Topic: I Smell a RAT

[Jane the Novice]

I have been watching the nightlife in my garden for a little while now and have been delighted by many frogs and fieldmice. However a couple of nights ago I saw what I thought was a larger mouse just sticking his nose out from under the shed then last night I saw the entire " large mouse" on one of my paved areas and to my horror I have a rat. Not quite sure how to deal with it at the moment without damaging the field mice and the toads. I will stop feeding the birds at ground level but will continue to fill the feeders and the table. I have considered getting myself a humane trap so if I inadvertantly catch on of the mice I can release it. I'm not sure that I could kill a rat even if I caught it although my husband says that he would do that for me. I'm sure that many of you will have ideas for me. In the meantime I will continue my night watch to see what else lurks among my plants.

[Gardengirl]

Hi Jane - have you any compost heaps close by.  If so, the rats could be nesting in them.  A neighbour of ours had this problem and had loads of little rats running around and had to get the experts in to help dispose of them.  Other than that I cannot suggest anything else.  As you say, you have to be careful not to harm any friendly visitors :o

[redimp]

I have a humane rat and I caught two rats in it earlier in the year - much recounted on here.  The following put some people off their breakfasts:



I found that bread was a good bait but chocolate is meant to work well.  It is best sited along a wall or such like that the rat has been observed running along.  It is also best to cover the trap so the rat just thinks it is running through the tunnel.  I drove mine about 5 miles before releasing them and then released the second one in exactly the same place.

[rosebud]

Inform the local council Jane , we had a rat under our shed but the chap next door had a compost heap, the ratman told us we would end up with dozens if we diden`t get rid so i let them do there stuff.

[Jane the Novice]

Thankyou all for your replies. I have no compost heap and nor does my neighbour. I believe the little blighter is currently residing beneath my shed. Have been out this evening but can only find frogs and mice. The mice, by the way, have taken a fancy to my nice ripe tomatoes!

Redclanger...where did you get your trap from as I think I could use one of these and release my new found friend in a large woodland on the opposite side of the main road.

[redimp]

I got it from a shop called Biggers in Lincoln.  No web site.  I will try to find the box to let you know who the company are.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Just be ruthless with the horrible things and use poison. Put it in a piece of pipe or similar, and place it along the bottom of your shed wall, by the hole you saw it come out of.

[Rosa_Mundi]

Rats don't really live in woodland, Jane - there's a good chance it will come back.

[Jane the Novice]

The problem I see with using poison is that it would probably get the field mice and the frogs too. The rat in question doesn't emerge from a hole but from under the shed where I presume it resides with the mice and frogs. I know rats are bad but haven't the heart to kill anything. As to the question of it returning from the woodland I very much doubt if it would be able to relocate my garden from about a mile and a half away from the back of the woods. It would have to go and find somewhere else to live.
I have now stopped putting food on the ground for the birds and have just caught a mouse red handed with it's face in a tomato. I am now going back out there with a camera and if I manage to snap it will be back with the results.

[Robert_Brenchley]

You'd probably get the mice, but certainly wouldn't harm the frogs. They eat insects not bright blue grain!

[discovery]

We live 50 yards from a canal,and we often see a rat or two walking across the garden even in broad daylight.I dont feed the birds on the ground, only from feeders, but I hane seen them climb up a tree to try and get to the feeders, so I use the one that only have holes at the bottom, I wont put poison down for fear of killing anything else, I just live and let live, and try not to feed them.I supose that i am in the minority as I used to keep and show fancy rats, here is a pic of one, called Burt.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I used to keep rats as well; of course they're a different species! Having had a rat destroy a beehive once, I now get an uncontrollable urge to kill every time I see one of the horrible things.

[Jane the Novice]

Rat Trap ordered and should be arriving tomorrow....I hope he enjoys his last night of freedom!!

[wardy]

We have a pest control bloke near me who only uses ferrets and dogs to despatch rats.  Very environmentally friendly  :) 

If we get rats on the lotties they put a terrier under and have a few standing by  to catch them as they come out.  I used my own JRT to explore some leaf filled holes in my lotty.  Fortunately the rats had left but I certainly didn't dare put my spade in it without the dog checking it out first  :)

[Jane the Novice]

Trap arrived this morning. I am currently at work but with nothing to do at the present. When I get home I will try and set the trap although it may prove a little difficult in the dark. I will let you all know how I get on and may even post some piccies of the little b*****d when I get him

[redimp]

We have a pest control bloke near me who only uses ferrets and dogs to despatch rats.  Very environmentally friendly  :) 

If we get rats on the lotties they put a terrier under and have a few standing by  to catch them as they come out.  I used my own JRT to explore some leaf filled holes in my lotty.  Fortunately the rats had left but I certainly didn't dare put my spade in it without the dog checking it out first  :)

You may have to check on the legality of it all if the dogs kill the rats.  As far as I am aware, you can now only use dogs to fluch out animals and then a gun should be used to despatch them - I do not think rats are excluded.

[wardy]

I don't think the law would be very interested in rats on my lotty and I don't think anyone is allowed a gun these days - least of all me I should hope  ;D 

Rats carry Weils disease so I don't want my little terrier catching anything nasty.  I think rats flushed out by dogs get hit over the head but I should think folks will still use ferrets.  I think they do on farms in your neck of the woods too - unless like you say it's been outlawed like most things nowadays, although it's safer to the environment and the pest control bloke than handling toxic poisons  :o

[Jane the Novice]

Rat trap is now primed ready to go. I have placed it along a wall which I believe to part of the rat run. I have baited it with a slice of my best bread. Apparently they like chocolate but I'm blowed if I'd waste good choccy on a pesky rat! I'm not sure how long I will have to wait but I have swept up every last grain of the bird food.I think a glass of wine and a comfy chair are called for.

[wardy]

I think money on a kit kat will be well spent.  Mice and rats love em and they are better bait than cheese.  I rat would go for choccy over bread any day  :)

[Doris_Pinks]

They Lurve peanut butter too!