Discussion
I live in a bungalow with an enclosed courtyard back garden and while brushing my teeth this morning i heard a rustling noise outside. I looked out the window to see a rat carrying a big mouthful of dead leaves and dissapearing off under the pile of wood offcuts from a shed I am building. It did this five or six times and was not put off by me banging on the window.
My first thought was go and get my air rifle and kill it but after 10 mins of watching it go about its business i came round to thinking just let it get on with it. There is no food kept in the garden just a half built shed, a couple of bikes (to go in shed when finished) and a dead palm type plant in a pot where he was getting the leaves from. Its a concrete yard and the bungalow is brick with sound walls around the perimeter so im not worried about it getting in the house.
My only concern is that a work colleague of mine contacted weils disease when she was clearing out boxes from her garage and was seriously ill for several weeks so I am aware that it is an issue with rats. Is it something I should worry about or just let it get on with its life.
My first thought was go and get my air rifle and kill it but after 10 mins of watching it go about its business i came round to thinking just let it get on with it. There is no food kept in the garden just a half built shed, a couple of bikes (to go in shed when finished) and a dead palm type plant in a pot where he was getting the leaves from. Its a concrete yard and the bungalow is brick with sound walls around the perimeter so im not worried about it getting in the house.
My only concern is that a work colleague of mine contacted weils disease when she was clearing out boxes from her garage and was seriously ill for several weeks so I am aware that it is an issue with rats. Is it something I should worry about or just let it get on with its life.
To be honest if it's only 1 I'd let it get on with it.
Wheils disease I think requires ALOT of rat piss to be harmful, I spend my weekends exploring culverts etc so have probably come into contact with alot of rat piss myself and I haven't been ill yet (touch wood)
I heard somewhere that if you have 1 rat you have loads of rats but I'm not sure how true that is.
Wheils disease I think requires ALOT of rat piss to be harmful, I spend my weekends exploring culverts etc so have probably come into contact with alot of rat piss myself and I haven't been ill yet (touch wood)
I heard somewhere that if you have 1 rat you have loads of rats but I'm not sure how true that is.
If it's taken up residence and is building a "nest" then it has a source of food somewhere nearby. They reproduce very quickly and they have an ability to gain entry by gnawing through wood etc.
The risk of contracting disease from them can be minimised by sensible hygene i.e. if you know they're in the area wash your hands after handling anything that's damp/wet and where they may have been.
The risk of contracting disease from them can be minimised by sensible hygene i.e. if you know they're in the area wash your hands after handling anything that's damp/wet and where they may have been.
The risk of getting Weil's/leptospirosis is tiny, bordering on insignificant. It isn't a major concern in this country though it's sensible to be vaguely catious and wash your hands after doing things outisde (as most people do anyway).
I work outside regularly in ditches, doing river surveys etc and I worry about Weil's about as much as I worry about being run over or randomly stabbed by a crazy person, i.e. not at all.
Rats can multiply fairly quickly however they're not a big problem when there are just one or two. If it bothers you buy a trap/air rifle and kill it. If it doesn't bother you then leave it be, chances are a local fox or cat might get it anyway.
If someone local feeds their garden birds a lot, or perhaps keeps chickens, that would provide a good food source. But then rats eat almost anything so many places can provide them with enough food.
I work outside regularly in ditches, doing river surveys etc and I worry about Weil's about as much as I worry about being run over or randomly stabbed by a crazy person, i.e. not at all.
Rats can multiply fairly quickly however they're not a big problem when there are just one or two. If it bothers you buy a trap/air rifle and kill it. If it doesn't bother you then leave it be, chances are a local fox or cat might get it anyway.
If someone local feeds their garden birds a lot, or perhaps keeps chickens, that would provide a good food source. But then rats eat almost anything so many places can provide them with enough food.
Hello
I already have an air rifle and it seems pretty fearless so im sure i could kill it quickly and easily. I think im going to leave it be for the time being. Its a dusty light brown colour and looks quite sweet really.
The lady I worked with managed to contact it from the thick dust on cardboard boxes she was clearing from an old garage/barn which i imagine she would have been breathing in as well as on her hands etc but she was very very ill from it.
I already have an air rifle and it seems pretty fearless so im sure i could kill it quickly and easily. I think im going to leave it be for the time being. Its a dusty light brown colour and looks quite sweet really.
The lady I worked with managed to contact it from the thick dust on cardboard boxes she was clearing from an old garage/barn which i imagine she would have been breathing in as well as on her hands etc but she was very very ill from it.
but there must be mice about as the cat likes to bring one in every now and then!Piglet said:
I very much doubt that you only have one and I'm with the others of the "get rid of it now while you can" school of thought.
We've got loads of the bloody things around here, all the neighbours are struggling with trying to get rid of them.
I'm of the school of thought of "get rid of now". There are other alternatives, like re home a pair of Jack Russell terriers ,or get a pair of Border /West Highland/ Cairn Terriers. Me, I'd suggest the latter. But then I'm biased. We've got loads of the bloody things around here, all the neighbours are struggling with trying to get rid of them.
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