Foords_Chocolates Posted May 5, 2008 Report Share Posted May 5, 2008 We have rats in one of our byres, and hey seem to be avoiding the traps I have put down baited with peanut butter. I cannot use poisons as we have many dogs and I would not want to take the chance of one of them getting hold of a poisoned rat, so does anyone have any ways that they have got rid of these pests?Any suggestions gratefully received! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted May 5, 2008 Report Share Posted May 5, 2008 Me, me, me! I have two Patterdale terriers and a lurcher plus a friend with two ratting collies who will come and get rid. Just say the word and we are there..... My lot would love a good rat. If you give us a contribution towards petrol and ferry we will come and a-rat for you. We are on the westside (Walls). PM me if you are interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted May 5, 2008 Report Share Posted May 5, 2008 You have a difficult job ahead of you if you don't want to use poison. Whatever trap you try and use, will only ever catch one rat at the very most, they're far too smart for their own good, and if one of their number is observed in distress that's enough to teach them that whatever was in the immediate vicinity of the one in distress is to be avoided at all costs, regardless of however tempting the bait may be. The short answer would be, make the byre the home of some of your dogs, especially if any are terriers, as some varieties of terriers are born with a psychotic desire to kill rats. If they have the run of the place any rat who shows it's nose will lose it. If other breeds, some will kill rats some won't, it would be more a case of trial and error. A cat living in the byre is a possible alternative, again some will take out rats, some won't, it would be trial and error again. No dog or cat I've seen killing a rat has ever eaten it, they just nip them in the back of the neck, toss them in the air a few times then leave them, so the risk of a poisoned rat being eaten is small, but nevertheless it's smart not to take the risk. If getting in dogs or a cats to hunt them doesn't appeal, and poison isn't an option, there isn't really all that much else you can do unless remove from the building anything that they can destroy, ie everything that isn't rock, metal or glass, and wait. They will all move on of their own accord after a few months, once they breed that their numbers are making where they are cramped, available food is getting scarce, and the whole place is getting a bit ripe with their body waste products, one day they will simple vanish en masse. The less you have lying around they can eat or chew on, the sooner they will go. [Edit] ^^ Frances posted while I was typing. A couple of terriers and a couple of ratting collies, exactly what you need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Put the poison where your dogs cant get at it, like halfway down a 2 or 3 foot length of pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Girzie Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Call in Environmental Health? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talpa Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Yip - cats. I've lived in a couple of places where near neighbours have big rat problem but they don't come near my house/ outbuildings - even though plenty to tempt them like black bags waiting to be put out. I am sure it's just the smell of the cats? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJ Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 ^^^adopt some older feral cats, who are hard to rehome, with a warm(ish)/dry bed and a guaranteed food supply (if they've been feral long enough, cheap cat food will do) they'll thank you by keeping down on pests. Just think good old fashioned farm cats as apposed to fat lazy house cats. But remember to get them fixed (V. cheap if not free up here) else they'll become a problem of their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madasaferret Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 MJ, how right you are, a ferral CPL cat will also keep your barn spagger free, so you don't put your hand in a pile of bird poop every time you touch anything in your shed. They will also help keep down on the bunnies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marlin13 Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Move to Yell, we don't have any rats here! , if only I could figure out why I would be loaded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foords_Chocolates Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Don't worry, we'll send you some....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Move to Yell, we don't have any rats here! , if only I could figure out why I would be loaded Don't tempt me to offer "suggestions". ....then again, perhaps I'd best not, me sister-in-law would probably ensure my slow and very painful demise, she's from Yell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frances144 Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Two terriers and a lurcher (plus two collies on stand-by) still desperate for a good day's ratting. You know where we are!http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/Frances144/IMG_1505copy.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/Frances144/IMG_1544copy.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/Frances144/DSC00005.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e302/Frances144/th_MOV00128.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Why has the terrier got a stick up it's bum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pronto Posted June 15, 2008 Report Share Posted June 15, 2008 Trap + gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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