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

[dottie30]

I got up this morning an surveyed my beautiful garden...full of bird song...then from under my shed appeared a gigantic rat.He eyeballed me and eye balled him.He wasnt particularly fazed by me.Needless to say I dont want this furry little creature in my garden-especially if Im sunbathing!!! Any ideas how to encourage him to leave without poison etc.Thanks Janette

[Kayleigh]

First make sure there is no food is birdseed ect on the ground. Then go get a humane rat trap and put some chocolate in it. Then when ratty is in the trap, take him far away and dump him.

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

First make sure there is no food is birdseed ect on the ground. Then go get a humane rat trap and put some chocolate in it. Then when ratty is in the trap, take him far away and dump him.

Hello And failing kayleighs excellent advise if that dont work stick a 12 bore up its a... that will sheila

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by shei111

Hello And failing kayleighs excellent advise if that dont work stick a 12 bore up its a... that will sheila

Well! that's one way of Humanly putting him out of his misery.

[coasty]

Air rifle always works for me,,,,,,

[richardkm]

Coasty beat me to it. Just shoot the blighter.

[pressld2]

Some amusing replies but can I be the first to say why not leave the poor little chap alone? Rats are quite harmless. All that business with the bubonic plague was before the germ theory of disease, before innoculations and anti-biotics and at a time when personal hygiene was along the lines of "I have a bath every six months whether I need it or not". As long as you wash your hands when you've finished gardening you won't catch anything nasty.

If he's doing a lot of damage gnawing on things then maybe I can see the need to relocate but otherwise I'd enjoy having him in my garden as much as I enjoy my Hedgehog.

Dave P.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Some amusing replies but can I be the first to say why not leave the poor little chap alone? Rats are quite harmless. All that business with the bubonic plague was before the germ theory of disease, before innoculations and anti-biotics and at a time when personal hygiene was along the lines of "I have a bath every six months whether I need it or not". As long as you wash your hands when you've finished gardening you won't catch anything nasty.

If he's doing a lot of damage gnawing on things then maybe I can see the need to relocate but otherwise I'd enjoy having him in my garden as much as I enjoy my Hedgehog.

Dave P.

Sorry to disagree with you. They do spread diseases that kill dogs..So get rid of them, see them for the dirty rodents they are.

[shei111]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Some amusing replies but can I be the first to say why not leave the poor little chap alone? Rats are quite harmless. All that business with the bubonic plague was before the germ theory of disease, before innoculations and anti-biotics and at a time when personal hygiene was along the lines of "I have a bath every six months whether I need it or not". As long as you wash your hands when you've finished gardening you won't catch anything nasty.

If he's doing a lot of damage gnawing on things then maybe I can see the need to relocate but otherwise I'd enjoy having him in my garden as much as I enjoy my Hedgehog.

Dave P.

Dave im sorry but I totally disagree with you when you say leave the poor little chap alone well if you leave him alone he wont be alone because they breed too quick and your soon over run with the nasty dirty rodents.I wouldnt say they are harmless either , if you end up with them in your loft up your drain pipes and when your on the loo like you do and he pops his wet head up to "say hello dave "I bet you wont be laughing then shoot the bloody things sheila.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by shei111

Dave im sorry but I totally disagree with you when you say leave the poor little chap alone well if you leave him alone he wont be alone because they breed too quick and your soon over run with the nasty dirty rodents.I wouldnt say they are harmless either , if you end up with them in your loft up your drain pipes and when your on the loo like you do and he pops his wet head up to "say hello dave "I bet you wont be laughing then shoot the bloody things sheila.

Go on Sheila..Don't hold back now will you

[Bub-les]

I don't like them either in fact I cannot stand them but with some of the posts here all I can say is I'm glad I'm not a rat!!!!!!
Barbara

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Some amusing replies but can I be the first to say why not leave the poor little chap alone? Rats are quite harmless. All that business with the bubonic plague was before the germ theory of disease, before innoculations and anti-biotics and at a time when personal hygiene was along the lines of "I have a bath every six months whether I need it or not". As long as you wash your hands when you've finished gardening you won't catch anything nasty.

If he's doing a lot of damage gnawing on things then maybe I can see the need to relocate but otherwise I'd enjoy having him in my garden as much as I enjoy my Hedgehog.

Dave P.

I'm with you on this dave - yes they do carry some diseases (though significantly less than pigeons) but then rats are rife in the countryside and towns anyway (some research says that you are never more than ten yards away from a rat) so killing or relocating one wont make any odds to your or your dog's safety from rat bourne diseases.

if there is just one (males are often solitary) and its only in the garden not the house then leave it alone - of course if you are over run or they are doing damage then you need to take action.

In this case it is more humane to kill them (by shooting or with traps - not poison) than it is to relocate them into strange habitat where they wont be welcomed by the indigenous rat population

[pressld2]

Where's all this "dirty rodent" stuff coming from? Squirrels, even the red ones, are rodents, as are Rabbits and Water Voles – should we shoot them as vermin too? And Hedgehogs are usually infested with fleas so let’s twang them into the wide blue yonder while we’re at it.

As for dogs catching things from rats isn’t that what vets and inoculations are for? Seems strange to come on a wildlife forum and advocate the slaughter of wildlife to protect domestic pets.

Dave P.

[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.

[coasty]

pressld2 Re: HELP!!!! a humane way to get rid of rat
Where's all this "dirty rodent" stuff coming from? Squirrels, even the red ones, are rodents, as are Rabbits and Water Voles – should we shoot them as vermin too? And Hedgehogs are usually infested with fleas so let’s twang them into the wide blue yonder while we’re at it.

As for dogs catching things from rats isn’t that what vets and inoculations are for? Seems strange to come on a wildlife forum and advocate the slaughter of wildlife to protect domestic pets.

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.

I dont go around the garden carrying a gun,,, I beleive that you are thinking of someone from Vis magazine.

However I would say that as an ex keeper of chickens I have always found Rats to be both destructive and a nuisance and shot them at every opportunity. Also after 30 years in the construction industry I have witnessed the incredible damage they can do to property.

I have always lived in or close to the countryside. I find the "all animals are mans friend approach" somewhat blinkered. In my opinion Rats are vermin and should be controlled. The British Countyside is a diverse and wonderful place however it has been a man managed place for many generations pests and vermin need controlling habitat requires maintaining and managing.

I have not shot rats because they are the wrong shape and have a long tail I have shot them to reduce the population locally from stealing grain and defacating in the food and water bins of the chickens that I have kept. To suggest otherwise I am afraid only demonstrates naivity. I have also shot wood pigeons to control the damage they do over newly planted cops. Given the chance there are a good few Mink in our local river that would be shot to. Or perhaps you consider that the effect they have upon the local Water Vole population is just something we have to accept.

Also I can assure you all that should you have seen the rat, mouse and cockroach infestations that exist in many inner city restaurant kitchens then you would be quite happy to see the numbers of Mr Ratty reduced.

As for your point about washing your hands. What is the point exactly? I would wash my hands after grooming my dog or collecting the eggs . I beleive its called basic hygiene. As for protecting domestic pets from Rats I always found my little Jack Russel had no trouble dealing with more than the odd rat....

[pressld2]

You make some excellent points Coasty but unfortunately they are nothing to do with the original post nor my response to it.

I quite agree that rats in kitchens or damaging a farmer's livelihood are serious problems that need to be dealt with. And I'm not in the "Never kill anything" camp either; if the best way to deal with these problems is through humane destruction then so be it.

I'm merely suggesting that waking up one morning and spotting a rat in your garden is not a serious problem and doesn't warrant a cry of "HELP!!!!"

Dave P.

[Meta menardi]

A Rabbit is not a rodent.

In fact it is a kind of bird

[Seajay]

Trouble with rats Dave if you see one and leave it in a few weeks time you will see a lot more! Can you imagine the scenario where due to numbers you have lost control? Fine if you're in the country miles from anyone but most people live in communities.
I will not give them an inch.

Colin

[shei111]

Originally Posted by Seajay

Trouble with rats Dave if you see one and leave it in a few weeks time you will see a lot more! Can you imagine the scenario where due to numbers you have lost control? Fine if you're in the country miles from anyone but most people live in communities.
I will not give them an inch.

Colin

Hello colin I quite agree with your post like ive said before no one has just one rat in there garden they breed too quick, they are a rodent that carry diseases and deadly at that so why anyone wants to entertain them in their garden beats me. sheila

[cat72uk]

i dont like to kill things but the just 1 dose turn to a big problem soon
i had 1 little mouse awww it was sweet little thing my hubby said kill it
i said no .......
a few weeks later while watching tv 1 night 5 ran across the floor infront of me
we got traps and relocated them that did not work
cuse as mentioned when rats/mice get in the house thay live in cavity walls
and under the floor boards.
i had to put poision down in the end cuse we have young children and mice have no bladder or bowl control and go as thay run around
i had trails of poo all over the house

[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.