[Praxxus]

What lives in the compost bin, eats organic slug pellets, blood fish bone from under my newly planted asparagus crowns and nicks my newly planted seed potatoes ?

I haven't seen it and there are no mole hills inside the plot, but there are tunnels in the bins. Its exit hole is about 2" - 3"

If it is a RAT, what is the way to proceed ?

[arugula]

Sounds like rats....

[daisy1990]

definitely rats.  There have been previous posts on here re how to get rid of them.  We rang our council and they had a fixed fee (£30 I think) and for that their guy came back several times until he was satisfied they were all gone.  He also gave good advise re how to prevent them coming back (for example, dont put old carpet on veg patches over winter, the rats love the nice dark warm space under neath!)

[upert]

there are many delightfully horrid ways of disposing of rats. make sure you only target them though and not clobber several of the vast array of more adorable wildlife. ie be target specific and cover your poison, traps, sticky board so birds don't get caught in them.

i squished an over-inquisitive great tit in a rat trap that had wandered too close to the entrance of my wooden box. i'm sure it was set further back but something dislodged it.

[sarajane]

Defo rats. We have them most years in our compost.  Nice and warm over winter.  A spring rat trap, up against the fence with a slab over it so the birds and hedgehogs can't get in and nuttella spread on it is the enticement.  This has got rid of three of the little blighters and our 10 year old scruffy terrier saw off the other 3 with just 1 bite.  Yuk  I hate rats.

[billathome65]

R.A.T.S

They need controlling.

In Manchester the council have introduced a set charge for call out of £12 this means that many people will not report a problem as

1. They may not be able to pay a call out charge
2. They will not want to pay if the problem is originating from someone else's garden etc.

So for all those people looking at more humane ways of catching the blighter's then think human health and Rat control.

Cheers Bill

[Salmo]

My local council will deal with rats with no charge. It is worth asking.

[Praxxus]

Okey dokey - Thanks all

[slow_worm]

get a Jack  Russell Terrier that's been bred for ratting!!

[Praxxus]

LOL !

 

[hamstergbert]

Or leave an AV referendum leaflet and a hacksaw blade nearby.  Once they read the leaflet they will be so utterly, terminally bored that they may well use the hacksaw blade to decapitate themselves just for something less boring to do...


....or possibly not.

[Rangerkris]

My council deals with Rats at no charge that part of what we pay for in a rents.

[lordthanatos]

NAPALM  !!!!!


seriously though its right tricky dealing with them without risk to other wildlife.

my preferred method it some peanut butter , air rilfe , clean line of site and plenty patience and coffee

[digalotty]

keep soaking your compost heap this will make them leave or atleast not want to take up residance again

[BENTON1704]

if you can get one, an old fashion rat trap (the wire cage ones that you put bait in, and once they enter they cant get out) are the humane way, but as in a previous post peanut butter as bait and a gun!! a rentokill man once gave me some peanut butter scented sticky pads to use for catching mice, they worked a treat, mice and rats love the stuff!!