[lightyears]

My whole allotment site has become overrun with rats all of a sudden, this morning we caught one as big as an cat eating from our chickens feeder, they are too quick for my gun and they have ate a whole seedtray of poison so far but its a super rat. Any suggestions? im not the only one being affected, about 10 other plot holders are having the same. I was going to try and trap them in a cage and then shoot them close up

[Rubellite]

Sounds like a good idea to me 
Don't think you're allowed to talk about shooting them on here 
You've got to humanely kill 'em! 

[poppies]

Hi have you been using the same poison for very long? as apparently they can become  immune to it.

[Foxy]

How horrible, have you contacted pest control? I would imagine if you are all suffering then measures then all of the affected plots would have to be treated at the same time?
We haven't had them yet, ours turn up mid November...

[Caralou]

I have had a few - usually dead left outside the bedroom door care of my little niblet puss, one was nearly as big as her though 

[woodside farm]

Sounds like a good idea to me 
Don't think you're allowed to talk about shooting them on here 
You've got to humanely kill 'em! 

To humanely kill them, you are supposed to put the trap in a bucket of water and drown it  :blink: how is this humane? shooting it is a lot quicker 

Michelle xx

[nzdunn]

oh god, i would seriously die if i saw a rat,  cause i live in such a big estate and am surrounded by houses, im sure if one of the neighbours saw a rat that would be the end of my girls,  Im abit OCD when it comes to cleaning everything up and dont leave anything out foodwise for them so i may be lucky, got to respect the neighbours.   We have sooooo many cats around here though i hope they play a deterant.   Gees even the word rat sends shivers down my spine.  nickyx

[lightyears]

How horrible, have you contacted pest control? I would imagine if you are all suffering then measures then all of the affected plots would have to be treated at the same time?
We haven't had them yet, ours turn up mid November...

we are a council run site and have called the council pest people who have done nothing really. I set a nasty old trap last night and caught one, caught meaning almost cut it in half though.

ive got a rat cage this morning and set it, hopefully i will have some target practice later. please don't blast me for being cruel. given the chance they would take over my chicken pen.

[death of rats]

Sit up with a decent air rifle after and only after you are sure you can put shot after shot through a 10p size target. Smear peanut butter on your kill zone. They stop to lick. Then shoot them. After a few nights no more rats. No you have not killes them all but they realise it is unsafe to stay.

As far as humane killing is concerned how is poison humane when they bleed out. Poison is alos lethal to cats, dogs and birds of prey. The only poison I use is high velocity metal.

[Rubellite]

Don't think you can be cruel to a rat.
Think I'd rather have the nasty old fashioned trap and then drop it on the bonfire than catch it live and drown it, Michelle  
Nasty things, eeurgh!

[Flowerpower136]

We use Mark 4 Fenn Traps house in specially designed boxes for safety.

Go to Domestic Fowl Trust website and order from there.  They make and supply the DFT boxes also.

Us and neighbours had problems with rats this time last year, even getting into the house. Eeeek  

Council came out and put down poison bait, but that resulted in dead and stinking rats in the walls, and didn't manage to get rid of them.  So we got advice from local game keeper.  She recommended these traps, and 'job's a good'en' as they say.

We still bait them every night, but haven't caught anything now for at least 3 months.

[lightyears]

Sit up with a decent air rifle after and only after you are sure you can put shot after shot through a 10p size target. Smear peanut butter on your kill zone. They stop to lick. Then shoot them. After a few nights no more rats. No you have not killes them all but they realise it is unsafe to stay.

As far as humane killing is concerned how is poison humane when they bleed out. Poison is alos lethal to cats, dogs and birds of prey. The only poison I use is high velocity metal.

ive been shooting since i can remember so have no trouble with target practice, ive got a night sight so i might stake it out in the darkness.

[Rubellite]

I don't like guns and certainly wouldn't be able to use one without shooting myself in the foot  so I sent the dogs in...........



Complete waste of time as rats were too deep in. Can't poison there as terriers will just keep going back, so will be moving pile of earth, no longer composting and keeping fingers crossed that the rats will go back to the other side of the fence (sewage bed) where they put down plenty of poison regularly. 

I did poison when I found evidence under the chicken shed, but was able to conceal the poison so dogs and cats and chickens weren't at risk 

[Vember]

I once sent the dogs in they chased the trap instead of the live rat   

They are good at rounding ducks up though

Erradibate is my weapon of choice, recommended by the barn owl trust as it  doesn't harm other animals that may eat the poisoned ones


Sarah

[lightyears]

A freind of mine suggested he tryed his ferret out down the hole. I might give it a go tomorrow and see.