Rats in garden and noises in loft

[bagpuss]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum so hi to everyone! Need a bit of advice, please. We have rats in our garden, have seen them mainly at night but sometimes during the day too, so far have seen 3 at once, although they don't seem to be together. In fact, they seem quite wary of each other. We also have very strange and loud noises in our loft which we're guessing could be a rat. We can't get in the loft to see as it's very small and shallow, but we have a few ideas of how it may be getting in. Trouble is we don't want to block any holes just in case it's bats or maybe a red squirrel (we don't have greys here) or even a wood mouse. We've seen wood mice in the garden too.

My question is, what can we do about the rats, if anything? I'm not keen on traps at all, although I have read that you can get electronic zappers which are supposed to be more humane, but do they actually work? And I also wouldn't want the zapper to get the wood mice. If it is rats in the loft, will they do lots of damage? We have actually had the noises for a couple of years now, we tend not to hear anything in the summer months but then it starts up again come Autumn/Winter. It's sometimes incredibly loud, whatever it is up there, I'm wondering what the hell it's doing!

Sorry for the long message, but we just don't know what the best course of action to take is and would really appreciate some advice please.

[nightshade]

Hello Bagpuss,If you cannot check the loft yourself get someone from the local council to investigate the cause, if they are bats (I would be very pleased to have them in my loft)
I hope you will allow them to stay if they are rats you do not want them too settled so the sooner the better especially with easter coming up. Good luck and welcome to the site

[Wild-Woman]

Hi and welcome bagpuss.It may be a good idea to see if they are infact rats by putting an old tray with a little food in the middle up into the roof space, leave it there then take a look next morning to see if their droppings are from a rat. They produce them all the time and are like longer rice grains and dark coloured. At least you know what you're dealing with then.
As for the garden, make sure they aren't getting a supply of food from underneath a birdfeeder (if you have them that is) and clear any grain away. Hopefully they may move on without having to bring the council in.
Failing that, this is where the local moggies have their use, if you know what I mean.
Keep us posted and good luck. ww

[glsammy]

I hope they're not rats, they can do a lot of damage especially to electrical wiring, for some reason they seem to love chewing cable. Wild-Womans idea sounds good to me.
Welcome from me to!

[bagpuss]

Thanks for the advice. Actually, I did mean to say that one of the reasons why we probably have rats, is because we feed our badgers and foxes of a night-time which we don't really want to stop doing as we love watching all the wildlife that we get in our garden and I think they need all the help they can get, especially since there'll be little ones soon!

I really hope it's bats in the loft too, and we most definitely would let them stay if that were the case. Hopefully we will be able to sort the problem out ourselves, but if not, then I suppose we may have to contact the Council. Fingers crossed it's bats!

Re moggies in garden - we do get a few in our garden actually but they're obviously not doing their job!!

[richboy3006]

Hi!

I also can hear stuff coming from the loft, it happens daily around midnight. However, its driving me crazy because it does not sound like a rat. Its a cross between wings (when a winged creature flaps reaaallly fast), and a creature with four legs (mouse, rat) running extremely fast from one end of the loft to the other.

I only heard 'squeeking' once however could not tell if it sounded like a rat or a bird (so its driving me more crazy). The sound started to occur a week ago and happens mostly every night.

Could anybody explain to me what bats sound like? This is driving me craaazzy, please can anybody help?

Thanks

Ali

[Wild-Woman]

Originally Posted by richboy3006

Hi!

I also can hear stuff coming from the loft, it happens daily around midnight. However, its driving me crazy because it does not sound like a rat. Its a cross between wings (when a winged creature flaps reaaallly fast), and a creature with four legs (mouse, rat) running extremely fast from one end of the loft to the other.

I only heard 'squeeking' once however could not tell if it sounded like a rat or a bird (so its driving me more crazy). The sound started to occur a week ago and happens mostly every night.

Could anybody explain to me what bats sound like? This is driving me craaazzy, please can anybody help?

Thanks

Ali

This sounds more like House mice to me. Think most people get them at one time or another-we certainly do, as the weather cools down. They do make a heck of a racket, especially if they dart about on the plasterboard in between the rafters. Sometimes it sounds like they're all wearing clogs!

I'd get a humane trap to see what you get-but be sure to check it regularly (at least daily) as they can die from dehydration in the enclosed space.

[nightshade]

It could be birds like Starlings or Sparrows but it could be BATS
which are protected by law all three are are under threat
Get the local Bat group or Wildlife Trust involved The Bat Conservation Trust

[mrs fish]

Welcome Bagpuss

It is possible it could be bats especially as you only hear the noise in the winter months.

If it was rats surely you would hear them all year round?

Please keep us updated

[richboy3006]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

This sounds more like House mice to me. Think most people get them at one time or another-we certainly do, as the weather cools down. They do make a heck of a racket, especially if they dart about on the plasterboard in between the rafters. Sometimes it sounds like they're all wearing clogs!

I'd get a humane trap to see what you get-but be sure to check it regularly (at least daily) as they can die from dehydration in the enclosed space.

I suppose its probably a house mouse too, but im still confused why a mouse will take a trip into the loft every night......i mean the food is in the kitchen, and i usually eliminate them there with mouse/rat poison etc.

I guess ill keep some traps up in the loft. Thanks for the advice.