Rat trap

[milkermel]

The chooks are not sleeping in the coop and I suspect this is because the rats are going in at night

So I'm using 2 types of poison and 2 traps and an air rifle in a sort of integrated pest management!

Have you checked for red mite recently? if your birds go up to roost then they dont usually worry about rats (well mine dont) however if the red mite builds up they will prefer to sleep outside than get bitten?

Glad you are up north with a management program like that my hubby may have competition!!

 

[DorsetB]

We also keep chickens, and by default we therefore also keep rats.

We have ended up using a combination of methods:

- air riflle:shot to the head kills instantly
- poison: Eradibait works particularly well
- snap traps: also kill instantly, polish off with 4x2 if still alive

In my opinion, whoever "invented" live traps should also be shot, as a live trap does not solve the problem. So you've caught the rat in a "humane" way, then what do you do with it? Some people will drop the whole thing into a bucket of water, some actually release it again after a swift telling off, and some people drive down the road and release it back into the wild, all(?) illegal and totally pointless!

I have to confess however that somewhere deep down I have a tiny inkling of respect and admiration for my foe: how they manage to unravel the bacon from a snap trap without setting it off, and also manage to take the un-poisoned grain from the tray and leave the poisoned stuff.

I usually find the younger ones get caught/killed quite easily - the wise old ones I usually have to shoot.

 

[hedgerow pete]

whilst i agree so far with dorset b, i personaly do like the live catch traps myself.

i have used the small ones for rats and mink up to and including fox cages and pigeon cages you could walk into,

the thing is with the live catch is that i have the chance to remove and release resonabley unhurt un targeted animals, the amount of times when we used to hunt the mink we would also catch rats and small mamals some we killed others we released quickly again,

it the same with rabbit cages, we were for ever catching hedgehogs in them, must admit we used to douse the hedge hogs with some flee powder first if they needed it and set them on there way lice free for once, lol

at the allotment i use a mixture of spring back traps and a small amount of live catches but we dont have any other mamals in the area just rats, i also use poison shop brought and home made and i keep changing the sources every few weeks, and for the realy clever ones a pellet to the head works wonders and is very stress releiving to me and my son.

if i realy wanted to aswell i could even go into terriers if i knew someone with one that was any good and also rat snares are usuable i think and the other meathod i have heard of is ferrets, but i think my rats are a little to big for that one

 

[SixFooter]

Now I've experienced it, I agree, shooting is the most satisfying way of killing them.
There was one piece of bait left over today and I found one large dead rat, so I'm finally getting somewhere. It's cost me ~£60 so far

 

[MJBee]

When we were in Northumberland we had a major rat problem under the barn floor. Then a stoat moved in and solved the problem in about a week

The trouble was when he/she ran out of rats he/she started on the bantams - The taxidermist got a bit of business

 

[DorsetB]

What really annoys me is that rats represent a hazard to my property, our children, our health, and the health of our livestock, yet you still get some namby pambys telling you how to kill/not to kill them.

If it were down to me, I would attach wires to their parts and make'em dance...

MJBee, we had a tiny farm cat move in with us a while back, very wild and very small, and VERY brave. I've seen her catch rats nearly as big as her, and drag them around the garden. One morning I found five on the lawn.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If it were down to me, I would attach wires to their parts and make'em dance...

The rats or the bunny huggers?!

 

[Brosville]

"What really annoys me is that rats represent a hazard to my property, our children, our health, and the health of our livestock, yet you still get some namby pambys telling you how to kill/not to kill them"

Having run a free-range egg farm, I've "lived with rats" and learnt how to deal with them in as humane a way as possible - as many people (with an intellect) have noted, rats are highly intelligent creatures, it's just sad that it's often a case of needing to get rid of them.
To my mind to inflict cruelty needlessly says rather a lot about the person wishing to do it - there's a word for it somewhere (and it's not in the least polite!)

 

[DorsetB]

The rats or the bunny huggers?!

Actually, thinking about it... both!

 

[aberreef]

My friend was trying to poison the rats on our shared field. All he achieved was a population explosion. Snap traps were effective at first but now are untouched no matter what bait I use (clever little sods) and I've caught a few small birds in them despite keeping them covered.

I find shooting with an air rifle to be the most effective and dare I say the most enjoyable

As for the RSPCA what is the point in this organisation They 'rescue' foxes and release them onto some poor unsuspecting farmers land so he/she is left to deal with them, fuss over alien, invasive species like the grey squirrel and make many animal lovers lives hell. I reported a sheep stuck in a resevoir a few years back. I couldn't reach to get it out, couldn't find the farmer so phoned the RSPCA and gave all the details. 6 hours later they phoned and asked how the sheep rescue as going

 

[Busy Bee]

I had the unfortunate brush with one of these tree huggers some time back and with a discussion in relation to wildlife protection they left in no uncertain terms as to how little their protests was doing to protect anything and they were very stubborn and wanted to continue regardless as to how little impact they were having.

Never mind homelessness, chemical companies, closure of vital services, drug abuse, political unwillingness, soaring crime, degeneration of the food chain, GM crops, MSG contamination the list is endless where is all going to stop!!!!!!

THERE IS NO DOUBT WE ARE SELF DESTRUCTING

Busy Bee

 

[DorsetB]

"What really annoys me is that rats represent a hazard to my property, our children, our health, and the health of our livestock, yet you still get some namby pambys telling you how to kill/not to kill them"

Having run a free-range egg farm, I've "lived with rats" and learnt how to deal with them in as humane a way as possible - as many people (with an intellect) have noted, rats are highly intelligent creatures, it's just sad that it's often a case of needing to get rid of them.
To my mind to inflict cruelty needlessly says rather a lot about the person wishing to do it - there's a word for it somewhere (and it's not in the least polite!)

Was this sniping targeted at me then Brosville?

If so, care to elaborate?

 

[Luminos]

I don't agree with torturing any animal, even a rat.
Fortunately, my 17 cats disagree.
No rats here...

 

[fincaazul]

Big problem at the moment with rats in my chicken coop.
I've put poison down in chicken proof boxes and set up live traps. My question is, what to do with the captured rats. I've been drowning them, but someone said that was cruel and illegal. Personally, I dont think it's either, but am willing to be convinced. Is this true amd what's the recommended way of despatching them?

UFAW ( Universities Federation on Animal Welfare ) have excellent leaflets on the humane killing of animals. I bred mice and rats as reptile food, up to 1,500 a year, grabbing base of tail and cracking head hard down on edge of bench was messy and sometimes needed 2 or 3 goes with rats, they are tough blighters. Dont suggest this with wild rats. A lethal chamber, large enough to contain trap and occupants, is placed in an almost airtight container, a bin bag is good. A small plastic container, 35mm film case is ideal, with several holes in top and filled with cotton wool, is dosed with some ether about 2 teaspoonsful. Place in bin bag or other container with minimal ventilation ( the ventilation minimise suffering ) and in about 20 minutes, like the dog the Russians sent into space, they will have 'slept into death'. Dog took longer. Seems like a lot of 'faff' but, once ether or chloroform has been sourced, is an easy, cheap, non contact, non violent, no guilt at violence used in despatching bastards method. Yes know I am a saddo, doesn't stop me going shooting though, crows took eight ducklings in past 3 weeks.

 

[fincaazul]

I had the unfortunate brush with one of these tree huggers some time back and with a discussion in relation to wildlife protection they left in no uncertain terms as to how little their protests was doing to protect anything and they were very stubborn and wanted to continue regardless as to how little impact they were having.

Never mind homelessness, chemical companies, closure of vital services, drug abuse, political unwillingness, soaring crime, degeneration of the food chain, GM crops, MSG contamination the list is endless where is all going to stop!!!!!!

THERE IS NO DOUBT WE ARE SELF DESTRUCTING

Busy Bee

A friend of mine, renowned biologist, was reading 'biology' mag on a train from Liverpool to Brum. Passenger said that he must like animals, well, yes I do jack replied. So do I, I've just done 3 months for releasing over 1,000 mink from a farm and giving them their freedom. Jack pointed out that mink are not native to UK, had spent their lives being fed, watered, cleaned out, the environment they now found themselves in was totally unsuitable and most would die a lingering death from starvation. At this point other passengers took an interest. Jack drew up the analogy that 'someone' might decide that the 'Ex con' needed his 'freedom' break into jail remove him to the cairngorms and leave him there, where he would be 'safe' and go home to a good meal feeling very satisfied with a good days work. Gave him something to think about. The other passengers gave Jack 3 cheers.