Rat Problem

luckyfrank

Well folks just looked out my back door to see 2 huge rats they looked like they were on steroids, i want to deal with them myself as i cant afford an exterminator, as far i could see they are living in an old brown box stache i was meaning to get rid of in the back garden

Anyone with experience advice would be welcomed im a bit nervous ive never seeing rats as big and becasue the back garden is cornered im worried they might be aggresive

Dow99

Have you thought about getting a cat. Big commitment I know, but it would solve the problem. Even a dog would scare them off!

Daisy!

My Jack Russell Terrier killed a rat recently. Frightened the life out of me! I didn't know he had it in him. A good terrier could be better than any cat. Do you know anyone with a terrier? I would be worried though that a rat could harm a dog if they weren't the killing kind. Most terriers seem to be when it arises though.

That or poison in a pipe somewhere. Don't bother with those plug in things, they're useless. I've had rats a couple of times and poison always did the trick.

The Hill Billy

Call your local HSE public health the Fingal Co Co Environmental Health office (thanks Cathy - I was mixed up between the two). We had a rat problem a couple of years ago (we live in a semi-rural area) & they came & laid poison several times until they were sure that it was under control. In the meantime we also got a few cats (outdoor only & lightly fed) & we've had no problems since.

cathy01

Fingal coco enviromental health look after it and there is no charge as its a public health thing.Give them a ring.Best of luck and yaccckkkk.Cathy

luckyfrank

caught the fecker on video earlier


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90Px4kc_oww

cathy01

Id think its looking to nest in the cardboard.Id move all that , and keep the bins closed so none of the rubbish blows out.Id also, totally freeeek out .I was crossing my legs just watching the video.
oh God, Id ring fingal, I think they open at 9.30.Id be camping outside.
Honest , best of luck sorting it out.Cathy

nice1franko

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Peg-Gun

and if that just makes it angry

http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Trebuchet-(1-Meter-Scale)

luckyfrank

Some of the rat poison was eating as i can see it's not as full and some of it is around the brown box's , gonna clear the box's today ill keep a shovel by my side just incase

The Hill Billy

Get rid of the cardboard & anything else that they can use to nest.

Also, I don't know exactly what poison you are using, but be sure that no children or other animals (cats, dogs, birds, etc.) can get at it. Keep laying the poison until it stops been taken. Then you know that you've killed the rats off.

Nodster

Never underestimate our 'longtailed' friends, had a problem with rats some years ago in the Dad's garage and laid bait down and soon noticed some missing. The following saturday we both started at one end and took everything out and burnt most of the rubbish in a fire. We soon came upon a nest with few newborn and beside it was all the missing poison being stored for future use! We sealed every crack and possible entry point but over the next week our friend tried to bury back through the wooden door frame. We tackled that by mixing finely crushed glass and plaster and filled around the frame. We noticed some traces of blood but that was the end of our problem.When tackling the cardboard, could you call a neighbour/friend who has a barking dog (on a leash) - rats should scurry out of the boxes and 'scarper' the opposite direction. Good Luck and keep us posted

luckyfrank

cleared up the box's no sign of the rat/rats though clearly alot of rat poison was eating

One of the box's had a hole nibbled out in it and looked like the rat was preparing a nest, trying to convince the other half now to get a cat

The Hill Billy

Best bet is to get a tom cat. Then get an old rag & rub it generously over the tom's nether regions to pick up a good scent. Leave the rag in the general area that you don't want that rats to reappear in. He presto - they won't be back.

Corsendonk

Well seems like your on the right path with cleaning up potential nesting spots and controlling places that the rats might feed from.

Ever thought about getting someone in that keeps ferrets? Cats are good if you can find one that will work but you ain't seen nothing until you seen a ferret in action. A friend had rats under her boarding out back. 30 mins it took the ferrets to wipe out two nests. The scent of the ferrets scares the hell out of rats alone. Try the hunting forum, someone local might keep them and at least you don't have to molest a tom cat.:D

Corsendonk

luckyfrank wrote: »

Some of the rat poison was eating as i can see it's not as full and some of it is around the brown box's , gonna clear the box's today ill keep a shovel by my side just incase

What way did you lay the bait?

RO 06

you can get blocks of poison that you nail down to a piece of wood so that they will eat it and not take it to their nest. there was thread in farming forum lately about rats. caught one in my back garden 2 years ago.used a trap.they were nesting under timber shed. one chewed thru floor into shed and was eating the dog food. took shed doen that weekend and built block shed.no more rats.

spcw

Put the rat poison in pipes they dont like eating in the open also buy a live rat trap very effective and payback as you <mod snip>.

cathy01

Corsendonk wrote: »

Try the hunting forum, someone local might keep them and at least you don't have to molest a tom cat.:D

I near passed out laughing at this.:D

The Hill Billy

spcw - It is one thing to discuss laying poison to get rid of a pest problem, but advocating animal cruelty is not on.

HB

mickysquint

just spotted a giant roland rat in my garden this morning, i'd noticed our dog standing in one corner of his run a couple of times barking at what seemed nothing, but always facing towards the shed. but this morning while looking out the window i saw the cat sized git scurry across the garden and under the shed which is on blocks. theres holes dug under the fence in to the next garden, so not sure if they're nesting under mine or just passing through. looks like im gonna have to get some poison, i just dont know if i'll be fighting a losing battle though as we live near fields which i'm sure have a nice population of the little ****es, and they dont seem to be too scared as every garden around us has a dog in it!