Rats in garden...
Discussion
Caddyshack said:
I have seen people knock coins out of trees with a catapult at a good 25m and more, the sort of shot I might not be all that confident with using a good rifle and scope from a standing, non resting position.
How consistently? I also had a black widow as a youth (I think I still have one somewhere ...
) and could knock cans over with it, but not every time and at the same distance would expect a tight group with an air rifle.Bill said:
Caddyshack said:
I have seen people knock coins out of trees with a catapult at a good 25m and more, the sort of shot I might not be all that confident with using a good rifle and scope from a standing, non resting position.
How consistently? I also had a black widow as a youth (I think I still have one somewhere ... ) and could knock cans over with it, but not every time and at the same distance would expect a tight group with an air rifle.Caddyshack said:
Don’t know on that one. If I am rested I can get pellet on pellet quite often and very tight groups, I would not expect that with a good catapulter but I think a good hit with a bearing would kill a rat in most places from stomach up?
IME, shots to the head are most humane. The dead rats we find on our (poultry hosting) allotments are/were 9/10 bleeding from the head. Shot by air rifle, by members of the allotments. Turn7 said:
Cheib said:
Deep Thought said:
They simply walk round it. Sometimes they sniff it, or stop to lean against it and sun themselves but have absolutely no intentions of going in to it.
Will go get some nutella tomorrow and try that..
Zapper with Nutella bagged another one tonight. Hope it works for you ! Will go get some nutella tomorrow and try that..
Fermit said:
Caddyshack said:
Don’t know on that one. If I am rested I can get pellet on pellet quite often and very tight groups, I would not expect that with a good catapulter but I think a good hit with a bearing would kill a rat in most places from stomach up?
IME, shots to the head are most humane. The dead rats we find on our (poultry hosting) allotments are/were 9/10 bleeding from the head. Shot by air rifle, by members of the allotments. And we have our first victim!
The mother rat finally tried to get to the bait in the DOC 150.
Changes made today - as per suggestions - i sprinkled some bird seed at the entrance and in the first chamber, along with a little peanut butter smudged in the first chamber.
She was huge.
Definitely a quick and instant death. Huge force with that trap.
The remaining five or so appear to be her offspring.
Hopefully now we have a successful and repeatable approach.
The mother rat finally tried to get to the bait in the DOC 150.
Changes made today - as per suggestions - i sprinkled some bird seed at the entrance and in the first chamber, along with a little peanut butter smudged in the first chamber.
She was huge.
Definitely a quick and instant death. Huge force with that trap.
The remaining five or so appear to be her offspring.
Hopefully now we have a successful and repeatable approach.
Deep Thought said:
And we have our first victim!
The mother rat finally tried to get to the bait in the DOC 150.
Changes made today - as per suggestions - i sprinkled some bird seed at the entrance and in the first chamber, along with a little peanut butter smudged in the first chamber.
She was huge.
Definitely a quick and instant death. Huge force with that trap.
The remaining five or so appear to be her offspring.
Hopefully now we have a successful and repeatable approach.
Well done on your first catch, learn by your mistakes when trapping and it’s gets easier every time, good traps aren’t they?The mother rat finally tried to get to the bait in the DOC 150.
Changes made today - as per suggestions - i sprinkled some bird seed at the entrance and in the first chamber, along with a little peanut butter smudged in the first chamber.
She was huge.
Definitely a quick and instant death. Huge force with that trap.
The remaining five or so appear to be her offspring.
Hopefully now we have a successful and repeatable approach.
Juvenile rats are usually a lot easier to catch but keep baiting the trap and don’t move its position and you’ll be pulling them out more frequently.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Deep Thought said:
She was huge.
Probably a male. Rats vary in size a lot, but males are usually considerably bigger than females, and females are never huge. A big male can be pretty impressive.Caddyshack said:
They also have very obvious testicles hanging out the back so you shouldn't easily confuse them.
Indeed.I don’t know if the OP is aware that male rats are ludicrously well endowed in the testicular department; that would certainly settle the question. It just seems unlikely that a female would be “huge” - generally speaking they’re not.
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Caddyshack said:
They also have very obvious testicles hanging out the back so you shouldn't easily confuse them.
Indeed.I don’t know if the OP is aware that male rats are ludicrously well endowed in the testicular department; that would certainly settle the question. It just seems unlikely that a female would be “huge” - generally speaking they’re not.
Deep Thought said:
Dr Mike Oxgreen said:
Caddyshack said:
They also have very obvious testicles hanging out the back so you shouldn't easily confuse them.
Indeed.I don’t know if the OP is aware that male rats are ludicrously well endowed in the testicular department; that would certainly settle the question. It just seems unlikely that a female would be “huge” - generally speaking they’re not.
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