Rats!!

[peeejaay]

Help needed please. We have rats. Don't think it's directly related to chooks as we used to see them in the garden prior to getting hens. Main problem is they are now in the house! We live in a house that is divided top and bottom into two flats, unfortunately top flat man is not very friendly-he keeps rabbits in his garden in ark on floor too.
The rats are inbetween our ceiling and his floor. We have got them out of our flat by using those plug-in electronic type repellers. We found one hole where they were getting in the walls and blocked it-successfully. However, we can still hear them at night, not sure if they are living in walls or coming in each night. We have set traps outside where we found some tunnels but they are not interested in them. We've also put bait boxes down but they aren't taking any of the poison. Can't find where their runs are as it is all concrete around the house so no evidence left. Don't know what to do next, they are slowly driving me mad. I keep my hens in an Eglu Cube, currently on concrete so rats can't get in it and we always remove all the food in the evenings. The house is an E.O.T of set of four so now wondering if they are getting in in one of the other houses and running through all four of them. Can anyone help us please?
We had a rat at our allotment who was living in compost bins and we have dealt successfully with that one (or family) by putting Neosorexa paste bait in bins which has all been taken within minutes of putting it in, in some cases and now no evidence and bait left behind so guessing he has demised.
Can anyone give us any clues on what to do next? Hate to think of the damage they might be causing to the house. Thanks.
PJ

[gorgeousgrower]

If it were me I'd be getting the experts in. Never had this problem (thankfully) so not sure where to start - council maybe? I'm sure someone else will be online soon to help.

[Bramble-Poultry]

ok - for a full indepth read of rat issues, have a look at the next issue of Homefarmer Magazine. there is a three page spread on rat control, however, as it doesnt come out until 7th May and you cant wait that long, i would say your best bet is to contact the local councils environmental health team. as a council tax payer you are entitled to the use of their rat control office either free of charge or for a small charge - depending on your council.

when he arrives, explain that you are aware that chickens "may" attract rats but you have done what you need to do by putting baits etc down but these seem to be in the house and coming from elsewhere. he will set bait etc wherever he needs to, and revisit at regular intervals to check.

as long as you evidence that you are talking rats outside, he shouldnt point the finger at you, infact it might be better pointed at the rabbits.........

[Hinksy]

If you find any Rat Burrows put some poison down the burrows back fill the hole with rubble and dirt, This is what the Rat man at work said to do if we get any rats in the garden.

Like Bramble said though you are entitled to pest control from your local council which you can normally find out more about by visiting your councile website, ours charges £50 for a full clean up service.

[TheBeeKeeper]

1/2 Plaster 1/2 Sugar Mix works well, with a supply of water close by! Couldn't possibly condone this type of treatment of course, but if you were to, put the mixture at least 5 metres away from the house (they won't get more then 3 metres from the mix!)

Slapped wrist, consider myself told off! Because apparently giving them wharfrin (check speeling) and allowing them to bleed to death over 3-4 days is better than a 30 second exit! (Do be careful that no other animals can get to the mix!) Under a sheet of metal, or corrugated sheet is perfect!

Awaiting eviction from the forums!

TBK

[RichmondHens]

Cool! Any new way of killing rats is worth investigating. It sounds grisly but as you say, no worse than Warfarin. Do they really go for it? Have you killed lots this way?

[TheBeeKeeper]

They can't get enough of the sweet mixture. To weather proof, you can put a spoonful in a wrap of cling film and drop it down a burrow. Works a treat, I have allegedly had at least 5 large dead rats in the vicinity of the garden, though I'm sure no-one could confirm this..... tee hee!

[Bramble-Poultry]

TBK - i know what you are saying! i have used a similar mix myself once. when you consider that if you use a traditional anti-coagulant such as warfarin based tomcat or slaymore, then the blood thins to the point that it is fine enough to pass through the lining of the lung and the rats drown in their own blood. alternativly you can use the more "humane" desicant baits such as eradibait that cause a chronic diuretic effect so they urinate even more than they do now, but it stops them absorbing water so they literally die from dehydrahation over a couple of days.

if i was the rat i would rather the short, sharp exit! this is why i like to use either a spring trap (game over for the rat in microseconds) or using a ferret - which gives the rat a chance to give a goo daccount of itself before it goes.

i appreciate that the animal welfare charities might have an issue with it, but if we went down that road, then pest control would be left to a little guy in an orange robe and a small banyan tree, asking the rat to contemplate its anti-social behaviour.............

[TheBeeKeeper]

Spring traps are excellent, but with an inubation period similar to a chicken (21 days) you'll need to reset the trap several times per night to eradicate, as I am sure you well know! Or have 10 traps in the garden!

TBK

[Bramble-Poultry]

we have six traps, a psycho dog, three ferrets, two baiting stations and an air rifle and i think we have reached an equilibrium with them!

the problem we have is that we are surrounded by a farm that chucks cow manure out all the time so the rats have food on tap so they come to us for water mainly.....