Housing Association, there’ll not be any shooting allowed on the property.
RATS!
- Thread starter Woody girl
- Start date
-
Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Housing Association, there’ll not be any shooting allowed on the property.
interesting. Then tell me why rats can enter and exit bait boxes. Surely it doesnt matter if the bait box is indoors or no if the rat can then wander outside??? xThat is unfortunately wrong for all traditional poisons. All SGARs (second generation anticoagulant rodenticides) are bioaccumulative (they do cause secondary poisoning), hence why they are now banned for open air use.
At one point 94% of Barn Owls & 100% of kestrels had consumed poisoned prey.
Barn Owl Hazards: Rat poison
www.barnowltrust.org.uk
Cholecalciferol is a newer rodenticide that isn't bioaccumulative & is legal for outside use. It's sold as Harmonix or Selontra (professional licence required)
somewhat unrelated to rats, but a few years ago our neighbor's horse died under somewhat mysterious circumstances (he presumed poisoning): there were loads of vultures attracted to the carcass BUT they didn't touch it, not even his psychopathic dogs went for a bite (and i've seen them kill and eat other dogs, so nothing is safe from them...)That is unfortunately wrong for all traditional poisons. All SGARs (second generation anticoagulant rodenticides) are bioaccumulative (they do cause secondary poisoning), hence why they are now banned for open air use.
At one point 94% of Barn Owls & 100% of kestrels had consumed poisoned prey.
Barn Owl Hazards: Rat poison
Cholecalciferol is a newer rodenticide that isn't bioaccumulative & is legal for outside use. It's sold as Harmonix or Selontra (professional licence required)
Eggshells and citrus peel. Both good for the soil, both deter cats. And slugs and snails hate egg shells too so don't like crossing them. Win win win.
They like to tunnel agin something...like a wall, or under slabs...which is why I used pea gravel under my compost bins. It's too unstable for them to dig into.
They don't like being disturbed, and if you can discourage their travels, it's got to be a good thing.
They don't like strong scents, like mint essential oil. You can discourage them from coming into your home by using that at the doorstep.
It'll not stop them being nearby but it discourages them from coming that way, iimmc ?
They don't like being disturbed, and if you can discourage their travels, it's got to be a good thing.
They don't like strong scents, like mint essential oil. You can discourage them from coming into your home by using that at the doorstep.
It'll not stop them being nearby but it discourages them from coming that way, iimmc ?
As BR said, remove food sources, remove/block/disturb nesting sites.
If you think that they are in the wood pile, move or disturb the wood pile. Do that every few days and the rats will get the idea.
Do you know anyone that keeps ferrets?
Is there a pet shop that might have ferrets near you?
If so, get hold of as much used bedding, poop and pee soaked shavings as you can. Scatter this around your boundaries or where you see the rats most.
Rats ain't keen on ferrets.....
If you think that they are in the wood pile, move or disturb the wood pile. Do that every few days and the rats will get the idea.
Do you know anyone that keeps ferrets?
Is there a pet shop that might have ferrets near you?
If so, get hold of as much used bedding, poop and pee soaked shavings as you can. Scatter this around your boundaries or where you see the rats most.
Rats ain't keen on ferrets.....
I didn't write the law, but rats don't range very far (sub 100 yards if food & water are abundant)
I wasnt challenging what you said. I was just curious. I did check up about secondary poisoning particularly in relation to birds of prey. you were right. Although how widespread it is I don't know. I worked at a bird of prey conservation center for several years and in that time I didnt come across a single case (that was maybe where i got the idea that secondary poisoning doesnt happen). I spoke with my old boss and he said yes it can be a problem. I have my poison on snap traps with elastic bands holding the block on and also secured in cage traps. I catch everything where it is and can dispatch quickly and also I get to keep and reuse the poisoned bait which is not cheap. x
This is the responsibility of the HA to resolve, unless it can be proved you somehow caused it. I’d keep on to them about it, and if you need support perhaps you could contact Citizens Advice?
Rats are a health hazard and a landlord should not palm this off as ‘not my problem’.
Rats are a health hazard and a landlord should not palm this off as ‘not my problem’.
I know, and have seen some of the so called repairs that Woodygirl has eventually got done on her property. Roof tiles fixed in place with Postmix etc. It’s one thing it being their responsibility, another getting anything done.
But yes, infestations of anything bar moths are their responsibility.
Rats are only h/a responsibility if they are in the house. Council/environmental health, no longer deal with rats.
Rats are the householders responsibility. Including disposal...and you can't put them in the dog poo bins, on pain of a fine.
That is how it is in Somerset. Believe me, I've rung and talked to everyone, (eventualy)
Cost cutting measures I guess.
The usual pay more for less services.
The wet weather seems to be keeping them at home, wherever that is. I know there are still some about as the last two nights they have taken the snap trap bait, peanut butter, but not set the trap off.
So I'll give it a rest for a week, and then bait unset, then hopefully they will get careless and I'll get some more of the blighters.
Rats are the householders responsibility. Including disposal...and you can't put them in the dog poo bins, on pain of a fine.
That is how it is in Somerset. Believe me, I've rung and talked to everyone, (eventualy)
Cost cutting measures I guess.
The usual pay more for less services.
The wet weather seems to be keeping them at home, wherever that is. I know there are still some about as the last two nights they have taken the snap trap bait, peanut butter, but not set the trap off.
So I'll give it a rest for a week, and then bait unset, then hopefully they will get careless and I'll get some more of the blighters.
I don’t envy you, the amount of buck-passing with any organisation these days seems to just be off the scale.
The council has a legal duty here under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
It even says so on their own website: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/environment-and-food-safety/pest-control/
Probably be an uphill struggle though. What a pain!
The council has a legal duty here under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949
It even says so on their own website: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/environment-and-food-safety/pest-control/
Probably be an uphill struggle though. What a pain!
How about contacting the local paper ? see if they'd like to do a human interest and council failing sort of piece ?
They can sometimes just lick the peanut butter off without setting the trap off. I put broken pieces of nut with nutella-a splodge of nutella then push the whole or broken nuts into the nutella-that way there is more chance of activating the trap as they try to pull the pieces of nut from the nutella(or peanut butter). I think you should be ok to keep setting the traps even if they are a bit shy-but your idea of not setting them for a few days is also good. If you have had rain and flooding it may have forced them out of their usual habitat.
Got another young rat last night. I set the trap not expecting anything but stolen bait. Now got three to dispose of somehow.
Anyone for a bbq?
Anyone for a bbq?
set as many traps as you can...if you think it is safe to do so..try and get the population down
Last edited:
Was thinking of kebabs, with a nice hot chilli marinade, onions, tomatoes, and peppers. Served in pittas with a green rocket, spinach, and watercress salad, pickled cucumbers followed by butterscotch Angel delight, and chased down with a chilled rose wine, or home made sloe gin cocktails....tho I find the feathers get stuck in my teeth.
Somewhere we have a 'one rat kiln', originally intended for the disposal of rats and mice used in medical experiments. I have a feeling it ended up with a friend of my brother's.
If I come across it, do you want it ? It reduces them pretty much to ash....which is safe to add to the compost
