rat

[lauralolliepop]

Hi Can someone please help me. i let my dog out this evening and i heard her running around after something. so i called her in. as i went to bed i opened my bedroom window for fresh air and i could her a scurring noise, so i looked out the window and i saw a rat, its the first time i have ever seen one in my back garden before. but i had put out a carrier bag and left it by my back door to put in the wheelie bin. but i didnt beacause my baby son was crying because he had hurt himself. ive totally forgot about the bag n left it as im to scared to go outside, and my partner is working a night shift!! i do live near marsh land. could there just be one rat or more. please get back in touch as im very anxious and worried for my sons and puppys health. thank you xx

[Jason Green]

Morning Laura, and welcome to WAB!

If you live in a more rural setting then this is more the rat's domain - as a one-off garden visitor I doubt you have anything to worry about. Just stick with good hygiene RE the baby and any toys kept outside

Take care,

Jason

[GOW]

Hi Laura.

Rats are incredibly common and it is said, heaven knows by whom, that 'you are never more than fifty feet from a rat'. I there is one there will be others but if you do as Jason suggests and practice good common sense hygiene then all will be fine.

[lauralolliepop]

thank you for your advie, but im sure the saying is your never ten feet away from a rat!!! and its not as if im dirty it was a one of and i do live right on the back of a motorway and marsh land. we have delt with the problem by putting bait boxes down

[pressld2]

Ten feet in cities I think.

By bait boxes I presume you mean poison? Unfortunately poison is pretty indiscriminate and you may find that birds and other small mammals such as hedgehogs may be killed by it. Even if you successfully get the rat then something - birds of prey, foxes, stoats, etc. - will eat the dead body and will likely be poisoned too.

Unless you are overrun with them and they are causing damage or getting into the house then the best policy is to leave them alone. I saw one in my garden in the snow back in January but didn't see it (or probably a different one) again until last week. So they're around and very likely have been since I moved to this house sixteen years ago, but they're not causing any problems.

As Jason and GOW said, sound hygiene is important to avoid picking up anything nasty but this is true in any garden whether you've seen a rat or not. Lots of birds carry things that humans can catch but would rather not!

Dave P.