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Rats

Jade3Jade3 Posts: 50
edited April 2021 in Wildlife gardening
I want to get them to move on or get rid, but its so difficult when I have 2 hedgehogs nesting and birds visiting;  I did stop feeding the birds for a bit and I emptied one of the compost bins where I thought they were nesting.

I have put bait down but the rats are not taking it, my main concern is that the rats carry disease.

Grateful for any advice what to do? 

I think the rats I have are too big to even fit in a bait station.


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Posts

  • Jade3Jade3 Posts: 50
    edited April 2021
    perhaps I need a pied piper.
  • NorthernJoeNorthernJoe Posts: 660
    Perhaps get a pro on the job considering you've got wildlife concerns. They will hopefully know what bait and poison to use to get them n but not the hogs.
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 4,921
    If I had hedgehogs 🦔 in my garden I would put up with 🐀 rats. 
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    Don't poison any living thing.  Even if you aren't bothered about the suffering it causes the rats, you are putting poison into the food chain. 

    All wild animals carry some disease, bats, birds, even hedgehogs!
  • Jade3Jade3 Posts: 50
    This is the first year in 16 years I've had the problem I wonder if its the result of lock down or after long period of not working the garden.  
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,314
    It seems to be a knock on effect of our changing way of life over the past year.  Many more people are feeding birds in their gardens and are at home to see the rats when they appear.

    The 'experts' also suggest that food establishments closing has had a major effect
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52177587
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • Jade3Jade3 Posts: 50
    edited April 2021
    Thanks @herbaceous, I am hoping that perhaps with my activity increasing in the garden as the days become warmer that the Rat/s may decide to move on or if they find better pickings elsewhere.   

    I had noted though that the Rats don't seem to have good eyesight but they are nervous and scarper with a sudden sound.

    I do have some large windchimes but I think I may get battered by the neighbours if I hang them outside, especially in windy weather :D 

    Many thanks again for info and link.
  • Wild_VioletWild_Violet Posts: 164
    I’ve had a couple of rats (that I know of) in my garden recently too for the first time in 14 years.  I have two dogs who are a bit mad and try to find the rats all the time but they are still there nesting in our old shed I think. (I wouldn’t want the dogs to catch them anyway.)  My partner ordered a spray and a high pitch sound emitter device which the rats aren’t supposed to like.  I’m hoping they move on soon as if not he is going to get people in to kill them. 
  • shazza 3shazza 3 Posts: 191
    I'm also having problems with them this year. I only started feeding the birds last year during lockdown and my OH noticed a rat scuttling where the seed feeder was situated. Unfortunately, we live next to a field and also derelict land across the road so we are probably surrounded by them but don't see them that often. I think because people were housebound for months and not leaving their takeaway rubbish over the road, the rats are looking for easy food. I had to remove the feeders again a few weeks ago as the rats were hanging off the feeders and OH was not happy !!! Thankfully the feeders are no where near the house. My Oh has said once the bird food is gone, i've got to stop feeding the birds which is a shame because i really enjoy watching them.  
  • FlyDragonFlyDragon Posts: 834
    shazza 3 said:

    My Oh has said once the bird food is gone, i've got to stop feeding the birds which is a shame because i really enjoy watching them.  
    Who made him the boss of you?

    You can get squirrel proof feeders which should make it harder for the rats too. 
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