rats and birds

[jesssands]

Hi. not sure if I am posting in the correct dept, but still....
Today, we noticed a rat disappear in a hole in the garden wall (its wilderness beyond this)
I was wondering if you guys think that the rat/rats is living there because I have a bird feeder hanging from an elderberry tree very close to the hole. Maybe they are living off the seed the birds drop.. I don't really want to stop feeding the birds tho.
what do you think?

[jesssands]

[Unwashed]

Rats will eat bird food that's on the floor, though the brown rat isn't a terribly good climber so mostly it won't manage to get onto bird tables of hanging feeders.  Live and let live I say, rats are wildlife too.  Enjoy them.

[jesssands]

You will be surprised then at this... my hubby came home today and found mr rat and his wife doing piggy back with both heads in the bird feeder... he says it was swinging madly which was what made him notice. They will have had to climb the elder tree and select the correct branch to get to the feeder. (got to hand it to them tho, they aint stupid)
My bird feeder is one of those meant for tits and finches with a small hole at the bottom.
Went out for an hour and when we got back mr rat was at it again, swinging on my feeder. I've taken it down now.
Its such a shame as I like to see the birds there and they need looking after esp with the cooler weather coming.
Any ideas on how to feed the birds without the rats would be welcomed please

[Robert_Brenchley]

Hang it on a wire, well away from the trunk.