RATS!

[Woody girl]

I'm being swarmed by rats, catching at least two a day over the past week, in my snap trap with peanut butter as bait. That's twelve of the little b*****s. Another last night.=13!
I've cleaned up the area as best I can, but they seem to be using the woodpile as home. I can see their walkways as they enter and exit, plus they also use a drainage pipe that is buried into the sloping garden to drain the ground to stop it becoming too wet. (Clay soil) I think I've got most of them, but they are still coming, thick and fast.
I tried poison, but no noticable effect on numbers, Now using snap traps, and putting the bodies in plastic sandwich bags. disposal has become a problem. I'm reduced to putting them in the dog poo bins, as they are too stinky for the bin, which is collected fortnightly.
What else can I do? I've also noticed they come through from next door, broken fence, won't be fixed untill June. So I'm killing my neighbours rats too. He won't do anything,
I'm at my wits end.
Short of more traps, and a big tub of peanut butter, which just seems to pull in more rats, from next door, anyone got any ideas?

No ratting dogs I can borrow.
Rat man too expensive
Poison seems futile, and even when effective,I've been accused of trying to poison my nasty neighbours dogs, by throwing poisoned rats over the fence...of course untrue, I can't control where they die. But it does rather show they are also coming from his property.
Pop pops are not realy suitable for such a confined area, and rules prevent discharge on my small property.

They are breeding faster than I can catch them! Help!!!!!

 

[Toddy]

Write to your housing association...well phone them pdq. Rats are bad news and if next door won't deal with their problem, and since his property is an issue, then time to move it up a bit.
Perseverance works with rats. Put it this way, every one you kill is one more that won't breed.

What are they getting to eat though ? that's the draw for them as much as a secure nest and safe runs.

Take photos of the ones you trap, etc., and send them to the housing association people.

Best of luck getting rid of the blighters.

M

 

[gra_farmer]

I have ducks and now rats, although they were already there....mine are clever and avoid the live capture traps....going to have to make something a bit more inventive?

 

[Woody girl]

I have ducks and now rats, although they were already there....mine are clever and avoid the live capture traps....going to have to make something a bit more inventive?

How would you kill them after live capture? I can't use a pop pop which would be easiest, as relocation doesn't sort the problem and I'm dammed if I'd put my hand inside to try and get one out!!!

 

[Woody girl]

I have ducks and now rats, although they were already there....mine are clever and avoid the live capture traps....going to have to make something a bit more inventive?

Tried to contact them this morning, gave up after half an hour on hold and still 6th in the queue.
In the past they've said its not something they deal with it's up to me.
Totaly unhelpful.
No idea about food. Compost bin at top of garden, no signs of them there. They seem to congregate at the back door. Had to board up the cat flap so they couldn't get in.
They had all my courget and corn seeds from the top shelf in the mini greenhouse at top of garden two days ago. Heartbreaking,

 

[Woody girl]

Finaly got through to council, they no longer deal with rats either(automated message)
So, h/a won't help, council won't help.

Environmental health don't answer phone.
27mins on hold, stayed at 4th in the queue all that time.

This is stupid.
Ha say contact council, council don't deal with it ,and no answer from Environmental health.
Havnt actualy been able to talk to anyone, it's all automated.

Meanwhile, I rebaited this morning, 9am and have just put rat no 14 in a plastic bag. Just rebaited again. Two rats in a few hours! I'm sure I'll have another before this evening.

 

[Falstaff]

Try to work out why they are coming and where they are trying to get to. Usual advice is a food source, but they've totally undermined my ex's greenhouse which has nothing in it, but is warm. Rat bait doesn't show results, in your case I can see it's a risk to their dogs.
I've been considering making a water/tipping bridge trap to catch/drown them, but have seen an ordinary dustbin catch them. Not very humane, drowning, but easier than other options.

 

[Pattree]

…….. and keep trapping.

Rubble sacks and cable ties will contain the stench. I suppose that you could cling film individuals so that adding the next one doesn’t require breathing apparatus but I’ve never done that or seen it done so may be talking out of my bum.

Can you call at the council offices? They won’t help you get rid of the infestation but I think that they are responsible for disposal!

(I hate the current practice of making people wait on a phone line. They are NOT busy they are badly resourced and managed!)

 

[Falstaff]

It's a hungry time of the year for animals, I wonder if they are starving and can smell your cooking or dehydrator? In which case they'll probably keep coming onto a tipping bridge over a bin with peanut butter on it.
Are these the small black rats or the brownish furry hampster-sized type?

 

[Kadushu]

After poison I've found snap traps the best since, as you say, having to deal with a live one is no fun. I can only imagine what it's like in Birmingham right now

 

[PaulSanderson]

Try a bucket trap - simply put,its a bucket, with a spindle mounted through the bucket about an inch from the top rim and a cardboard "floor" which rotates once the rat stands on it ... fill with peanut butter or other tasty treats. Can literally catch 10-20s at any 1 time ... im sure you can find linked on youtube. Used this to great effect when we had chickens and i couldnt quite get a good line for a shot.

Alternatively, do you shoot? if you have a plinker, just set up for the evening an pick them off. Ultimatly, rats can be a risk to human health - depending on your living circumstances the local authorities may be obliges to get involved.

 

[Woody girl]

Seem to be young rats at present. I got three big ones, about 12inches long, a week or so ago. The last half dozen have been young'uns , between 6 -8inches long.
Finaly got through to the h/a, (only took an hour!) and they have agreed to send someone to check the loft??????, I have a problem in the garden, not the dam loft!!!!!
Jeeez! Still, perhaps it's a start, but I feel it's a total waste of time and money.
Bit like reporting a pothole on road a, and they send someone to road b, say there are no potholes and they've done their job.
I feel like I'm being gaslit!

Try a bucket trap - simply put,its a bucket, with a spindle mounted through the bucket about an inch from the top rim and a cardboard "floor" which rotates once the rat stands on it ... fill with peanut butter or other tasty treats. Can literally catch 10-20s at any 1 time ... im sure you can find linked on youtube. Used this to great effect when we had chickens and i couldnt quite get a good line for a shot.

Alternatively, do you shoot? if you have a plinker, just set up for the evening an pick them off. Ultimatly, rats can be a risk to human health - depending on your living circumstances the local authorities may be obliges to get involved.

No, can't use a plinker in my garden, despite having one.
May have to go and buy a bucket! Would an old bamboo cane work as a spindle? If not, what do you suggest?

 

[British Red]

Try a bucket trap - simply put,its a bucket, with a spindle mounted through the bucket about an inch from the top rim and a cardboard "floor" which rotates once the rat stands on it ... fill with peanut butter or other tasty treats. Can literally catch 10-20s at any 1 time ... im sure you can find linked on youtube. Used this to great effect when we had chickens and i couldnt quite get a good line for a shot.

Most of those are water filled as a kill mechanism. That's illegal in the UK

 

[slowworm]

I was going to mention drowning rats, or anything else, is illegal.

Sounds like spring traps are your best bet or a pro who can use modern poisons.

There's a lot of rats about at this time of year, purely coincidental the local gov elections are in a couple of weeks!

 

[PaulSanderson]

Most of those are water filled as a kill mechanism. That's illegal in the UK

no water - just live catch traps!

 

[PaulSanderson]

Seem to be young rats at present. I got three big ones, about 12inches long, a week or so ago. The last half dozen have been young'uns , between 6 -8inches long.
Finaly got through to the h/a, (only took an hour!) and they have agreed to send someone to check the loft??????, I have a problem in the garden, not the dam loft!!!!!
Jeeez! Still, perhaps it's a start, but I feel it's a total waste of time and money.
Bit like reporting a pothole on road a, and they send someone to road b, say there are no potholes and they've done their job.
I feel like I'm being gaslit!

No, can't use a plinker in my garden, despite having one.
May have to go and buy a bucket! Would an old bamboo cane work as a spindle? If not, what do you suggest?

yes bamboo would work as long as it can rotate freely. As others have suggested, dont fill with water, but you can catch quite a few at any one time. Bear in mind youll still have to deal with the live rats as you deem necessary.

 

[Wildgoose]

Swing bin liners are cheap and effective for disposal, drop the deceased into the bag, twist the neck and double it over with a cable tie or knot the twisted neck.

This will contain the smell

 

[Macaroon]

If you catch live rats, DON'T release them elsewhere and turn them into somebody else's problem

 

[oldtimer]

Do you have a friend with a terrier?

 

[Woody girl]

If you catch live rats, DON'T release them elsewhere and turn them into somebody else's problem

No intention to capture live rats as it gives me yet another problem....disposal . As you say, they just become a problem elsewhere.

Do you have a friend with a terrier?

No, but I have one with a Yorkshire terrier that is smaller than most of the rats. ... treasured spoilt baby dog...any good.?