Rats in garden...
Discussion
Not cheap, but allegedly very effective, and no poison...
https://goodnaturetraps.co.uk/humane-rat-traps/
https://goodnaturetraps.co.uk/humane-rat-traps/
Deep Thought said:
Sadly an air rifle isnt an option as i live in Northern Ireland and an air rifle requires a fire arms licence.
Rats aren't stupid, put the trap out without food on it for a couple of days before you set it with food,also if you do catch 1, thoroughly wash the trap before using it again
Edited by hellorent on Wednesday 17th April 13:36
Edited by hellorent on Wednesday 17th April 13:36
How much of a problem are they? Is it right next to your house - if it's say 25m away there are probably rats wondering around all the time. As an example, I have a silly long garden (like 200m), I put a camera trap at the far end to take photos of deer - caught numerous photos of rats just walking past doing whatever it is they are doing up there.
That being said, we have a bird feeder about 25m from the house, rats don't last long as our cat is an absolute death machine. Frequently removing rat / squirrel / rabbit corpses from the back step tho. So either get a cat or plant catnip.
That being said, we have a bird feeder about 25m from the house, rats don't last long as our cat is an absolute death machine. Frequently removing rat / squirrel / rabbit corpses from the back step tho. So either get a cat or plant catnip.
pequod said:
Deep Thought said:
….have opted for external enclosed traps.
That might work for a while but, Mr Rat is a clever beggar and will soon disregard your offering of food, with consequences! If there is a plentiful supply of food they know, they often disregard poison completely . (Their intelligence is also why some delayed poisons work better as they don’t learn to associate it with death of pals)
Unlike mice, rats also need access to water, have you got a bird bath or pond?
Remove one of these - food / water / shelter from their surroundings & you move Rats.
We had rats in our garden for months as they were nesting under our decking.
I shot three with my air rifle which stopped them for a while but more appeared. Poison didn't work, stopping feeding the birds didn't work (as they were nesting by then) and as another poster above has said, holes appeared everywhere in the garden.
We eventually got a dog (not to stop the rats, but because we wanted one) and we've not seen one since. I also removed the decking as that was just a haven for them - it was littered with nests and debris underneath.
Sounds weird, but if you have a friend with a dog, maybe borrow it for a while, let it pee all over the garden. Should stop them.
I shot three with my air rifle which stopped them for a while but more appeared. Poison didn't work, stopping feeding the birds didn't work (as they were nesting by then) and as another poster above has said, holes appeared everywhere in the garden.
We eventually got a dog (not to stop the rats, but because we wanted one) and we've not seen one since. I also removed the decking as that was just a haven for them - it was littered with nests and debris underneath.
Sounds weird, but if you have a friend with a dog, maybe borrow it for a while, let it pee all over the garden. Should stop them.
"The Plan" -
We've stopped feeding the birds and removed all the food.
Two of these ordered - arriving today.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00XL3P51C/ref=twister...
DOC 150 arrived.
Putting all three traps out this evening with no food in them and no trap - just the boxes. These will be put along the rat "run" along the hedge. Wont touch the cases will use gloves.
Tomorrow, put some food in the boxes, traps not primed.
Put the DOC 150 out when it arrives.
Saturday / Sunday, prime the traps with food and see what happens.
Will watch a few you tube videos in the meantime on best approach to fine tune the above.
We've stopped feeding the birds and removed all the food.
Two of these ordered - arriving today.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00XL3P51C/ref=twister...
DOC 150 arrived.
Putting all three traps out this evening with no food in them and no trap - just the boxes. These will be put along the rat "run" along the hedge. Wont touch the cases will use gloves.
Tomorrow, put some food in the boxes, traps not primed.
Put the DOC 150 out when it arrives.
Saturday / Sunday, prime the traps with food and see what happens.
Will watch a few you tube videos in the meantime on best approach to fine tune the above.
Turn7 said:
Not cheap, but allegedly very effective, and no poison...
https://goodnaturetraps.co.uk/humane-rat-traps/
Pricey.... and reviews say they are not always effective. https://goodnaturetraps.co.uk/humane-rat-traps/
Cant do air rifles - requires a firearms licence here in NI. A load of hassle to get.
Cant do cats - we have four indoor cats already. Cant let them out as we live near a main road and historically cats here get squished on the road.
Cant do dogs - open at the back of the house. Had dogs previously, dont want them again for various reasons.
So removing foodsource for the forseeable and running with traps.
Cant do cats - we have four indoor cats already. Cant let them out as we live near a main road and historically cats here get squished on the road.
Cant do dogs - open at the back of the house. Had dogs previously, dont want them again for various reasons.
So removing foodsource for the forseeable and running with traps.
Deep Thought said:
"The Plan" -
We've stopped feeding the birds and removed all the food.
Two of these ordered - arriving today.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00XL3P51C/ref=twister...
DOC 150 arrived.
Putting all three traps out this evening with no food in them and no trap - just the boxes. These will be put along the rat "run" along the hedge. Wont touch the cases will use gloves.
Tomorrow, put some food in the boxes, traps not primed.
Put the DOC 150 out when it arrives.
Saturday / Sunday, prime the traps with food and see what happens.
Will watch a few you tube videos in the meantime on best approach to fine tune the above.
Probably telling you to suck eggs but the DOC150 and any other spring trap needs to be in an enclosed box, ideally with baffles to slow the rat down, no need to bait and not set it, set all your traps from the off and bait.We've stopped feeding the birds and removed all the food.
Two of these ordered - arriving today.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00XL3P51C/ref=twister...
DOC 150 arrived.
Putting all three traps out this evening with no food in them and no trap - just the boxes. These will be put along the rat "run" along the hedge. Wont touch the cases will use gloves.
Tomorrow, put some food in the boxes, traps not primed.
Put the DOC 150 out when it arrives.
Saturday / Sunday, prime the traps with food and see what happens.
Will watch a few you tube videos in the meantime on best approach to fine tune the above.
Be careful with the DOC150, very powerful springs, if you catch a rat in it you’ll see how powerful as it crunches the skull.
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