RAts

Ramsbury Allotments · « **on:** September 25, 2012, 09:31 »

We are a new allotment site in our third year and the rats have arrived. Does anyone have any advice about how we should keep their population at bay and if the is something that should be dealt with by individual members or as a committee issue! Help!

MichelleC · « **Reply #1 on:** September 25, 2012, 10:14 »

Hi I've had my allotment for two years now and last year saw my first rat climb my sunflower and eat the seeds. This was during daylight. I bought three rat based stations and big cheese poison from eBay. I have since seen rats on a rare occasion eating the poison. I honestly can't say whether it works or not as the poison doesn't get touched for weeks and then suddenly disappears. It could be working but maybe then new rats move in. I turn my compost regularly in case they move in for the warmth and I never leave rubbish etc behind sheds as they like somewhere undisturbed to live. They seem to live on the adjacent allotments as I've watched where they go to. I also informed the council who said they will put poison down. I've never discovered a dead rat and think they die in their nest. I can't use traps as I'd freak if saw one in there. I know I can't get rid of them for good but try to keep the population down. X

grinling · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2012, 10:42 »

All compost bins should have chicken wire covering the bottom and up the sides. If using rat bait with containers, you will need alot. Rats need access to fresh water, so putting traps near to the water sources, around sheds and compost bins are useful. On 1 site there was over 60 and 2 site had about 40 traps. Bait is checked daily.
I use a live rat trap, my friend used a spring rat trap. I baited with corn mix(chickens), he used peanut butter. Site manager had air rifle (land owners permission req). We caught 50. Mainly on his due to a chicken owner not having a secure run!!!
If chicken owners, have they dug wiredug into the ground as chook food is easy food. Chook food should be in metal bins.
council will come in and deal with them for a price.

savbo · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2012, 12:18 »

Agree with earlier comments about deterring rats, but I think autumn is a time when young rats are dispersing so you tend to see more around now anyway...

Ramsbury Allotments · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2012, 08:00 »

Thanks for your comments, we are not council run so I think its our responsibility and by the sounds of things we can't really leave it to individual plot holders. I think we have to mobilise as a committee and then advise preventative measures to the membership. Good tip about chicken wire - I will set about doing that no my allotment immediately, after giving my compost a really big turn (not looking forward to finding out that they are all living in my bins!). There wasn't a sing plot holder who harvested sweetcorn this year

, so for that reason alone we need to get on and do something about it!

Paul Plots · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2012, 11:23 »

Not helpful but.... we noticed when our fox population went up rats were unseen.

mobilekat · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2012, 12:02 »

Also don't forget rats will travel a fair distance to find a good meal!

The main issues I have found with rats is that they will eat most things- so you have to be very clean and tidy to prevent them remaining, and they do carry diseases that can affect us.
Until you have dealt with them it may be worth reminding people to wash all the crops they collect as sadly rats don't remember to wash their paws after 'bathroom breaks' and thus tend to leave urine on most thing they walk on!
Young rats also seem to have magical abilities to get through small holes, and chicken wire wont stop them!

I don't like the stuff, but if you have a real issue poison is probably going to be required, as once they have moved in a bit like most unwanted guests (or in-laws at Christmas!) they don't tend to take the hint to move out!

Good luck!!

dugless · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2012, 17:28 »

What a coincidence I have posted about rats I have lived here for 21 years had chickens for four years and this is the first time I have had such an infestation to the extent they have sripped friut off trees.

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savbo

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