Rats stealing strawberries

[davholla]

We are having problems with rats stealing our strawberries.  Any ideas ?

[davholla]

[Baccy Man]

Rat poison.

[davyw1]

Don,t grow strawberries.

[davholla]

Don,t grow strawberries.

A bad idea.

Does anyone have any ideas that don't involve killing the rats.

[Emagggie]

Grow the strawbs at home in a 2 tier growbag arrangement. My neighbour does and it is very successful. We have a big rat problem on our site this year too. Adjacent plotter has pulled all his strawbs up because he saw a rat eating them :o

[davholla]

Sounds very interesting ?  Do you have any pictures etc ?  How much space does it take up on the patio etc ?  Do you get more than it costs you ?

[Emagggie]

Can't help with much of that at present Dave, but I will ask next time I see the neighbours.
The space taken up is that of a growbag really, that's all. When I watered last, he had plenty of fruit  coming.

[OllieC]

Don,t grow strawberries.

A bad idea.

Does anyone have any ideas that don't involve killing the rats.

Is this a joke?

[Emagggie]

Strange as it may seem I couldn't kill one if you paid me! I know all about disease etc. but I couldn't do it, don't know about Davyw1 though.

[davyw1]

Strange as it may seem I couldn't kill one if you paid me! I know all about disease etc. but I couldn't do it, don't know about Davyw1 though.

Without any doubt and any way possible.

I grew mine in old super market  wire baskets attached to the fence, no slug or rat damage. Its hard to keep anything away from rats as they can access most places.  you will have to get rid of it, trap or poison but it has to go.

[kt.]

you will have to get rid of it, trap or poison but it has to go.

Totally agree.  If it gets making a home on your plot then it will be breeding on your plot.  Get rid ASAP come hell or high water. 8)

[Emagggie]

But what is the best way? Poison is so awful and birds might pick it up, trapping seems like sticking your little toe in the ocean. You'd have to be mighty quick to whack it, so how do you do it?

[Suzanne]

I stopped growing strwbs on my plot last year as the rats kept getting in and stealing them. Puts you off eating them knowing what the rats carry.

By the way I would have no problems poisoning them if I knew that i wouldn't affect non target species such as hedgehogs and the little shrews we get. Anyone have any fool proof ways to poison without the collateral damage?

[peasmad]

Make or get a  small box, size of a shoe box. Attach a tube, drainpipe or even cardboard roll. Put some rat poison in mixed in with either chocolate spread or grated chocolate (cheapest available, rats not fussy) in a small plastic bag, tie knot in bag. cover box and tube with waterproof material. Ratto enters, takes bag and contents back to nest or communal rat rave area and all gorge themselves. You may not see the bag or dead again. Live rats consume dead rats very quickly.  The tube will not allow hedgehogs to enter, nor will birds venture into a dark recess.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Hedgehogs and shrews are insectivores; rat poison mostly comes on grain. The only things likely to eat it are rodents, lagomorphs (ie rabbits and hares) and some of the larger birds, like pigeons. Put it under cover and you won't have any worries.

[tonybloke]

quote"lagomorphs " that's a posh word, Robert!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;)

[Suzanne]

Thanks for the tips.  :)

[davyw1]

The only wild life that will touch a dead rat is a fox so what the problem.

[davholla]

In some parts of the country I believe that rats are now immune to poison.

The bad news is that these are growing in number.
BTW it is not on my allotment it is took them from the patio of my garden.

[lillian]

Had the same problem  with sunflowers and a young apple tree.  :(