RATS!

[Woody girl]

New update.
H/A told me that they had arranged for the rat man to be with me Friday.
Had a call from him this afternoon. He never had a call to arrange a particular time or day as they had told me, but asked him to phone me and asked his own arrangement as to time and date. So we have now arranged for Monday morning.
h/a lied to me!!!!!
Still, only got to wait half a week now.

 

[Pattree]

Can you trap him a bagful in the meantime?

 

[oldtimer]

Check if he's wearing two-coloured clothes and playing a flute.

 

[Pattree]

I don’t usually make house calls and you can’t get your money out of the local council.

 

[Woody girl]

Can you trap him a bagful in the meantime?

 

[gibson 175]

New update.
H/A told me that they had arranged for the rat man to be with me Friday.
Had a call from him this afternoon. He never had a call to arrange a particular time or day as they had told me, but asked him to phone me and asked his own arrangement as to time and date. So we have now arranged for Monday morning.
h/a lied to me!!!!!
Still, only got to wait half a week now.

It's good that you will be able to explain things in person to the rat man rather than him being shown round by a housing association employee that probably doesn't know the site as well as you. He will probably do an initial written assessment of the problem on his visit so make sure you get a copy of his assessment or take a photo of it on your phone. Try and get his phone number as well so you can check who he passed his report onto.

 

[slowworm]

When you say rat man I keep thinking of this bloke...

'Giant rat' makes appearance at Birmingham Council meeting to ask key question

A Birmingham resident in a rat costume was spotted in the public gallery as the bins strike disruption was discussed by councillors

www.birminghammail.co.uk

 

[oldtimer]

Our local rat man really does have two very prominent large front teeth set in a thin but whiskery face. Whether he'd become like that after years of association with rats or whether a long-ago employment officer or careers teacher had a wicked sense of humour, I didn't dare ask.

 

[Woody girl]

Our local rat man really does have two very prominent large front teeth set in a thin but whiskery face. Whether he'd become like that after years of association with rats or whether a long-ago employment officer or careers teacher had a wicked sense of humour, I didn't dare ask.

They do say dogs and owners can look quite similar, I can tell a realy horsey person by looking at them, as they look horsey, so why not a rat man looking like a rat?
Does he play a pipe?(or penny whistle ) by any chance?
Do children follow him around?
Beware the rat man!!!!!!!

 

[Keith_Beef]

I can tell a realy horsey person by looking at them

Messy hair, bits of straw and hay everywhere... Usually there's also a whiff of Cornucrescine or Thermaquin...

 

[Falstaff]

Check if he's wearing two-coloured clothes and playing a flute.

The coloured tights are a dead giveaway!

 

[Woody girl]

Got another last night...I've lost count now. Somewhere around 16 or 17.

 

[Pattree]

16 in five weeks means that you are probably trapping them faster than a single pair can breed. Of course you don’t know how many breeding pairs there are locally but do keep it up! At the very least it’s evidence.

 

[Toddy]

Either way it's a ridiculous number and clearly needs professional help to clear them out.
At this level, that's a health hazard, not just a nuisance.

I hope the "Rat Man" is both pro-active and very capable, and clears up the problem pdq.

M

 

[gibson 175]

I don't know what your immediate envioronment and surrounding properties and gardens are like but I once saw a posh and clean looking small back garden with a rat problem. It's difficult to say without actually seeing the area in person.
Things that could be contributing to your problem include:

• harbourage ( which you seem to have tackled on your plot by disrupting them)
• a broken drain
• Someone who is keeping chickens
• a burrow-in one of your neighbours gardens
• a tasty food source
• these rats have been pushed out of their home turf by more dominant rats-ie the problem is sprerading and new colonies are being set up
• there might be some old building nearby like a school or factory-very difficult to eradicate rats from big old buildings

From what you and others have said the issue possibly needs tackling at a management /area /neighbourhood level(the rats clearly do not originate on your property)

 

[Woody girl]

I've had 5 adults. If they have all bred, that's one more adult, and at least 8 more babies to go. Babies are growing fast and get bigger each time I get one, so they will be breeding very soon too. At 3-4 litters a year.... I need more traps!

16 in five weeks means that you are probably trapping them faster than a single pair can breed. Of course you don’t know how many breeding pairs there are locally but do keep it up! At the very least it’s evidence.

Just under 3 weeks my dear,! almost one a day.
I think there have only been a couple or three nights where I got nothing.
Dare say if I had more traps I'd get more than one a night, but I can't use the ven4 as it has siezed up. I have tried wd40 on it, but my arthritic hands just don't budge it. It's a nasty ol thing, but most effective. Anyway I'm relying on a cheaper plastic one atm, as my neighbour who was supposed to take me to the farm shop to get more, never came, so still only got the one trap.
I'll see if rat man will let me have a few, or pop over to the farm shop for me.
Sometimes I wish I had a car of my own.

 

[gibson 175]

Can't go wrong with the good old fashioned wooden Victor Rat trap. I got some from B and Q some years ago.Not sure if the size will allow them to fit in a rat box. They used to be cheap. They have a strong spring. Some of the plastic ones from the usual DIY stores don't have a very strong spring and will either not kill the rat cleanly or it will get out of the trap.
https://ratpak.co.uk/victor-easy-set-rat-trap
Get as many traps down as you can-I imagine the rat man will be putting loads of raps down when he visits. See if you can buy some of the plastic ones off him-he will use the professional grade ones.

 

[gibson 175]

https://catalogue.killgerm.com/big-snap-e-rat-trap
these above are really good-
Also...30 quid for 6 with free delivery- here
https://www.agrisupplyservices.co.uk/big-snap-e-rat-trap-pack-of-6-272-p.asp

and..Trapper T Rex is the best one I used (but the snap E comes pretty close second) but the most expensive

T-Rex Rat Trap

T Rex Rat Traps offer extreme power to kill rodents instantly. You can use it in any location where there is a rat infestation. Place along walls where rats travel or for sensitive areas where safety is a concern. The T Rex Trap fits inside the range of rat bait stations we provide. Dimensions...

www.1env.com

 

[Woody girl]

Little beggars have been busy again. Planted my carrot seeds last night, woke up to this mess in the carrot box this morning. Gutted!.
And no, it's not a cat.
The big bed behind the small raised bed, has black netting over it, so remained untouched.