The reasonable precautions you describe apply to setting poison as well as setting traps.
Using a proper bait box will avoid rat poison being accessed by pets. If you don't possess, and don't wish to purchase one (or more likely the several needed) it's often cheaper to get the professionals in.
Professionals should also be aware of any tolerance to specific poisons which has been acquired by rats in the area and thereby know which bait to use which will be effective and also avoid contributing to the build up of tolerance in the local rat population.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Can I just clarify Bobby - my post was in response to another one - which has been removed by the mods. They clearly felt it was unsuitable for the forum, as I did.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've been feeding birds for years, but last year was the first time I had rats. We had up to 3 at a time, very active during the day. They would climb iup the tree, run along the branch to get down onto the feeders. I moved the feeders to the smallest branches in the hope their weight wouldn't take them, but they still managed it. I put poles up further into the middle of the garden - they just ran up the metal poles and could even knock the feeder to the ground.
My husband against my wishes got a rat trap, we caught a hedgehog instead. I am very against poison as i believe it's excessively cruel, but am fully aware of the dangers of disease. We live in a rural area surrounded by fields.
this year I have bought a child's water canon toy. I have read that u can deter cats by using a water spray, so I am thinking perhaps if the rats get a bit of a surprise each time they appear, that might deter them? The bird feeders are outside my kitchen window so we can see them easily. we all tried opening the kitchen door and shouting at them, they just reappeared a minute later. My dog and cat made no difference.
has anyone tried the water squirting idea? Do u think it will work? I've not started feeding the birds yet so can't give u any feedback yet.
Water won’t work! They live in sewers, they swim like fish,
if you are going to use a trap you don’t leave it out in the open, you find the rat run, easily spotted by smooth earth, usually close to a wall or fence, then cover the trap with chicken wire leaving a hole open at the end about 1.5 inches, then nothing else can get in.
In your case I think the best would be to call in the council rat man to get rid of them, did you know that from one pair of rats, 2000 will be born in a year.
Last edited: 19 October 2017 14:34:48
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I'm 99.999% certain that water won't deter rats, after the initial bit of surprise. Rats like water, they're good swimmers and really don''t mind getting soaked through, unlike cats, and if there's food easily available they'll not worry about squirted on their journey to their dining table.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If using rat traps Jo you need to place them so that only rats (or smaller rodents) can access them. It is a real shame that in your case a hedgehog was caught. Put them in a pipe or housing that the loaded trap will just fit in. No bigger. This will stop hogs and pets from gaining access to the food and trap.
I don't think a bit of water will deter them. They live in sewers!
Now that you have your bird feeders on poles you could stop them gaining access by placing an 'obstruction' somewhere up the pole. For example a large disc (wooden / plastic) fixed through a central hole to stop them climbing.
I had lovely birds in my garden, two Goldfinches. These birds require or prefer Niger seeds in a special feeder. No other birds can feed from the feeder as its just a slit opening.
On two occasions I found a dead rat under the feeder but on the path. I have not sprayed weeds along there or anywhere in the garden because the back garden is too huge for me to mow and maintain, I pay a gardner to look after it.
Posts
No - contact the council in the first instance, as Dove says.
Unless you have the proper experience and qualification so use traps correctly, you can do a huge amount of harm.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
One way is to fasten a tray below the bird feeder as lots of food falls down on the ground and attracts rats when birds munch on it.
The reasonable precautions you describe apply to setting poison as well as setting traps.
Using a proper bait box will avoid rat poison being accessed by pets. If you don't possess, and don't wish to purchase one (or more likely the several needed) it's often cheaper to get the professionals in.
Professionals should also be aware of any tolerance to specific poisons which has been acquired by rats in the area and thereby know which bait to use which will be effective and also avoid contributing to the build up of tolerance in the local rat population.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Can I just clarify Bobby - my post was in response to another one - which has been removed by the mods. They clearly felt it was unsuitable for the forum, as I did.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've been feeding birds for years, but last year was the first time I had rats. We had up to 3 at a time, very active during the day. They would climb iup the tree, run along the branch to get down onto the feeders. I moved the feeders to the smallest branches in the hope their weight wouldn't take them, but they still managed it. I put poles up further into the middle of the garden - they just ran up the metal poles and could even knock the feeder to the ground.
My husband against my wishes got a rat trap, we caught a hedgehog instead. I am very against poison as i believe it's excessively cruel, but am fully aware of the dangers of disease. We live in a rural area surrounded by fields.
this year I have bought a child's water canon toy. I have read that u can deter cats by using a water spray, so I am thinking perhaps if the rats get a bit of a surprise each time they appear, that might deter them? The bird feeders are outside my kitchen window so we can see them easily. we all tried opening the kitchen door and shouting at them, they just reappeared a minute later. My dog and cat made no difference.
has anyone tried the water squirting idea? Do u think it will work? I've not started feeding the birds yet so can't give u any feedback yet.
Water won’t work! They live in sewers, they swim like fish,
if you are going to use a trap you don’t leave it out in the open, you find the rat run, easily spotted by smooth earth, usually close to a wall or fence, then cover the trap with chicken wire leaving a hole open at the end about 1.5 inches, then nothing else can get in.
In your case I think the best would be to call in the council rat man to get rid of them, did you know that from one pair of rats, 2000 will be born in a year.
Last edited: 19 October 2017 14:34:48
I'm 99.999% certain that water won't deter rats, after the initial bit of surprise. Rats like water, they're good swimmers and really don''t mind getting soaked through, unlike cats, and if there's food easily available they'll not worry about squirted on their journey to their dining table.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Snap again Lyn
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
If using rat traps Jo you need to place them so that only rats (or smaller rodents) can access them. It is a real shame that in your case a hedgehog was caught. Put them in a pipe or housing that the loaded trap will just fit in. No bigger. This will stop hogs and pets from gaining access to the food and trap.
I don't think a bit of water will deter them. They live in sewers!
Now that you have your bird feeders on poles you could stop them gaining access by placing an 'obstruction' somewhere up the pole. For example a large disc (wooden / plastic) fixed through a central hole to stop them climbing.
I had lovely birds in my garden, two Goldfinches. These birds require or prefer Niger seeds in a special feeder. No other birds can feed from the feeder as its just a slit opening.
On two occasions I found a dead rat under the feeder but on the path. I have not sprayed weeds along there or anywhere in the garden because the back garden is too huge for me to mow and maintain, I pay a gardner to look after it.
I removed the feeder, no more dead rats since.