I'm not going to lecture but these days there should be no reason for a rat to want to go in a bin. Anything a rat would be interested in can be recycled. Put out clean recycling and make sure the food waste caddy is out of reach. You can even recycle dead rats apparently.
The best approach is not to attract rats. You can trap and kill all you want but if you've attracted one you will attract more. I get some here because we feed the birds and I refuse to stop doing that because not many of my neighbours bother. I'm lucky because I can shoot the ones that become a problem but it's not an option for most people.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Unfortunately in my area we only have two bins, one for recyleable waste and one for everything else, the green bin with everything including food waste and nappies in is only emptied every two weeks, with a young family this often ends up overflowing by bin day and working full time it can be difficult to get to the tip in the week. However I am determined to remove all attractants to the rats hence buying the new bin lid, trying to reduce our waste and ensuring nothing is left outside in bags.
Hopefully in time this will be enough, I do miss feeding the birds and watching them out of the window, watching a rat while a novelty doesnt have the same appeal
Unfortunately in my area we only have two bins, one for recyleable waste and one for everything else, the green bin with everything including food waste and nappies in is only emptied every two weeks, with a young family this often ends up overflowing by bin day and working full time it can be difficult to get to the tip in the week. However I am determined to remove all attractants to the rats hence buying the new bin lid, trying to reduce our waste and ensuring nothing is left outside in bags.
Hopefully in time this will be enough, I do miss feeding the birds and watching them out of the window, watching a rat while a novelty doesnt have the same appeal
I come from the far north of Scotland . A very rural area. When I moved on safari down to tropical Pudsey we got a rat that kept coming into my garden. I have a daughter who is phobic of all rodents and like you did not want the disease they carry lying in my garden so I asked my friends from up north. Their advice was , if not taking the poison bait then look to where it’s run is, apparently they walk the same paths all the time. Then, and this is the old Caithness cure, pee on their path. If you have a male to pee there all the better as they hate that more. It is meant to distract the scent etc. So, after a bit of a boozey bbq ( I wouldn’t have convinced him to try sober ) when all the neighbours were asleep, I sent my other half off to wee at the back of the garden where Roland had been wandering.. never saw Roland again or any of his wee mate either.
To me there's no such thing as a 'cute' rat. They are vermin and they spread disease. In the situation the OP found themselves in, I would have put a cover over the bin until emptying day. Then dump additional rubbish on top and put the bin out. Rat gone!
To me there's no such thing as a 'cute' rat. They are vermin and they spread disease. In the situation the OP found themselves in, I would have put a cover over the bin until emptying day. Then dump additional rubbish on top and put the bin out. Rat gone!
Ditto. ( although I would have told the "dustbin men" he was there before they handled the bin.)
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The best approach is not to attract rats. You can trap and kill all you want but if you've attracted one you will attract more. I get some here because we feed the birds and I refuse to stop doing that because not many of my neighbours bother. I'm lucky because I can shoot the ones that become a problem but it's not an option for most people.
Hopefully in time this will be enough, I do miss feeding the birds and watching them out of the window, watching a rat while a novelty doesnt have the same appeal
Hopefully in time this will be enough, I do miss feeding the birds and watching them out of the window, watching a rat while a novelty doesnt have the same appeal
For what it's worth we've been using washable nappies and they're amazing, I can't recommend them enough.
It is meant to distract the scent etc.
So, after a bit of a boozey bbq ( I wouldn’t have convinced him to try sober ) when all the neighbours were asleep, I sent my other half off to wee at the back of the garden where Roland had been wandering..
never saw Roland again or any of his wee mate either.
Why doesn't it work in London though, plenty of rats and manly wee around back alleys and dumpsters.