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Anyone here living with a rat in the garden?

susiebowersusiebower Posts: 138
in Wildlife gardening
I have one big, bold rat in my garden. He's there because I feed the birds, and it would break my heart to stop. He comes out in broad daylight and climbs up the pole to the feeders (I've just tried putting a thick coat of Vaseline round the pole - will see if it stops him) and today he was drinking from my wildlife pond. I always use gloves when I garden as I know they carry disease, and I have called pest control who would come with a baited trap, but I HATE the thought of killing anything, even a *** rat. Do any of you have a 'live and let live' approach to rats?
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  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    No. They're a health hazard and they breed.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I suspect every garden has a rat or three somewhere so grit your teeth and get that one dispatched before it becomes many more.   If it's bold enough to be out feeding in daylight it's probably pregnant or has recent young so is extra hungry.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Agree @pansyface but I was assuming the OP lives in a suburban setting where rats are more likely to invade houses.   We have two dogs - one of whom is a ratter - and 2 cats so I leave rodents alone except for rescuing any voles the mouser cat brings in.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    If you want to stop the rat, stop feeding the birds for as long as it takes until you no longer see it for a couple of weeks at least.  That is what most Pest Control people advise in the first instance.
    You either have to live with it and be prepared for it to settle down and produce or you have to bite the bullet .  Ask your pest control person about the use of Snap traps if you prefer a more humane method than poison.  Whatever you use, make sure it is secure from other forms of wildlife and please don't use a Humane Trap and then release the rat elsewhere.


  • susiebowersusiebower Posts: 138
    Thank you, everyone. @philippasmith2 - do you really think that not feeding the birds  might make the rat go away? I'd be willing to do this if it's likely, so long as it's not for too long. The thing is though, that I didn't see the rat at all for about 6 months - then it came back in the last couple of weeks. 
  • susiebowersusiebower Posts: 138
    @Obelixx I do live in a suburban setting but all my drains have sumps so the rat is unlikely to get in. 
  • barry islandbarry island Posts: 1,847
    Do birds need additional feed all year round?
  • susiebowersusiebower Posts: 138
    barry island said:
    Do birds need additional feed all year round?
    Probably not, but feeding birds and watching them is one of the great joys of my life. One of the reasons I wanted a garden was so I could feed and watch the birds. Hence my reluctance to stop feeding them!
  • Slow-wormSlow-worm Posts: 1,630
    Yep. I relocated one a week or so ago, there's another one now so the trap is out again. 🙄 I also hate not being able to feed the birds, especially this time of year.
    It seems lots of people in the UK are having a problem with rats lately, which doesn't sound good!

  • gjautosgjautos Posts: 429
    We had a rat, I keep quail and it was going for the feed in the garage. I moved the feed and the rat left. (Probably gone next door!) Might be worth not feeding the birds for a few days, my rat was gone after 2 days. 
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