Rats

[V8RX7]

I've found a lot of 40mm long x 7mm cylindrical droppings around my cars / sheds.

There are none inside and they all seem to be on top of things - barrels, stacks of wheels, car bonnets etc rather than on the ground.

There aren't trees overhead and having searched for pics of rat droppings these seems larger than usual - is there anything else it could be ?

Assuming it is rats and I have dogs, owls, buzzards etc I'm loathe to use poison.

I have a huge amount of rabbit holes but haven't seen any rat holes / gnawing etc whilst I'm surrounded by fields there really isn't any food around to attract them here (apart from berries on trees / bushes)

If I leave old fashioned rat traps in the open I could harm other animals so what's the solution - cage traps ? Cats are no use as the dogs have scared the old ones away.

I can't be bothered waiting around to shoot them.

[SAB888]

Are you sure they are from rats? Had something similar and was very surprised to find out it was a blackbird.

Have used a Rentokil black rat trap before and, like you, was concerned not to hurt cats, hedgehogs etc so covered it with timber offcuts leaving one entrance. Luckily only rats and mice were caught. Used Nutella with sunflower hearts as it seems to be quite tasty to rats.

[V8RX7]

Should anyone look at my internet history they will wonder WTF I've been up to.

I've been looking at various "poo, dropping, faeces" sites and hadn't come across Blackbird.

From your suggestion I followed links and it was mentioned that it was likely a Thrush - which I regularly see.

HINT - Do not Google images "Thrush poo"

Although it seems that's what it is - indeed it's latin name seems apt : Turdus viscivorus

Thanks

[mjb1]

They sound a bit large for rat droppings? Squirrel maybe?

We have a bit of a rat problem round here. Neighbours keep chickens and ducks, and put food out for the pheasants. Rats were booming in the earth banks around their chicken run and the stream alongside. But rather than kill them, the neighbours decided to dig out the bank (and the nests), cue rats bolting in every direction. Now my garden and the retaining earth bank is like swiss cheese, I've deployed industrial quantities of poison and got rid of quite a lot. I warned the neighbours about the poison (they also have dogs), but frankly they caused the problem and let it get out of hand, so they aren't really in a position to criticise me for trying to tackle it.

Tidying out the green house last week and disturbed a great big bugger, which proceeded to make a run for it, going literally between my lad's legs as it went out the door.

[Ledaig]

Google 'hedgehog droppings' - are they these per chance?

[trickywoo]

Can you keep an owl in there?

[TorqueDirty]

Your dimensions sound less like and estimate and more like an accurate measurement. I think you have actually picked one of these up, carefully placed it on a piece of white paper (possibly using tweezers) and measured it with a steel ruler, whilst taking studios notes as you go.

This is the image I now have of you in my mind.

You are a poo measurer.

Just think about that for a minute.

By the way, you can tell the difference between rat poo and bat poo by rolling in between your fingers. Rat poo rolls, bat poo crumbles. I am not prepared to tell you how I know that - but I can tell you that I did not measure it (oh and I wore gloves!)

[CoolHands]

I found this cage is effective at trapping squirrels and also a couple of rats. Once they're in there they don't get out. Trouble is I suppose you could encourage rats by putting food in there if you don't actually have them.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STV-SQUIRREL-CAGE-TRAP-D...

[Boosted LS1]

Droppings are to long for rat poo.

[Andy RV]

They do seem long for rats!

A Fenn trap should should kill whatever it is though! Don't bother with the scaled up mouse traps.