Rats......

[AMAE]

I seem to have a colony of the things near the back of the house, I think centered under the coal hole and fanning out under lawn and flower beds.

Have poison, but reluctant because of small children and young GSD.( she can hear them and the flower bed is now like the Somme!)

Have traps but they seem only to catch only mice..ratty is too cunning

Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[VEG]

Put the poison down the holes and push it in as far as you can with a stick. This makes it more difficult to check if they are taking it but will stop the kids getting at it.

 

[JamezF]

That's usually what I do.

The other thing I've tried is putting the poison under something like an old ridge tile and resting a stone on top. That way the rats can get to it easily but larger animals won't.

James

 

[Luminos]

Bear in mind that a poisoned (dying or dead) rat could be eaten by your GSD or a cat...

 

[WelshPaul]

The only thing that worked with us, was patience, and an air rifle with a decent scope, I spent about five nights out there all wrapped up taking shots, killed about 20. Dont know whether I got them all or they go the message, but no trace of them now.

 

[Sean.]

Amazon sell the big electric rat killers, they seem ideal if you have kids or pets in the area and want to avoid using poison.

The other advantage is you know it's worked when you have dead rats!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Amazon sell the big electric rat killers, they seem ideal if you have kids or pets in the area and want to avoid using poison.

The other advantage is you know it's worked when you have dead rats!

I bought one of these and caught plenty of mice (it actually fried their noses) but no Ratty.
Poison in a proper poison container did the trick but it took a good two weeks before the bait was no longer taken.

 

[theeggman]

Most rodents poisons on the domestic market are safe re. secondary kill.The unsafe ones you can only purchase after doing the relevant training at vast expense.It is possible to buy bait in solid blocks that will go down holes easier or put the loose bait into a poly. bag and push that down, it ensures all of the bait is way down the hole.
A little sugar or veg. oil mixed with the bait sometimes assists with the 'take'.

Tim

 

[aberreef]

Air rifle for me.

Not as efficient as poison (assuming no resistance) but is good fun

 

[rae]

Rats?

Take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

More practically, I've nailed a few with a .22, but they are very quick, and it takes a lot of patience to get more than a few.

 

[suechick]

We used the rat poison that comes in a large packet and has lots of individual sachets inside. You put the sachets along a rat run and then they take them away to small cashes and sit and eat in peace. Worked really well but we had to keep the dog away in case he got to eat them.
Do you have a friend with a Jack Russell, that could be quite effective?
Finding out what there food source is e.g. chicken coup and re-arranging how animals are fed outdoors can change whether they stay or go.
Shooting for me didn't work as I wasn't quick enough.

 

[Foxylad]

Find the rat holes, place the bait inside then cover the hole. Most rats die inside the hole.

Stay away from blocked baits as dogs like them even more than the rats!

If you are seeing runs, you may have a bigger problem then you think.

 

[AMAE]

indeed Foxy lad, that is my fear......uggggg.

Thanks for all the suggestions, raise the battle cry...We are going to war!!

Will keep you posted

AMAE

ps. RAE

 

[chickendave]

Just shot one with my air riffle
The cheeky thing was on the bird table eating what my wife had put out for the birds ten minites earlier
She says it's the first time she's seen one gusss I will have to have a proper look to see if I can tell where their coming from

 

[Poly Hive]

#4 Fenn trap from an agricultural supplier.

Peanut butter for bait.

Effective.

PH

 

[jallen]

air guns with a low power scope or red dot site

 

[drstitson]

 

[hedgerow pete]

i use the whole bararge of tricks to keep the rats down at the allotment and chicken pen.


the chicken pen has a solid floor and sides so they cant dig in.

all rat holes have poison shoved down them before refilling

i love the old trick of glass down the holes to so they cut them selves when redigging

an air riffle and teenage son of me is great fun and i love doing it. if your finding it hard to hit them do as we do and make the chicken food tray into a target area, we moved it by ten foot and set up a strong back drop for it , great fun

traps, we have standard spring back break traps baited with any thing and every thing.
fenn mk 4 inside pipe traps work great so does snares inside box traps

i also have 6 poison bait boxes which about this time of year if i need them i can start to use.

so for poisoned food you can either buy expence shop brought stuff or make your own the choice is yours , just rember that rats soon learn not to eat it.

just because the food has not been eaten does not mean the rats have gone away

 

[bump3r67]

#4 Fenn trap from an agricultural supplier.

Peanut butter for bait.

Effective.

PH

I agree, bit of peanut butter on piece of bread.

I also agree that an air rifle is a lot more fun.

 

[AMAE]

Update

The good news is they are taking the poison( from drainpipe sections)

They ignore traps, no matter if baited with peanut butter.

I put bags with poison and peanut butter down every hole I could find and sealed.

haven't yet had a pop with the air rifle

Belt and Braces!...I WILL win!

Hopefully lots of sick rats now...Thanks all for your help