Rat in My Garden (what am I gonna do)

Marts

Marts

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Martin
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This rather large bugger has been regularly spotted in our garden. 3 , 4 times a day he comes to feed on discarded bird seed from the feeders. Thanks RSPB at your behest we try to do our bit for our feathered critters and in return attract this beast.
Not the best image I know but considering it was taken through the glass of an upstairs window on a point and shoot , I am quite pleased with it.




I see it as a photographic subject. My missus sees it as vermin and wants rid. Anyone know how I can get rid of it without harming the birds
 
I wouldn't worry about it unduly - it' s just a wld critter like loads of others. However you don't want to be attracting too many of them. Regularly cleaning up the fallen seed from under your feeders will help, or try feeding the huskless seed which leaves no residue, although it's a bit more expensive.
 
Marts said:
Anyone know how I can get rid of it without harming the birds
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Shoot it? You'd have to be a terrible shot to put the birds in danger as well ;) :D. I'd suggest doing something (possibly less extreme if you're not a fan of the shooting option) sooner rather than later, otherwise you'll be crawling in rat babies before you know what's happened!

Photographically, I don't think it's fantastic, but getting shots of a small rodent with a point and shoot upstairs through a window is no mean feat, so fair play for even trying (y)
 
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One (or probably more than one) of these has recently eaten its way into our shed. We too feed the birds and if that is not the reason for it turning up in the first place, I think its the reason it/they have stayed.

I suggest either a killing trap (the one I baited with chocolate last night worked a treat) or buying an air pistol and shooting them. I think the trap is better - most of the time the trap is very quick and about as humane as possible, but it depends whether you can keep the trap away from other animals.

Dave

PS Not a bad photo given the circumstances.
 
We feed the birds, and now our garden looks like a highway with all the rat trails.

take care if you use traps because robins will raid them and end up caught.
thats why I shoot them now, but if you do, cheap rifles are rubish, rats are very tough cookies.:)
 
Marts said:
Thanks to all of you for your advice. I see no-one has mentioned poison.
Since posting this thread we have spotted it 3 times. Ballsy git.
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Had a problem with several rats, in the garden, a few years ago. Advised by local pest control firm, to place poison in a narrow sewer pipe (about 3 inches diameter), weight down with bricks, etc., then place in corner of garden. Ideal for rats to get into, but keeps, dogs, cats and birds out. Worked a treat.

Bear in mind though, that if placing poison, makes sure small children do not have access!

Sent from my iPad using TP Forums
 
if you see one there will be lots more, if you use poison get some that is suitable for warfrin resistant strains :bat:
 
Marts said:
Thanks to all of you for your advice. I see no-one has mentioned poison.
Since posting this thread we have spotted it 3 times. Ballsy git.
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A problem with poison is that the dead rat or whatever can and probaly will be eaten by a bird of prey who also falls prey to the poison, so not a great idea.
A humane way is a trap that trips when the rat is inside and holds it there, you can then release it away from home or in your best friends garden :naughty:, just far away enough that it wont return back to you
 
You could shoot it or trap it, but I would just leave it alone.
 
Good shot from that distance, especially with a point and shoot.
I take it you don't want to be a wild-life photographer :)

Rats were a problem in our compost bin - nice and warm and cosy.
When the babies were born our dog sorted that problem.
We now have a cat and lots of feeders. There have been a couple of casualties including a parakeet, but no signs of rats - fingers crossed.
A good humane rat-trap or the longish pipe with poison baits probably the most effective in your case.
I think rats are classed as vermin so if you trap it you have to kill it.
The last point to bear in mind that if you remove the source of food the rat will probably go somewhere else.

Almost on the same subject the funniest thing we've had is a large mouse that managed to force his way into a feeder, sat there, and ate so much he couldn't get out :)
 
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Trev4 said:
A humane way is a trap that trips when the rat is inside and holds it there, you can then release it away from home or in your best friends garden :naughty:, just far away enough that it wont return back to you
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I believe you'll find that is totally illegal, yep you can trap it but then it has to be humanely killed
 
We have had rats in the winter quite a few times. I used to have a cat who would catch them but my elderly cat doesnt bother. So, as I am too squeamish to trap them and worry about poison with the dog, I now only feed on the bird table, which has a rim round the sides to stop the food falling off and I use the no-mess bird seed.
 
johnnypanic said:
Had a problem with several rats, in the garden, a few years ago. Advised by local pest control firm, to place poison in a narrow sewer pipe (about 3 inches diameter), weight down with bricks, etc., then place in corner of garden. Ideal for rats to get into, but keeps, dogs, cats and birds out. Worked a treat.

Bear in mind though, that if placing poison, makes sure small children do not have access!

Sent from my iPad using TP Forums
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Thanx for the advice johnnypanic, that seems like a better option than forking out for a 12-bore. Placing the pipe shouldn't be a problem as I know exactly where it hides
 
Trev4 said:
A problem with poison is that the dead rat or whatever can and probaly will be eaten by a bird of prey who also falls prey to the poison, so not a great idea.
A humane way is a trap that trips when the rat is inside and holds it there, you can then release it away from home or in your best friends garden :naughty:, just far away enough that it wont return back to you
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Kill two birds with one stone - so to speak. Nice idea, and no Rattus Carrcuss to deal with.
I don't particularly like my neighbors - but that would be counter productive
 
TwentySixDays said:
Good shot from that distance, especially with a point and shoot.
I take it you don't want to be a wild-life photographer :)

Rats were a problem in our compost bin - nice and warm and cosy.
When the babies were born our dog sorted that problem.
We now have a cat and lots of feeders. There have been a couple of casualties including a parakeet, but no signs of rats - fingers crossed.
A good humane rat-trap or the longish pipe with poison baits probably the most effective in your case.
I think rats are classed as vermin so if you trap it you have to kill it.
The last point to bear in mind that if you remove the source of food the rat will probably go somewhere else.

Almost on the same subject the funniest thing we've had is a large mouse that managed to force his way into a feeder, sat there, and ate so much he couldn't get out :)
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Hi Stuart, thanks for the advice. And I love the mouse story

Martin
 
ladysue said:
We have had rats in the winter quite a few times. I used to have a cat who would catch them but my elderly cat doesnt bother. So, as I am too squeamish to trap them and worry about poison with the dog, I now only feed on the bird table, which has a rim round the sides to stop the food falling off and I use the no-mess bird seed.
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Thanks Sue, Once I get rid of this rat then precautions will be taken to stop his mates being attracted.
 
D90-Sniper said:
A Mk 4 Fenn trap will get rid of it. Ive culled 1000's of them around my old pheasant shoot, but the trap MUST be laid in a tunnel (natural or man made) with a narrow entrance to prevent birds, cats etc being trapped also.

Bait the trap with chocolate and remember to take the safety catch off!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAl55JRywow
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Thanks Neil ,
Very good of you to put the link there too. i have just watched it, thanks for the safety catch advice. Is a Mk4, rather than a Mk6, adequate for any sized rat. This one must be 8 to 10 inches long(excluding tail of course).

Thanx
Martin
 
TwentySixDays said:
Good shot from that distance, especially with a point and shoot.
I take it you don't want to be a wild-life photographer :)
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I did consider that ratty makes a good wildlife subject, especially as he/she is not afraid of being seen. However the family aren't keen and there are implications with multiplying and disease and if they get in the shed/ garage there's freezer wires etc to chew, so best to rid him/her

Martin
 
TinaC said:
I have two anti rat terriers available for loan...
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or a semi-feral farm cat..?
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:LOL:

be very careful if you capture a live rat -- their bite is awesome...:puke:
 
If that cats got a squirrel then can we borrow it :naughty: - as it hopefully stop the cocky sod that we have coming into our garden digging my OH's plants/bulbs that she keeps planting.....

Only till I get the chicken wire fitted to every pot & planter :LOL:
 
I have a rat problem that pops up every couple of years, I usually use a combination of shooting, trapping and poisoning, you just have to be very careful with the last two so other animals or kids can't get near them. Poison is effective but it's not so good if they die under your house. I need to change a couple of my airbricks now as one has chewed through it!!
 
Marts said:
Nice shot John. Makes a change from cats having in their mouth a tiny bird or scrawny mouse.
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after this quick shot with a P&S, the cat when vertically up a 20ft post to store the kill in the barn

seriously impressed with his strength..!

i once tried to pick him up ..haha still bear the scars ..!
 
Sorry the way rats breed 2 options;
a couple of cats
&/or a good powerful .22cal rifle.
 
the trouble with poisons, (rodenticides)....

you as joe public can buy off the counter products, but this is not as strong as licenced products, so realistically will work out much dearer for an end result.

with the stronger (licenced) product only avialable to trained people, the slow acting poison takes upto 10 days to die from only having to consume as little as 9grms.

a very horrible way to go'

as a professional, i would recommend initially the air rifle route with a safe back stop like a wall or a shed, once the problem has been removed, slow down on over filing the birds table.

any help, send me a pm............. martyn.
 
The air rifle route is definitely the cleanest and most humane in my experience but it's time confusing and not so easy for some people I guess. If it is I can recommend the Crosman Ratcatcher CO2 rifle, cheap and effective.
 
"If you actually see a live rodent, it's a good indicator that you have a problem. Rats are secretive and are usually only out at night, so if you see one in the daytime, it probably means there are enough to have forced that individual out. Assume there are at least 10 more rats in the general area for every one you see."
 
I am about as far from a lover of cats as one can get but you have to admire that one and can see the look of satisfaction on its face!!
As for the rat problem - I am lucky enough to have a river at the bottom of the garden so they go with the territory but I must say they have never been a problem unlike the squirels and having tried everything including their own feeders ended up shooting seven of them as I could put up with their constant birdfeeder raids no longer.
John
 
Marts said:
Thanks Gremlin,
You are the second person to mention that. If trapped then what way of killing would be classed as humane?
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Put them in the water butt still in the trap.
If asked you were just teaching them to swim. :)
 
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Shame you weren't closer otherwise i would of come and taken care of it.

Shooting is probably the most humane i can think if im honest. Im sure if you have a word you most know someone responsible enough to come and shoot it for you.
 
Marts said:
Thanks Gremlin,
You are the second person to mention that. If trapped then what way of killing would be classed as humane?
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Two bricks. Completely painless, as long as you don't trap your thumbs between the bricks.

Drowning trapped vermin is most definitely not humane in the eyes of the law. There was a much publicised case* not so long ago.

Here's a hint.. :bonk:

* i.e. the Daily Mail didn't have anything more important to write about. For many other papers that might suggest a quiet news day, but with the Mail it just could be that that hadn't found anything that could be blamed on immigrants. Oh, hang on, grey squirrels are immigrants.. so business as usual then.. :bang:
 
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