Rats!

[Blueway]

Hi
This is my first post so am not sure if it's in the right section.
I regularly feed the birds in the small back yard of my flat, usually just a holder with fat balls and maybe some seed on a table.
Anyway, a few month ago I noticed a rat in the yard a couple of times, I stopped putting seed out and it seemed to disappear. A few days ago I noticed it back and eating the fat balls so I've now got rid of them too.
I believe a neighbour may have called pest control as there were three dead rats in my yard today
Can anyone recommend a rat proof feeder?
Also, are these dead rats a health hazard? I've disposed of them in the bin but I'm concerned about the ones I can't see!
Thanks

[Kayleigh]

Just make sure there is no extra food out as this is what attracts them only put a small amount of food out and the rats will move on.
Fat balls they love so I would not put these out till the rats have gone.
Its a shame the rat man has come and poisoned them as anything feeding on the rats will die too can you dispose of the rats but unless you burn them they will go to landfill and kill birds and other things feeding on them rat poison should be outlawed I refused to let the rat man use poison in my garden I got a "little nipper" for rats and killed him quick.

[Blueway]

Thanks for replying.
I agree about the poison, it's not something I would do.
I don't even know for sure if that's what's happened but can't think of any other explanation for three dead rats in the yard??I think there might have been problems with rats in the street for a while now so I may have to stop feeding the birds all toghther

[Kayleigh]

I had a rat but didn't stop feeding the birds I put a trap out baited with chocolate buttons on the spike so they cant get them off it worked..
If there is not excess food out then they will go elsewhere there are rats everywhere you cant get away from them we just need to make sure there is nothing for them to feed on.
The rat man took one look at my garden with the woodpiles, pond and cover in the borders and said I wont use poison here I told him its a wildlife garden and the woodmice live in the wood pile.
He did say rats love compost heaps so if you have one stop using it and use the green council compost bin instead.
I have not seen a rat for a couple of years now.

[Blueway]

There is nowhere in my yard where rats could nest, it's just a basic concrete square so hopefully they won't stick around!

[JaySteel]

Despite my warnings the managers at my office called in the pest controllers recently to combat the rat problem at my place of work. Unfortunately as I had feared, the pest controllers first action was to put down poison with no respect for other wildlife that it may effect. Days later I was called outside by co-workers who were gathered around to watch a poisoned rat that kept running around in circles and continuously falling over. Eventually the rat collapsed and lay there twitching and trying desperately to get up and escape. I seemed to be the only person who found this whole ordeal quite distressing. I was forced to put the poor thing out of its misery with the use of a shovel and then dispose of it carefully for incineration.

I had a couple of rats in my garden once and I killed them immediately and humanly with my air-rifle. Now my cats do the work for me and keep the garden rat-free. I certainly don't want rats around but there are better ways to deal with the problem than with the use of poison.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Blueway

There is nowhere in my yard where rats could nest, it's just a basic concrete square so hopefully they won't stick around!

No they came in looking for food so if you only put a small amount of food out and sweep the area then they will go elsewhere.