Rats!

Bandidoz · Post by **Bandidoz** » 19 Apr 2006, 03:22

Yes I would have thought maybe use bricks, keeping gaps between them to allow the worms in.

The choice is between whether you kill the rats or starve them. I know which option I'd consider to be more "humane".

Do mousetraps work?

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 19 Apr 2006, 09:56

The choice is between whether you kill the rats or starve them. I know which option I'd consider to be more "humane".

Do mousetraps work?

I think mousetraps are too small. I put some poisoned bait down the other night, couldn't see any new rat-holes this morning. Better than starving them, I reckon - quicker, in any case. It said 'the humane solution' on the packet, anyway.

I hope that if the rats take over, they are just as 'humane' with me!

Murf · Post by **Murf** » 26 Apr 2006, 11:20

I feel validated now that everyone here agrees that they need to be killed. I recently discovered a rat's tunnel in my back yard, under next-door's kitchen extension. I blocked it up, but a few days later found a young 'un stumbling around, looking around for the hole and generally being rather sickly and helpless.

Not having any poison to hand and with the neighbourhood moggy not being about (I'd seen it sitting in our yard looking at the wall the tunnel goes under for weeks and not twigged - what a dope), I decided after much soul searching to put it out of it's misery with a brick.

Not having killed a mammal before, I felt like a terrible swine afterwards, but I was only doing the same job that the cat would have done anyway. As many people have mentioned; you needn't be sentimental about vermin. They won't respect your property in their ruthless search for food and their most famous contribution to world history was carrying the plague. Have courage!

At least I know now that if I ever raise animals for food, I will probably be able to get them to my plate.

Not that I ate the rat by the way.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 26 Apr 2006, 11:24

I'm still getting signs of digging and tunnelling, despite putting down poisoned bait. Some of it seems to have been nibbled, and I can't find the rats' nest, so I don't know what is going on.

I have heard that the bait needs to be down for a while before the rats will take it, as they are naturally suspicious, so fingers crossed.

If the digging continues, I'll have to get the Council in to sort it out.

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 26 Apr 2006, 13:13

Andy Hunt wrote:I'm still getting signs of digging and tunnelling, despite putting down poisoned bait. Some of it seems to have been nibbled, and I can't find the rats' nest, so I don't know what is going on.

Maybe you've struck lucky and have been infested by a familly of poison resistant super-rats. Evolution in action. Started with Warfarin and has now progressed to include the newer anti-coagulant poisons.

http://www.bpca.org.uk/RRAG/faq.htm

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 27 Apr 2006, 11:31

Grrrrreat!

It's getting more like the James Herbert book every day . . .

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 29 Apr 2006, 12:41

The saga continues . . . it's 12:30 on a Sunday and I have just been standing at my kitchen window and watching the mother and 3 juvenile rats playing and roaming around my back yard, in broad daylight!

The hour of doom is coming . . . the bloke from the Council is coming on Tuesday afternoon to lay traps and stuff. The rats are really taking the **** now, they couldn't care less, they are so bold, roaming around in the sun.

The bait I put down has all been eaten, so either there were more of them and some are now dead, or they are immune 'super-rats'! I hope the Council gets them - it's beyond a joke now. I should have taken care of it myself when I first discovered the nest. They have already had a few of my onion sets.

MacG · Post by **MacG** » 29 Apr 2006, 14:22

Repeat: Cat! Preferably a she-cat with kittens. They are psychopatic murderers. It's also a pleasure to watch them in action - just like a mini version of what you see from Africa on National Geographic.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 29 Apr 2006, 18:42

Repeat: Cat! Preferably a she-cat with kittens. They are psychopatic murderers. It's also a pleasure to watch them in action - just like a mini version of what you see from Africa on National Geographic.

Don't let my other half hear . . . she has twice mentioned getting a cat since all this started. Just another mouth to feed, though! And I am trying to encourage birds and frogs . . .

Then again, my back yard is literally crawling with poison-resistant super-rats. Shame you can't hire cats for the weekend!

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 29 Apr 2006, 19:55

Andy Hunt wrote:The saga continues . . . it's 12:30 on a Sunday and I have just been standing at my kitchen window and watching the mother and 3 juvenile rats playing and roaming around my back yard, in broad daylight!

This is a suitable case for a .22 air rifle. You should be able to pick up a B2 (Made in China - of course!) for about 30 or 40 quid .

MacG · Post by **MacG** » 29 Apr 2006, 20:02

Andy Hunt wrote:Just another mouth to feed, though! And I am trying to encourage birds and frogs . .

Ahh... The very idea is to keep the cat hungry. that's the way to make them really murderous... Just feed a couple of times a week for encouragement. Birds, well, maybe they are in some danger, but not as long as there are rodents around. Have never seen a cat do a frog. Dont say it cant happen, but I have never seen it. Have seen a (young) dog try to do a toad once. Rather funny. Toads apparently have someting nasty in their skin. Poor dog chewed fray for half an hour.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 29 Apr 2006, 20:04

This is a suitable case for a .22 air rifle.

I did consider using my pistol, but as I am right next to a road, the sight of some lunatic popping away at unidentified targets in his back yard, with the odd accompanying scream of a distressed animal might just prompt the neighbours to call the boys in blue, or at the very least the RSPCA.

Also, the rats are very much less forthcoming when I am actually outside in the back yard. When I am looking at them through a window, they don't seem to notice me, and are quite happy to frolic in the sunshine.

Andy Hunt · Post by **Andy Hunt** » 02 May 2006, 16:01

Have never seen a cat do a frog. Dont say it cant happen, but I have never seen it.

The frogs scream - it's quite horrible actually.

The man from the Council is coming today. If it doesn't work - a cat might be on the cards!

skeptik · Post by **skeptik** » 02 May 2006, 17:53

Andy Hunt wrote:
This is a suitable case for a .22 air rifle.
I did consider using my pistol,

Ha! You just make them ANGRY with a .177 air pistol, if you could hit them at all. Hitting the side of a barn is difficult enough with most air pistols.

grinu · Post by **grinu** » 02 May 2006, 21:07

That's simply not true Skeptik. Using my good throwing arm from a reasonable distance I reckon I could hit the side of a barn with most air pistols.