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Help with a very clever rat

sevbrownsevbrown Posts: 33
in Problem solving
We have a very cheeky rat visiting our small back garden, I found him in the wheelie bin last week. 

We have had traps out for weeks and poison in bait boxes and nothings working, he somehow is setting off the traps and eating the bait without getting caught. None of the poison has been touched either. We have put a weight on top of the bin and removed bird feeders (hes been slowly chewing at the lid of the bin so im sure he will be back in soon)

Having spoken to the neighbours they have all said the same

Hes a very cute rat but im sure where there is one theres more and I dont like the idea of my kids playing out with possible rat wee all over their toys etc

Any advice on what else we could do would be great


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Posts

  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    No local cats?
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited April 2018
    Get Springwatch in to study the genius Houdini. (Not a very helpful suggestion).

    Where is the lid of the bin? I can't see that clearly from the pic, but it may be that there is not much of a lip for the lid to sit on. Normally wheelie bins are designed so rats can't get in unless they chew right through. They shouldn't be able to push up the lid (even without a weight). Might getting a different style of bin might help? Others will probably advise to get the professionals in to nuke all regional rats to infinity.
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    I am no help at all. I would adopt him and call him Bertie. 
    SW Scotland
  • sevbrownsevbrown Posts: 33
    Lots of local cats, infact whilst filming 'princess peach' as my children have named him yesterday we saw three cats milling around in neighbours gardens but they didnt come near

    Lid was broken on the bin but covered with a piece of wood, new lid been fitted since. Called the local council and they advised two weeks for someone to come and have a look and put down poison and a £50 charge per visit so was hoping to deal with problem ourselves
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    See if anyone round about has a Jack Russell.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    He must be a good jumper if he can get out of that bin, as shown in the image.  If you're hard hearted enough to drown him (as opposed to an equally painful death due to internal bleeding from poisons).. fill the bin with about a foot of water, and sprinkle several large handfuls of sunflower seeds (still in their shells) to float on top of the water.  Leave it for a few days, then strain it out in the grass and throw away the body.  Put the cover on, but propped open a small way for the rat to fit in.. but not for birds or other creatures to find.  
    Utah, USA.
  • autumngloryautumnglory Posts: 255
     :'(  I couldn't even think about doing that without getting upset!!
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    edited April 2018
    I know.. I don't think I could do it either.  Although I'm not beyond using glue traps in my house to catch the occasional mouse (which involves wrapping it in newspaper and stomping hard on mouse/glue when one is caught, to put it out of it's predicament).  :s
    Utah, USA.
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    So far this week, I have taken off the neighbours cat..
    1. a frog that was playing dead, but OK and returned to the pond.
    2. A vole that was not OK. The cat did a lot of swearing at me and refused to let me prise his jaws open. We had a tug of war and the voles head came of. At least it was quick.
    3. A large bumble bee that was mangled and beyond saving, but the cat probably got stung.
  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845
    Cats are a bloody nightmare.  They just kill everything.  Love cuddling one, but blimey, we had two young cats move to the hamlet, and they have murdered everything little creature, including rats.
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