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22-04-2008, 02:47 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Leics
Posts: 3
| |  Rats!
Any advice welcome! I have a bird feeder in my garden (which backs on to open fields) and have loved watching the birds and also squirrels. However, recently I have also been visited regularly during the daytime by a rat (called Norris) who has no trouble climbing the pole and helping himself to whatever is there. I totally accept that there are no doubt lots of rats about and it is quite possible they have been visiting at night for ever and I have no problem with it in principle but obviously don't want them to venture too close to the house - or upset the neighbours! I have just bought a squirrel guard, will see how that goes, but of course it will also prevent the squirrel from climbing and will not solve the problem of food on the ground. I have cats ( who are no deterrent apparently!) so will not use poison, traps seem pointless and sonic devices are not practical. I also heard that rats dislike the smell of catnip so will try that but am somewhat cynical.
So any advice on discouraging Norris PLEASE - anything I have not thought of, or do I just have to grin and bear it and try to reassure my neighbours I am not infested?
I was intending to try and encourage Hedgehogs and other wildlife but am now reluctant to leave any other food on the ground.  |
22-04-2008, 07:19 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: deepest countryside suffolk
Posts: 1,050
| | | Re: Rats!
 Hello Kicha Welcome to the site , well if norris was in my garden id definately fire him up his backside with a 12 bore  before he starts to bring other family members. Sorry but Im anti rat. Other members have probaly got other ideas of getting SHOT of him . sheila
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The great outdoors makes my life complete. |
22-04-2008, 07:26 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants
Posts: 4,262
| | | Re: Rats!
We had a rat until we caught him in a "little nipper" rat trap..End of rat...
If you don't want to be so drastic get rid of ALL the food on the ground..You could use a humane trap and take him far away.
Enjoy the site Kicha |
22-04-2008, 08:14 PM
|  | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: N.E.SOMERSET
Posts: 6,584
| | | Re: Rats!
We have always cleaned up around our feeders but we still have Rats move in.There are numerous excavations appearing in the garden, even now, and I
will have to resort to trapping or baiting.Breeding Rats produce so many prodigy that a small back garden is no place for them
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You cannot maintain an ecology, if you lose any of the pieces. |
22-04-2008, 08:34 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 15
| | | Re: Rats!
Shei, Kayleigh and Nightshade have all given good advice, and it seems to boil down to either removing the rats' food source, or drastic measures!
I sympathise Kicha because a rat appeared in my garden too this weekend. It was a real blow because I only have a small garden and my wife politely requested that I stop feeding the birds, which I can understand. 
The irony is that I have been trying to attract the local blue tits, great tits and greenfinches into the garden for ages and they have just started to come into the garden during the last week. I was watching them on the seed feeder when the rat scurried across the lawn and onto the ground feeder.
I have had to get rid of the ground feeders and the seed feeders - I feel terrible because I don't want to leave the regular feeders in the lurch. They have alternative food supplies because a lot of my neighbours also provide food for the birds, but I still feel terrible about this. I have kept the nut feeders because they don't create much mess underneath, but this really has come as a blow!
Good luck with it, and please let us know how it goes! |
22-04-2008, 08:46 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Stone Staffordshire
Posts: 139
| | | Re: Rats!
Have a look at this thread I started Birds vs Rats
I found the best way was putting a tray under that catches the seed (see my previous thread), dropped from the bird feeder. It works really well, except if the seed gets wet it sometimes starts to sprout  lol
The Hedgehog problem is a hard one, perhaps it might be possable to lure the rats to the very edge of your garden away from the house with your feeders and put the Hedgehog feed the other end in hope the rats will be more attracted to the feed at one end. it doesn't eliminate the rat problem though
I think you may just have to have the rats terminated! But there is plenty about so if you do the rats will probably be back
Poirot
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Peril to the detective who says "it is so small it does not matter"everything matters-Hurcule Poirot
Last edited by Poirot; 22-04-2008 at 08:51 PM.
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22-04-2008, 10:46 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: staffordshire
Posts: 444
| | | Re: Rats!
not sure if you can make the tray out but this is what my husband did. He got a plant pot Tray and Screwed it to the Bottom off the feeders he put very small drain holes in the tray. Photo below.  y
Barquar |
22-04-2008, 11:47 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Caversham, Reading, Berks.
Posts: 534
| | | Re: Rats!
Hi,
We, and a lot of other members seem to have a lot of run-ins with rats, if you remove the food from the feeders they then have to look elsewhere for food, with your house being one of the prime targets, and after reading that they have 8 to 10 young every 3 to 4 weeks you end up fighting a rear guard action, we've had to block up every crook and cranny to keep them out, waste pipes, central heating pipes up to the attic etc, anywhere there's the tiniest hole into the house.
I personally think your best bet is to keep feeding them, but, away from the house, AND block up every entry with a sheet of tin [a cut up tin can] or alluminium cut to shape and no nailed over any entry point.
Luck,
Max.
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I'm NOT a silver surfer, I'm a shiny pink one !. |
23-04-2008, 08:22 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: deepest countryside suffolk
Posts: 1,050
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by m1.carson  Hi,
We, and a lot of other members seem to have a lot of run-ins with rats, if you remove the food from the feeders they then have to look elsewhere for food, with your house being one of the prime targets, and after reading that they have 8 to 10 young every 3 to 4 weeks you end up fighting a rear guard action, we've had to block up every crook and cranny to keep them out, waste pipes, central heating pipes up to the attic etc, anywhere there's the tiniest hole into the house.
I personally think your best bet is to keep feeding them, but, away from the house, AND block up every entry with a sheet of tin [a cut up tin can] or alluminium cut to shape and no nailed over any entry point.
Luck,
Max. | Hello max You certaintly have a big problem with rats,Im sorry but I dont agree with you  ( saying keep feeding the rats but away from the house,) because its just gives the problem to someone else, surely if everyone feeds them knowing they have rats in their gardens we will have more rats than birds I dont think it possible to keep them out of anywhere they want to go they will find a way. I say shoot them, if thats not possible poison or call in the local council or rat man they gotta go quick. Ive got good neighbours they check their boundries , sheds fishponds , every week or so , and we do the same on our property so if there was just the one rat about we would soon sort him out. Thats my opinion on rats sorry if I offend anyone . sheila
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The great outdoors makes my life complete. |
23-04-2008, 08:32 AM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: N.E.SOMERSET
Posts: 6,584
| | | Re: Rats!
What puzzles me is the lioness and I are always looking out at the garden
(because we get such odd things doing flying visits) and rarely miss anything.
The first lot of Rats arrived and lived under my neighbours shed and we spotted them almost immediately,this lot moved in and the first we knew were the mounds of earth from well established tunnels so are they getting more cunning than before
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You cannot maintain an ecology, if you lose any of the pieces. |
23-04-2008, 02:02 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Leics
Posts: 3
| | | Re: Rats!
Many thanks for the welcome and for all your helpful comments - it is comforting to know I am not alone with this problem! Unfortunately it appears, as I suspected, that there is no miraculous solution to allow all species to live in harmony. However, I cannot stand the guilt of seeing my birds sitting out there amongst the empty feeders looking at me accusingly so will put some of your ideas into practice and make my feeding station the equivalent of Fort Knox (or should that be Fort Nuts?) as far as Norris is concerned.
Watch this space .......... |
23-04-2008, 06:08 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Cromford, Derbyshire Dales
Posts: 520
| | | Re: Rats!
It is so difficult to know what the best thing to do is, we have rats and woodmice etc in the garden, and I don't have a problem with that if they stay outside. However they don't always do that and loft insulation makes a wonderfully warm nest, still rats do tend to live where there are people, easy food supply and pretty constant. So I am afraid food in the garden is just a temptation for them, someone did suggest in an earlier thread taking the food away in the evenings as most rats prefer to be out at night. Our rats unfortunately are active in the afternoon, so I live with it and block up every tiny gap I can to stop them coming back into the house. Not sure that it will be 100% succesful!
Shirl |
23-04-2008, 08:02 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: N.E.SOMERSET
Posts: 6,584
| | | Re: Rats!
This evening as I was outside with a bat detector,I noticed a movement I turned and looked at the house and there about eight feet up the wall was a Rat (oh! how they can climb) I took offensive action and the Rat was no more.Now there are Starlings in behind the fascia boards, these could have been the target or just a recce for a new nest site in my loft,oh! perfidious creatures.
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You cannot maintain an ecology, if you lose any of the pieces. |
23-04-2008, 11:28 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007 Location: Caversham, Reading, Berks.
Posts: 534
| | | Re: Rats!
Hi nightshade,
Was that a ratdetector or batdetector, , the old saying is " that you are never more than six feet away from a rat ", [ don't look at your friends like that].
There are so many about, that killing the odd one or two will make no difference whatsoever, didn't you read what was said about each pair having approx. 8 young every 4 weeks.
Max.
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I'm NOT a silver surfer, I'm a shiny pink one !. |
24-04-2008, 05:01 PM
|  | New Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 17
| | | Re: Rats!
It is sad how humans, unwittingly or not, introduce animals around the world and then take offence at their success and need to irradicate them.
Rats are quick breeders, however, and will take advantage of the food source and you will be over-run, as I was on my allotment.
Reluctantly I suggest a humane trapping otherwise they'll be in yours or your neighbours house before you know it. |
24-04-2008, 05:01 PM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 17
| | | Re: Rats!
It is sad how humans, unwittingly or not, introduce animals around the world and then take offence at their success and need to irradicate them.
Rats are quick breeders, however, and will take advantage of the food source and you will be over-run, as I was on my allotment.
Reluctantly I suggest a humane trapping otherwise they'll be in yours or your neighbours house before you know it. |
24-04-2008, 05:14 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants
Posts: 4,262
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by m1.carson Hi nightshade,
Was that a ratdetector or batdetector, , the old saying is " that you are never more than six feet away from a rat ", [ don't look at your friends like that].
There are so many about, that killing the odd one or two will make no difference whatsoever, didn't you read what was said about each pair having approx. 8 young every 4 weeks.
Max. | Well, I have not seen a rat since we killed the last one..I will kill them one by one if if I have to. |
24-04-2008, 05:54 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: N.E.SOMERSET
Posts: 6,584
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by m1.carson Hi nightshade,
Was that a ratdetector or batdetector, , the old saying is " that you are never more than six feet away from a rat ", [ don't look at your friends like that].
There are so many about, that killing the odd one or two will make no difference whatsoever, didn't you read what was said about each pair having approx. 8 young every 4 weeks.
Max. | Funny you should say that, parts of a Rats "conversation" can be picked up on a Bat detector
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You cannot maintain an ecology, if you lose any of the pieces. |
24-04-2008, 05:59 PM
| | Knight Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: N.E.SOMERSET
Posts: 6,584
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by march_hare It is sad how humans, unwittingly or not, introduce animals around the world and then take offence at their success and need to irradicate them.
Rats are quick breeders, however, and will take advantage of the food source and you will be over-run, as I was on my allotment.
Reluctantly I suggest a humane trapping otherwise they'll be in yours or your neighbours house before you know it. | Some years the local Mallard population have suffered the loss of many chicks to these clever rodents.
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You cannot maintain an ecology, if you lose any of the pieces. |
29-04-2008, 07:21 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: deepest countryside suffolk
Posts: 1,050
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayleigh Well, I have not seen a rat since we killed the last one..I will kill them one by one if if I have to. | Yep me too im definately anti ratty, they get 12 bore up the a... if they enter my garden sheila
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The great outdoors makes my life complete. |
29-04-2008, 07:32 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Northants
Posts: 4,262
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by shei111 Yep me too im definately anti ratty, they get 12 bore up the a... if they enter my garden sheila | My hubby can't wait to see the next one..He only wants an excuse to get a gun..Men and their toys  |
29-04-2008, 07:36 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: deepest countryside suffolk
Posts: 1,050
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayleigh Well, I have not seen a rat since we killed the last one..I will kill them one by one if if I have to. | Quote:
Originally Posted by Kayleigh My hubby can't wait to see the next one..He only wants an excuse to get a gun..Men and their toys | Your hubby is a hooligan sounds like mine, boysntoys. sheila
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The great outdoors makes my life complete. |
29-04-2008, 07:44 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,087
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by shei111 Your hubby is a hooligan sounds like mine, boysntoys. sheila | Needlework is my only vice.
Oh, that is such a lie.
Fretwork? |
30-04-2008, 01:43 AM
| | New Member | | Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 17
| | | Re: Rats!
Rats are really intelligent, successfull animals. We introduced around the world......we can't cope when us humans make mistakes! Same with pigeons, they were quite happy as rock doves til we started messing about.
We start getting personal and using the wretched V word when we don't like what we have done!
The worst animal is Homo sapiens! |
30-04-2008, 05:41 AM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Guildford Surrey
Posts: 471
| | | Re: Rats!
Quote:
Originally Posted by march_hare Rats are really intelligent, successfull animals. We introduced around the world......we can't cope when us humans make mistakes! Same with pigeons, they were quite happy as rock doves til we started messing about.
We start getting personal and using the wretched V word when we don't like what we have done!
The worst animal is Homo sapiens! | Hear hear March hare! | | | |
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