[Swing Swang]

There seem to be a lot more rats around this month/year. I wonder if it's because of the last few sunny days after such a hard winter. anyone noticed anything similar?

Regards,

SS

[horsepooisgood]

Are you talking furry ones or bankers cos there seems to be lots of them

[Robin Redbreast]

the reason for this i am told is the heavy rains from last year have bought them all to the surface!

[Paul Plots]

Found a wonderfully dead one laying across the allotment path as a strimmed the grass for the first time this season...

I'm sure it was there before I strimmed the path - flattened.

I must wear my glasses!

[Swing Swang]

I've had the poison down for two weeks and they're not taking it. They walk over it, but they don't eat it. It's the Rentokill stuff in the black/clear plastic housing. Grrrr......

Will have to try another brand to see if they like that more.

SS

[JulesJ]

No rats here with 7 cats. Our Neo brought one in a couple of years back that was truly enormous. He left it minus its tail at the bottom of the stairs, and I stepped over it woozily the next morning thinking 'I must get rid of that capybara.' Renowned for capybara in East London, we are

[Salmo]

It is important to kill as many as possible now as they will be getting into full breeding mode soon.

[Novice but totally hooked]

If the rats are in a contained area (in a shed, within a woodpile etc) try and contact a local terrier club and see if one of the members will bring a dog along.

We did this and within minutes all rats had been despatched.

[unconcerne]

If the rats are in a contained area (in a shed, within a woodpile etc) try and contact a local terrier club and see if one of the members will bring a dog along.

We did this and within minutes all rats had been despatched.

But it is important to remember that rats can actually be rather dangerous to many household dogs - not any dog will do.

Personally I am rather concerned as rats are in my neighbours garden (yet he sees no correlation between storing his dog food outside and the turning it into effectively a rubbish heap, and the prevelance of rodents).

Rats can be rather aggressive and a danger to my cocker spaniel!

[Paul Plots]

Really not the nicest of wild-life, are they? 

The ones that moved into my old shed were bold enough to stand up on their hand-legs when I had the cheek to walk in on them!! 

[Novice but totally hooked]

But it is important to remember that rats can actually be rather dangerous to many household dogs - not any dog will do.

That's why I said 'Terriers'.  They're bred as ratters and it's an inbuilt reaction for them to go for them when they see a rat.  Spaniels were bred to be either lap dogs or to put up or retrieve game which is a very different inbred reaction. 

[vortex444]

of course you can do what i did and strim them in half.

by the way it was by accident

[Stripey_cat]

I've had the poison down for two weeks and they're not taking it. They walk over it, but they don't eat it. It's the Rentokill stuff in the black/clear plastic housing. Grrrr......

Will have to try another brand to see if they like that more.

SS

Try putting on some gloves (so you don't leave your scent all over the trap), and shove a finger-ful of peanut butter into the bait.  With any luck, they'll smell it a mile off, eat it, and then eat the bait that it's got onto too.

[Paul Plots]

of course you can do what i did and strim them in half.

by the way it was by accident

Ours must have better eye-sight or faster reactions - one nipped over my foot between me and the strimmer...

[peterjf]

if you put a coating of smooth peanut butter on the rat poison they will take it