HELP!!!! a humane way to get rid of rat

[nightshade]

I do not want Rats in my garden,they are too successful and prolific,they are here because my neighbours have not been so careful in removing food scraps put out for the birds nor as regular a gardener as the lioness .
We discovered they had moved into our garden fairly quickly and that our continued presence was a better detterent than all the baits and traps (and our lovely dopey cat)
So good regular gardening = No Rats

[demicav]

As I've said on another thread, I quite like Rats. I'm not saying I'd like hundreds in my garden but I do enjoy seeing them when out and about. I'm probably in the minority but I find them quite cute and they are a part of nature but I'm not against controlling them when necessary, after all they breed very fast.

[eeyore]

actually you regularly get solitary rats - normally males. however no one is saying that you shouldnt control them if you have a rat problem - what i (and dave) were saying is that there is no need to panic just because you have seen one - you can also over state the disease risk - yes they do carry diseases humans can catch (notably weils disease) but taking common sense precuations such as washing your hands and covering up cuts can negate this risk .

many other wildlife species also carry disease, pigeons can carry up to 37 diseases that are comunicable to people but you dont get people running round panicking because they have seen a pigeon in their garden.

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

A rabbit is not a rodent.

In fact it is a kind of bird

actually the rabbit , together with hares and pikas, is a lagomorph.

[shei111]

Originally Posted by paulinemiller10

Well said Dave P, all wild animals carry diseases, I look after hedgehogs and always wear gloves and wash my hands after feeding or cleaning out their houses.
Rats live in all sorts of places, they also visit most gardens every night, but not so many people see them there, but if they do its panic stations, you are all much more likly to end up in hospital going out in your car than having a rat in your garden, I can t believe people on a wildlife forum are going around with guns shooting the wildlife because it is the wrong shape, and has a long tail. Pauline.

Hello pauline I dont panic when I see a rat but I can assure you the rat panics when it sees me , people on this forum are not going round shooting wildlife they are shooting rodents that are not wanted in there gardens, homes and sheds. Usually when people end up in hospital there on the slab because weills disease has been diagnosed too late to save them , one good reason to shoot them id say:rolleyes : if you asked alot of members on the forum what animal dont you want on your property I think you would find rats would be high on the list sheila

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by shei111

people on this forum are not going round shooting wildlife they are shooting rodents that are not wanted in there gardens, homes and sheds.

the point being that rats are wildlife you may not like them but then again we have people who dont like badgers - and (although not heavily represented here there are those that dont like hen harriers etc). Come to that other countries have wildlife species that carry rabies (red dogs, wolves, vampire bats etc etc)- which can be passed to people in a similar way to weils (ie through urine to open cut or bodily orifice) should they all be erradicated too ???

rats are extremly prolific so shooting a few or even every one you see will not noticeably reduce the risk of weils disease - what does reduce the risk is washing your hands properly after gardening , and covering up cuts etc In fact the risk of catching weils in the garden is neglible most cases come from contact with dirty water in ditches, rivers, canals etc - and the key here is if you have been in a risk situation such as falling in a canal then come down with flu like symptoms tell your doctor and insist on antibiotic treatment

[hobble]

I see the odd rat in my garden, the last one I posted as a picture on this forum back in March.
I would not panic, keep my child in, call for pest control unless it moved in to my house. Most people probably sleep through their major activity blissfully unaware.
Rats can be healthy clean living creatures in the right habitat, none I have ever seen look filthy.
Yes I am aware of the disease they carry and I wash my hands after gardening,
who doesn't?
It is probably not a good idea to endorse shooting rats as children who may visit this forum may think it is OK to shoot wild animals.
There are many other risks we take in life other than allowing the odd rat into our gardens.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by eeyore

actually the rabbit , together with hares and pikas, is a lagomorph.

I knew that was the word, but my fingers betrayed me.

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by shei111

people on this forum are not going round shooting wildlife they are shooting rodents that are not wanted in there gardens, homes and sheds.

Hmm... when exactly did rodents cease to be wildlife?

Originally Posted by shei111

if you asked alot of members on the forum what animal dont you want on your property I think you would find rats would be high on the list

I'm sure you're right, rats would probably be top of the list. I'm just not convinced that they deserve to be. They are intelligent and highly adaptable creatures who have learned to make a home for themselves in towns and cities where most other mammals have not. This brings them into conflict with humans and has earned them a lot of bad press, some of it deserved, much of it not. If I remember my history lessons correctly (it was a long time ago ) even the bubonic plague was actually spread by fleas. The poor rats were just unwitting and unwilling transport for the fleas.

They need to get themselves a better publicist. Reinvent the brand. Anyone got Max Clifford's phone number?

Dave P.

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by pressld2

I'm sure you're right, rats would probably be top of the list. I'm just not convinced that they deserve to be.

Max Clifford

Dave P.

As reported in the ... Moon?

The quote may have been modified, but only accidentaly.