This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
rats
MAGGIE BRAY
Posts: 61
in Talkback
help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i have rats on my bird table. only 2 at the moment.
does anybody know how to get rid of the rats but i don`t want to kill them JUST YET. tried chilli powder, onion powder, extra strong garlic. have the only 2 rats who like hot spicy stuff.
does anybody know if the squirrel guards work on rats. they are not house rats but field rats because i back on to a field and we live in a semi rural area.
they are coming very regular now even in daylight. have named them Henry and Jack because they are male rats (i shall say no more)
maggie
0
Posts
I favour a 'defensive' approach similar to Pansyface's: invert a largish (8" or 10") plastic flowerpot and then add the inverted drip tray on top before reaffixing the table - this 'belt & braces' construction has worked for me!
Our squirrels just leap up and eat from the squirrel proof?? bird feeders. I have greased the pole so no mice running up.
Yes pansyface, agree with regard to longer pole but the table is directly outside our very small kitchen window and if any higher we would not be able to see the birds feeding - or the squirrels. I have given in - although am considering another longer pole and table further away.
I really don't mind the squirrels but wish they were not so greedy.
Only 2 brown rats at the moment you say. Hmm. The gestation period is 21 days and they have up to 14 young, so don't leave it too long.. Not much will stop them other than the grim reaper I found. Almost as athletic as squirrels and thought nothing of jumping a couple of feet from a nearby fence (which they used like it was an elevated pavement) over to the bird table, defeating all my attempts to prevent them climbing the bird table stand!
A pair of rats become 2000 in one year.
I had this problem under our decking, it all started when I was feeding the birds fat balls, i didn't know rats loved them tho, anyway I rang the council who put poison down for two months (it's free), it worked to I found the dead rat at the side of my house dead, it must of been expecting as it was very big yuk, we've had no problem since
Pansyface and David, thank you for those ideas. I am definitely going to try them out. We have squrrels galore visiting our bird table, and they frighten away the birds. Plus which, they have insatiable appetites!
I had a similar sighting a few years ago when I had been ground feeding birds. Living in a rural location I assumed there would be rats but didn't exactly want to encourage them. A few days later as I was watching the greedy things scampering about looking for the left overs of my bird food a buzzard flew in and took it off!!! Never seen rats since but I do see the buzzards regularly circling overhead!!
Any birds of prey in your area?
Rats , I live in a semi rural location and there is only 3 ways to get rid of rats , unless of course you have Buzzards but no guarantee they will take yours , that is shoot them , get a powerful air rifle , trap but have known them chew there way out or poison , get somebody in to do it rather DIY
Best of luck
I agree with those who have said you must get rid of them or you will be overrun with rats in a month or two!