not living in the house, or the shed, or the garage (AFAIK), so hopefully that won't turn out to be a problem.

Selectiveness? - I can't see what would get into the bait stations apart from rats, mice, shrews etc, and whilst I would be sorry to kill the latter two, so be it. Squirrels might too, I guess, but they are only tree-rats with furry tails.

Inhumane? Well - I'd rather not cause unnecessary suffering, but ATEOD I just want the little b******s gone.

So we're going to stop putting bird food out, leave it a day or two for any remnants to get hoovered up, and then put out the bait stations. If they take the bait, and we don't see any for a while, then I'll block up the hole I know about.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There's probably quite a lucrative market waiting for someone who can develop a poison which will kill rats but not birds, and could be added to bird food. Or a rat contraceptive.

 

[Dave54]

Buy yourself some fenn traps (mark 6). Put them on a box tunnel with restricted access so as not to trap the local moggies. Bait with raw potato or as suggested chocolate. Fenn traps won't kill mice but are good fir ratty. I don't use poison as its unselective and the corpses reek to high heaven if you can't retrieve them.

The poison available is also an extremely inhumane way to kill rodents.

Richard

I'm inclined to agree, and I don't like using poison myself. I actually don't like killing things at all.
However Weils' disease can be an extremely inhumane way to kill humans. So rats have to go.
I've never found traps very good after the first few catches either, it's as if they all get to "know" what they are.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

They do. They are naturally wary and neophobic, and intelligent. If they see a mate dead in a trap they will learn to avoid them.

 

[vinn]

Funny enough, earlier today I was phoning around for something to be done about the rats that are strolling about my garden in the daytime.
I have two slightly loopy neighbours who insist on feeding the birds by scattering food remains everywhere.
I'm now waiting to see what the authorities will do?
The neighbours wont respond to polite persuasion, and hurl crumbs etc from a first floor window.

Last saturday we were sat in a MacDonalds car park when a rat hopped down from a rubbish bin and calmly walked past the cars to some foliage.
Perhaps its the weather or the time of the year?

There's a You Tube of an exterminator pumping gas under a concrete slab to kill the rat population - apparently its a common practice for them to burrow under slabs. The rats not the exterminators.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I have two slightly loopy neighbours who insist on feeding the birds by scattering food remains everywhere.

The neighbours wont respond to polite persuasion, and hurl crumbs etc from a first floor window.

Do you care about having a good relationship with them?

Do you worry what they might do to you if things soured between you?

 

[blightymam]

Do you care about having a good relationship with them?

Do you worry what they might do to you if things soured between you?

The first point is handy to have, but the second point irks me. We seem to have changed as a society to one who's frightened to speak up in fear of retaliation. It sucks and we shouldn't always be afraid.

 

[vinn]

No. I'm not in fear of them, and of course I would prefer a good relationship with them.
However, I dont think either of them is well, so i dont want to be the cause of serious consequences for them.
Previous attempts at talking have been a failure - they close the windows and shout abuse through them but they are not all there. They are old and both drink.

I've no idea what the authorities can or will do in these circumstances?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

They will do nothing unless you shout long, and loud and hard, and keep on shouting longer, and louder and harder until they do.

It would be worth finding out (Citizens Advice?) what they could do if they had a mind to.

I don't know what legal powers the authorities have in Ireland, and whilst of course it is a shame if these people are impaired in some way there is no way that they should be allowed to create a health hazard.

F*** the consequences for them if they are, and won't stop.