Rats in garden...
Discussion
Ok, so some background.
We are enthusiastic bird feeders. We feed them all year round and theres a lot of birds come to our garden. 15+ varieties at last count. We do like to watch the birds in the garden.
However this year in particular that has attracted rats.
Big brown country rats.
It was one but now 3 at least.
They come out of the hedge and quite happily head over to the base of the tables / feeders and eat anything thats dropped.
I've stopped feeding the birds what seemed to be the rats main food interest - sunflower seeds.
That worked for a day or two but now they're just eating anything that gets to ground level that we put out for the birds.
I have a sonic deterrent and again that kept them at bay for a day or two, but they now know if they get past it (motion activated) and get to the other side of it, it stops after a couple of minutes.
I appreciate that the "easiest" way to resolve this is either to (a) remove their food source entirely by not feeding the birds or (b) kill the rats by poisoning them.
Neither of want to stop feeding the birds, and whilst my wife is all for killing the rats, i dont want to go down that route.
Any suggestions that would work as an absolute deterrent?
We are enthusiastic bird feeders. We feed them all year round and theres a lot of birds come to our garden. 15+ varieties at last count. We do like to watch the birds in the garden.
However this year in particular that has attracted rats.
Big brown country rats.
It was one but now 3 at least.
They come out of the hedge and quite happily head over to the base of the tables / feeders and eat anything thats dropped.
I've stopped feeding the birds what seemed to be the rats main food interest - sunflower seeds.
That worked for a day or two but now they're just eating anything that gets to ground level that we put out for the birds.
I have a sonic deterrent and again that kept them at bay for a day or two, but they now know if they get past it (motion activated) and get to the other side of it, it stops after a couple of minutes.
I appreciate that the "easiest" way to resolve this is either to (a) remove their food source entirely by not feeding the birds or (b) kill the rats by poisoning them.
Neither of want to stop feeding the birds, and whilst my wife is all for killing the rats, i dont want to go down that route.
Any suggestions that would work as an absolute deterrent?
Deep Thought said:
Ok, so some background.
We are prevalent bird feeders. We feed them all year round and theres a lot of birds come to our garden. 15+ varieties at last count.
However this year in particular that has attracted rats.
Big brown country rats.
It was one but now 3 at least.
They come out of the hedge and quite happily head over to the base of the tables / feeders and eat anything thats dropped.
I've stopped feeding the birds what seemed to be the rats main food interest - sunflower seeds.
That worked for a day or two but now they're just eating anything we put out for the birds.
I have a sonic deterrent and again that kept them at bay for a day or two, but they now know if they get past it (motion activated) and get to the other side of it, it stops after a couple of minutes.
I appreciate that the "easiest" way to resolve this is either to (a) remove their food source entirely by not feeding the birds or (b) kill the rats by poisoning them.
Neither of want to stop feeding the birds, and whilst my wife is all for killing the rats, i dont want to go down that route.
Any suggestions that would work as an absolute deterrent?
I hate to say it, as you've stated it's not an option. Killing them is all that will decimate them, the phrase 'breed like rats' is true. Untouched, they will multiply faster than you can kill them. Wood, concrete, anything softer than diamonds, and they'll chew through it. We are prevalent bird feeders. We feed them all year round and theres a lot of birds come to our garden. 15+ varieties at last count.
However this year in particular that has attracted rats.
Big brown country rats.
It was one but now 3 at least.
They come out of the hedge and quite happily head over to the base of the tables / feeders and eat anything thats dropped.
I've stopped feeding the birds what seemed to be the rats main food interest - sunflower seeds.
That worked for a day or two but now they're just eating anything we put out for the birds.
I have a sonic deterrent and again that kept them at bay for a day or two, but they now know if they get past it (motion activated) and get to the other side of it, it stops after a couple of minutes.
I appreciate that the "easiest" way to resolve this is either to (a) remove their food source entirely by not feeding the birds or (b) kill the rats by poisoning them.
Neither of want to stop feeding the birds, and whilst my wife is all for killing the rats, i dont want to go down that route.
Any suggestions that would work as an absolute deterrent?
They've discovered you're a food supplier, so now they know this they'll always return. For now, put a metal spike 'scarf' around the bird table leg, and that will at least stop them gorging on the birds nosh.
Get a good gun, or learn to live with them are the only two options, I'm afraid.
Our neighbour has chickens and we occasionally got a visit from Roland.
We don't have a cat, but planted cat mint which attracts the cats like a magnet. We've not seen any rats and the odd bit of cat poop in the garden is preferable to ratty.
ETA you can buy a big saucer for bird feeders which catch the bits the birds drop.
https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/products/roamwild-p...
We don't have a cat, but planted cat mint which attracts the cats like a magnet. We've not seen any rats and the odd bit of cat poop in the garden is preferable to ratty.
ETA you can buy a big saucer for bird feeders which catch the bits the birds drop.
https://roamwildproducts.co.uk/products/roamwild-p...
Yeah, reading this i've resigned myself to having to bump them off.
Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
We stopped feeding birds because of this (also plagued by tree rats), unfortunately neighbours either side are avid bird feeders so the rats use our garden as a sort of motorway, as soon as we block one hole another appears as another poster said the bloomin' things chew through any obstacle including the concrete bottomed fence panels. Tried poison in the holes over a period of a couple of months but it hasn't stopped them.
Steviesam said:
Feed birds and you will get rats.
You need to insert ‘maybe’ into that. I’ve been feeding birds for years right next to an open field and never had any evidence of them.It helps if you feed them something that leaves zero waste. Sunflower hearts don’t get a chance to be left out for long on the ground round here.
Deep Thought said:
Yeah, reading this i've resigned myself to having to bump them off.
Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
That might work for a while but, Mr Rat is a clever beggar and will soon disregard your offering of food, with consequences!Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
Get yourself an air rifle and be prepared to apply patience, if you don't want to use poison however, if you and your neighbours are continuing to feed the birds, this will take some time to reduce the numbers.
I use an air rifle which I bought second hand for around £100. Also got a bait trip that just closes a door and traps them.
Far more humane than poison and can be sure your not killing hedgehogs etc. They are dead the moment they are shot 90% of the time.
It's odd because shooting a rat on a bird feeder is quite good sport, and il admit i enjoy it. But I don't like dispatching them when they are stuck in the trap. Not sure why, they do squeal when trapped so it might be that, but it just feels more like a 1 sided execution I think!
I also use the rifle for occasional back garden target plinking with my boys which we all enjoy.
Far more humane than poison and can be sure your not killing hedgehogs etc. They are dead the moment they are shot 90% of the time.
It's odd because shooting a rat on a bird feeder is quite good sport, and il admit i enjoy it. But I don't like dispatching them when they are stuck in the trap. Not sure why, they do squeal when trapped so it might be that, but it just feels more like a 1 sided execution I think!
I also use the rifle for occasional back garden target plinking with my boys which we all enjoy.
Edited by covmutley on Tuesday 16th April 17:49
ks in the head is the most humane way to say bye-byes to ratty boy. They are dead before they hear the bullet that killed them. i had a similar issue.
loved feeding the birds, and one day noticed a rat. my wife wanted to poison but when you look into how the poison work it is really cruel. it takes days for them to die and they basically die of dehydration. then there is the risk of dogs/foxes and birds eating the dead rats.
so what i did was buy an air rifle, cheapest the shop had for £100. it'd spring loaded. ( i wish i had gone for gas) its really simple to use and kills them very quickly. the problem is then sorted.
you can't leave them, if you do they will be in the house next.
the reason i would recommend a gas loaded one, is they are quieter, they have a magazine so can fire a couple of shots quickly if you miss.
the air rifle really does kill them very quickly, ideally a headshot and they don't feel a thing.
btw im a veggie and have been for 10 years so killing things isn't something i enjoy, but feel its the only way of doing it.
loved feeding the birds, and one day noticed a rat. my wife wanted to poison but when you look into how the poison work it is really cruel. it takes days for them to die and they basically die of dehydration. then there is the risk of dogs/foxes and birds eating the dead rats.
so what i did was buy an air rifle, cheapest the shop had for £100. it'd spring loaded. ( i wish i had gone for gas) its really simple to use and kills them very quickly. the problem is then sorted.
you can't leave them, if you do they will be in the house next.
the reason i would recommend a gas loaded one, is they are quieter, they have a magazine so can fire a couple of shots quickly if you miss.
the air rifle really does kill them very quickly, ideally a headshot and they don't feel a thing.
btw im a veggie and have been for 10 years so killing things isn't something i enjoy, but feel its the only way of doing it.
I had a family of rats move in under my shed a couple of years back. I got them all using trap and poison from Screwfix. It took a while and I added a length of drain pipe with poison in to complement the trap (they like a rat run) but it did sort them.
https://www.screwfix.com/c/auto-cleaning/rat-mouse...
https://www.screwfix.com/c/auto-cleaning/rat-mouse...
Deep Thought said:
Yeah, reading this i've resigned myself to having to bump them off.
Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
Spending £30 on a couple of those is a waste of time, I’ve killed hundreds over the years, DOC 150 trap is the one to get, if you don’t want to spend that much then Fenn mark 4’s will do a job as well, no need to bait those if you know their runs, set one just below ground level with a bit of soil over the treadle plate, enclose it in a run through box and you’ll catch them. Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
I’ve got a dozen Fenn traps but would gladly swap the lot for just one more DOC 150, they are night and day better traps, in a box again as all spring traps by law have to be enclosed so you don’t catch non target species.
Promised Land said:
Deep Thought said:
Yeah, reading this i've resigned myself to having to bump them off.
Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
Spending £30 on a couple of those is a waste of time, I’ve killed hundreds over the years, DOC 150 trap is the one to get, if you don’t want to spend that much then Fenn mark 4’s will do a job as well, no need to bait those if you know their runs, set one just below ground level with a bit of soil over the treadle plate, enclose it in a run through box and you’ll catch them. Havent got an air rifle and poisoning isnt humane (for them or the predators that will pick up and eat the dead bodies) so have opted for external enclosed traps.
Have ordered a couple of these.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XL33EB0/ref...
I’ve got a dozen Fenn traps but would gladly swap the lot for just one more DOC 150, they are night and day better traps, in a box again as all spring traps by law have to be enclosed so you don’t catch non target species.
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