Rats in garden...

[borcy]

Rats are very cautious, any change might put them off for a while.

[Promised Land]

Deep Thought said:

So i've had the DOC 150 out and set up since Friday.

This is the setup i went for

https://www.strangfordincubators.com/product/stran...

And this is how it how it looks when set out



Enty hole in to first compartment, entry hole then in to second compartment where the trap is and lies flat, this section open at far side of that with a place to put the food.

So, one way in at one end. Other end vented with holes.

Put it out on Friday with a lump of snickers chocolate bar in the food part along with some peanuts and sunflower seeds.

I wore gloves the whole time too.

The rats have had a look round it but havent went in.

I've moved it today here down a bit further and right beside where they come out of the hedge. I put some sunflower seeds - just one or two - in the front compartment to lure them in with a false sense of security.

Did that 15 mins ago.

To be honest - i thought we'd have had success by now.

Disappointed that we're well in to day 2 and nothing.

Is there any different bait i should be trying?

To be honest, up until now they'd have fought you for sunflower seeds and peanuts, so thought i was on to a winner with those....

Your first error is moving the trap, set it on a run line or where you think they are, next to a wall, hedge, fence as they take these routes rather than just going across an open space. Then leave it in that spot. Don’t keep moving it if you’re not getting a catch.

My bait is crunchy nut peanut butter mixed with bird seed, in a pot, rebait daily so there’s a nice smell of nose bag wafting around their area.

But more importantly than that is to get rid of all other food sources in the area, if they’re still about you’ll only get greys going into your trap.

Along with moles rats are hard to catch but once you’ve worked it out you can catch them quite easily, I then put them out in my woodland under a trail camera and either the local fox or a buzzard has them away.

[Deep Thought]

FMOB said:

You have made a change to their environment, I think it takes several days before they become comfortable with it let alone go for the bait.

borcy said:

Rats are very cautious, any change might put them off for a while.

Thanks, yes. Good point.

[Deep Thought]

Promised Land said:

Your first error is moving the trap, set it on a run line or where you think they are, next to a wall, hedge, fence as they take these routes rather than just going across an open space. Then leave it in that spot. Don’t keep moving it if you’re not getting a catch.

My bait is crunchy nut peanut butter mixed with bird seed, in a pot, rebait daily so there’s a nice smell of nose bag wafting around their area.

But more importantly than that is to get rid of all other food sources in the area, if they’re still about you’ll only get greys going into your trap.

Along with moles rats are hard to catch but once you’ve worked it out you can catch them quite easily, I then put them out in my woodland under a trail camera and either the local fox or a buzzard has them away.

Thanks. I'd moved it as where we "thought" was their entry point and run wasnt quite.

It'll not be moved again now.

We'll move to your crunchy peanut butter and bird seed mix and see how it goes from there.

Will update here with progress.

[Promised Land]

Deep Thought said:

Thanks. I'd moved it as where we "thought" was their entry point and run wasnt quite.

It'll not be moved again now.

We'll move to your crunchy peanut butter and bird seed mix and see how it goes from there.

Will update here with progress.

Be patient, I’ve been catching them for years and I’ve given traps out to others in that time, all 3 of the ones who tried, started catching them but not straight away.

One moved the box just like yourself, it’s a common thing to do, mice and greys whizz all over the shop whereas a rat will take a route, if it gets back alive it will always use that route as it’s deemed safe, it might be a lot further than a direct route but it knows it is safe going that way so will carry on, they’re wise but not wise enough as they still get caught inside traps.

The bait almost makes me vomit, I can’t stand peanut butter but it’s worked for me for years. A lump the size of an egg yoke will do it. Some trappers prefer Nutella but you use whatever works for you.

[Caddyshack]

Promised Land said:

Deep Thought said:

Thanks. I'd moved it as where we "thought" was their entry point and run wasnt quite.

It'll not be moved again now.

We'll move to your crunchy peanut butter and bird seed mix and see how it goes from there.

Will update here with progress.

Be patient, I’ve been catching them for years and I’ve given traps out to others in that time, all 3 of the ones who tried, started catching them but not straight away.

One moved the box just like yourself, it’s a common thing to do, mice and greys whizz all over the shop whereas a rat will take a route, if it gets back alive it will always use that route as it’s deemed safe, it might be a lot further than a direct route but it knows it is safe going that way so will carry on, they’re wise but not wise enough as they still get caught inside traps.

The bait almost makes me vomit, I can’t stand peanut butter but it’s worked for me for years. A lump the size of an egg yoke will do it. Some trappers prefer Nutella but you use whatever works for you.

Peanut butter and or dog food seem to be popular choices with Rat hunters.

[Cheib]

Nutella. Caught 4 rats in the last week in an electric trap bated with it. Red Kites are happy

My son was less happy as he was sitting quietly doing his revision and heard one of them getting zapped !

[Deep Thought]

The rats.... they mock me.



Showing no interest at all in going in to the trap.

Quite happily pottering around the garden.

I suspect even though we have stopped feeding the birds entirely there is enough reminants about OR natural food about that they dont have to bother themselves with going in to the trap.

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.

Wife does a daily roll call and she thinks theres now more rats there than there previously were.

But feeling particularly despondent about the whole thing to be honest.

[Fermit]

Hear you RE the minefield RE gun use, but what about buying a Black Widow catapult? Pretty effective I'd imagine!

[Cheib]

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 !

[dbdb]

I have never tried to catch a rat with it, but Nutella works incredibly well with mice. They really can't resist it!

[Turn7]

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 !

Link to zapper please

[BlackZeD]

"Hear you RE the minefield RE gun use, but what about buying a Black Widow catapult? Pretty effective I'd imagine!"

It is illegal to shoot any animal with a catapult or crossbow in this country as far as I'm aware.

[Fermit]

BlackZeD said:

"Hear you RE the minefield RE gun use, but what about buying a Black Widow catapult? Pretty effective I'd imagine!"

It is illegal to shoot any animal with a catapult or crossbow in this country as far as I'm aware.

Not sure it is? In the mainland UK, you are allowed to shoot rats with an air-rifle (certain people do daily, on our allotments)

A catapult is equally perfectly capable of humanely killing small animals like rats, and has probably similar energy levels to an air rifle, without the need to jump through many hoops like the OP says he'd have to with guns.

[Caddyshack]

Fermit said:

BlackZeD said:

"Hear you RE the minefield RE gun use, but what about buying a Black Widow catapult? Pretty effective I'd imagine!"

It is illegal to shoot any animal with a catapult or crossbow in this country as far as I'm aware.

Not sure it is? In the mainland UK, you are allowed to shoot rats with an air-rifle (certain people do daily, on our allotments)

A catapult is equally perfectly capable of humanely killing small animals like rats, and has probably similar energy levels to an air rifle, without the need to jump through many hoops like the OP says he'd have to with guns.

Mainland England it is not illegal to kill a rat with a catapult as long as you use correct ball bearing ammo. If you put a stone in the catapult you would could be prosecuted for stoning an animal to death which is illegal.

[Bill]

Accuracy of a catapult is far lower so you're more likely just to wound it. Or miss outright.

[Fermit]

Bill said:

Accuracy of a catapult is far lower so you're more likely just to wound it. Or miss outright.

As a teenager I had a BW. I became quite good at hitting cans at quite some distance, so pretty sure I could (silently) kill a rat with a ball bearing to the head pretty easily. Any way, it was just an idea.

[Chicken Chaser]

There's guys on YouTube demonstrating their abilities with BWs on wildlife for the pot. I found them on one of those days where you go down the rabbit hole...


I had rats during the winter. We are also bird feeders. We had one during the day which I thought was pretty cute, but then whilst watching said cute one take food from the lawn, a much more grizzly looking rat was just sat watching. It was then I decided poison was the best option. It took about a week before they took it, but it worked. No more rats.

[Caddyshack]

Fermit said:

Bill said:

Accuracy of a catapult is far lower so you're more likely just to wound it. Or miss outright.

As a teenager I had a BW. I became quite good at hitting cans at quite some distance, so pretty sure I could (silently) kill a rat with a ball bearing to the head pretty easily. Any way, it was just an idea.

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.

[Deep Thought]

Bill said:

Accuracy of a catapult is far lower so you're more likely just to wound it. Or miss outright.

Yes, that would be my thinking also.

Well, my accuracy would be.