Rats

[PeteN]

Was just about to ask you if you had checked the safety. Have done this myself using Fens, very embarassing. Took me a week to spot having walked the trap line every day and wondering what was happening. Like me, bet you don't fall for it again.

 

[stubby]

rats

not wanting to turn this post into a disscussion on the law but anyone using fenn traps need to remember to place them under an artifical tunnel, to exclude non target species, if placed on a well used rat run, then no bait is needed, simply bury the trap in a small scrapeout, covering lightly with soil, removing the safety catch afterwards with a pencil or simular piece of wood, the rats will simply cross and step on the trigger plate when following the run, and the tunnel will make sure the trap catches correctly

 

[davethegas]

PH's Rats.

most humane got to be air rifle. Bait run with peanut butter & cocoa, precharged 177, (NOT 22) rifle so no recoil, vermin pellets, 4-16 x 50 sight for clearest view, head shot or 3Omm zone behind front shoulder. 25 yards easy with practice. (Yes all, I know what my beliefs are, but I target shoot only 25 yards plus.) If you go the air rifle route, this would be best. Unless they run faster than 625 ft/ sec, should work. (Lol)..Good luck, dave.

 

[Lois]

I think you need my cat Winston. He is a rat catcher. He even brings them into show me but I wish it wasn't during the night! I have learnt not to wander about without footwear indoors becUse you never know what he has left lying about. He often licks them so much their fur is gone and their heads fall off. Gruesome.

 

[davethegas]

PH's rats.

If it comes to it you can always contact the local air rifle range as there are always responsible vermin hunters there who would help (usually for nowt) or any airgunner mag has vermin hunters looking for shoots. Theres always a plan B.

 

[BlidworthBees]

I find my working terrier far more effective than traps which seemed to catch my fingers more effectively than rats. I have a live catch trap in the raised chicken house just in case something gets in but he will work the run for me if there has been any sign of activity. He digs down up to 3 feet to get at them then bumps them off very smartly. He also deals with anything caught in the live catch trap because as has been previously said it is illegal to release them. He is also very good at indicating where they regularly travel so I know where to set traps if no go area for him.

Break back traps must be placed so that non target species cannot be harmed. I puchased some with plastic housing which do catch rats but usually youngsters not adults. I use corn - these local rural rats ignore chocolate and peanut butter.

Air guns are OK to use but depends on the location you will be using it in. Neighbours can get very twitchy if they hear air rifles/ pistols being discharged. Remember many require a licence depending on how powerful they are.

 

[moondoggy]

Never shot a rat through the bars before, usually shoot them in the head myself,

 

[Ziggymole]

I prefer Lois' suggestion. Cats aren't good for much apart from pleasing themselves but they do perform when it comes to rats. We're very rural here and live side by side with most of the wildlife, we even feed the birds - the cats won't bother with rats until they come into the garden and once seen they don't last long.

Ziggy

 

[enrico]

Buy squirrel traps. They catch rats, and then dispose of them with air rifle!
E

 

[biglongdarren]

i seen the best rat trap before made out of a flat piece of plywood with wire mesh on the botton broke into two halves,the wire was wired into the mains i think and food set on it,when the rat stood on the two bits of wire and made the circuit it was bye bye rat ;o)
shouldnt be that hard to make.
Darren

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Used to live next to a field of OSR (sadly before beekeeping) and lots of vermin used to emerge for a regular forage.

Saw a rat once and dispatched my brave but stupid dog out to deal with it. The rat took one look at the dog and bit it hard on the face, which rather unnerved the dog and resulted in a large vets bill (typically it was on a Sunday)

 

[enrico]

Circuit breakers would stop the rat being electrocuted!!

 

[victor meldrew]

Edition 17 would rule it out !
I have a battery operated electronic rat trap . Must say it's caught/killed more mice than rats
VM

 

[davidstacey42]

I had a population build up in my orchard/chicken run a few years ago. I used to pick them off at dusk with the air rifle for a bit of fun but realised that they were breeding faster than I could reload the rifle. I knew I ought to do something, when one night, we drove in through the gate and there were a couple of dozen of them having a sort of rat orgy on the lawn.

My neighbour pest controller gave us some pellets that release phosphine gas on contact with moisture. We had to use a 1m long stainless steel spoon to get the pellets down the holes and then waited for the gas to do its work. They all died underground and we didn't see a return for a couple of years (now controlling them with that rather expensive greeny coloured stuff in the tubs). The pellets are highly dangerous and should only be used by licenced pest controllers I gather.

 

[joctcl]

Had a Moby Dick in the garden running from the shed past my bees 2 weeks ago, he stopped twice to stare me out, very nervous as just Poly hives installed and didn't want him to grow to like the taste of marshmallow covered in honey.
I set the standard large wooden trap that night, next day trap and bait gone. Went down to my local farm suppliers and got what looked like a steel bear trap with triangular teeth on both sides, I was sweating setting this monster. Fixed this to the floor with a wire and sure enough the next day as I stuck my head around the door of the shed no sign but at the end of the wire I had something (Swamp People creators on Discovery I hope your are reading) that was the size of a small cat still alive with the trap on his head I am sure I interrupted as per this mouse
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHEjAZiAQgc[/ame]
Dispatched with a spade and a squeal
Moral: An exterminator friend told me later to sort out a leaky tap I had as Moby was probably just downtown in the dry weather to have a drink.

 

[aberreef]

Dirty sods bit the head off one of my quail this week, through the wire

I shot 6 the next night but no bodies the next day which is worrying. I don't want to use poison because of the animals I've got so can see a few late nights with the rifle coming soon

 

[rayz_x]

If the trap has sprung and the bait gone don't assume you didn't get a rat. This kept happening in our compost bin and I couldn't work out how they were springing it and eating the bait. Then one time I found a jawbone in the trap - it seems the other rats had eaten the rest of the victim, and the bait. Tasty.

 

[aberreef]

If the trap has sprung and the bait gone don't assume you didn't get a rat. This kept happening in our compost bin and I couldn't work out how they were springing it and eating the bait. Then one time I found a jawbone in the trap - it seems the other rats had eaten the rest of the victim, and the bait. Tasty.

They are minging little sods