Rats

gertrude · #1 (**permalink**) 02-08-2010, 12:01 PM

Hi, Watched quite a large rat eating beneath a hanging bird feeder on Saturday morning, I think it is living underneath the summer house, I have recently got chickens too. I relocated my compost bins at the weekend and 5 smaller rats ran out under the fence and into the lane that runs beside my house. Thinking seriously about putting down some bait boxes, as my house is thatched and do not want them relocating to the roof! Or has anyone got any other suggestions? We have fields behind us and beside us, but homes with children on the other side, Thanks Gertrude.

vole-woman · #2 (**permalink**) 02-08-2010, 01:50 PM

No need at all to panic, but it's probably sensible to contact the council pest controller.

brendaward · #3 (**permalink**) 02-08-2010, 04:32 PM

When the pest controller comes out ask him to show you how to recognise the tracks. They come in off the fields unfortunately. If you learn to see the signs ie.flattened areas of grass, as the females drag their hind quarters, you can control them before they breed. Unfortunately the service that local authorities provided free is now quite expensive but it is worth getting pest controllers through them to get good ones. Hope your problem goes soon.

gertrude · #4 (**permalink**) 03-08-2010, 06:36 PM

Thanks for that, I am in the process of getting in touch with the local council, especially as i saw a small rat today investigating the decking next to the house and my wood pile. The bigger one was again under the feeder out in the sunshine looking for food. No longer filling up the feeders, poor birds, Will let you know how I get on, Gertrude.

Kayleigh · #5 (**permalink**) 03-08-2010, 06:50 PM

Please dont let them put poison down, there are numerous threads covering this in depth..

Welcome to WAB..

werdnal · #6 (**permalink**) 03-08-2010, 09:54 PM

I would 2nd not using poison. Although the bait boxes protect other creatures actually taking the bait, secondary poisoning of predator eating poisoned rats is still likely. Baits are not instant, and rats take several days to die, during which time that can fall prey to owls, foxes, buzzards, even domestic cats, all of which would be equally affected by ingesting the poison already eaten by the rat.

Rats like an easy life, so stick around when food is in plentiful supply. Unfortunately feeding the birds means feeding the rats. Keep your feeders empty for now - there is a lot of natural food around at the moment anyway. Keep your chicken feed under control so they can't get anything from there, and make sure you don't put any cooked food in your compost bins.

Pest control officers will advise you to do this anyway, as rats will avoid bait if there are other sources of food available, so try this first to see if your unwanted guests will move on.

brendaward · #7 (**permalink**) 06-08-2010, 07:28 AM

We had an excellent old wise pest controller who said our way of living encourages them in off the fields. Nice warm sheds with wooden bases decking and wood piles are warm places for them to nest. Once they have nested there,they remember and return year after year. How right he was, the pest controller become a regular visitor until we demolished the shed floor and replaced it with concrete. Even then they tried to get back. The smell of a cat seems to be the best idea.