Hi!
We bought these RSPB Coconut Suet Treats. Birds love them. Problem: rats climbed up, gnawed through the string, and ate the suet while the coconut was lying on the ground. After the first time, I hung the coconut again using a plastic zip tie, but it was also gnawed through and the coconut fell down. We have taken the coconut treat inside for now. Here is a picture marking the spot where the treat had been hung initially.
Question 1: how can I hang the coconut so that it is safe from rats?
I'm considering the spot on the right marked in the picture, hanging from a tree. But I fear rats will be able to climb the tree and repeat taking the coconut.
Question 2: if I hang the coconut under such a squirrel baffle and make sure that there are no branches underneath the coconut, will the coconut be safe from rats?
We also have a bird feeder. It's pictured in the second photo here. Birds spill seeds when eating from it. I think that also attracts rats.
Question 3: what do you think of covering seeds in chilli oil (as recommended here)? I think rats and squirrels wouldn't eat spilled seeds then. I think dusting seeds with cayenne pepper would stop squirrels and rats from eating from the feeder directly, but they would still eat spillage.
Alternatively I can imagine fitting a squirrel baffle on top, and a plate underneath to catch spillage. But I have no idea where to hang this construction eventually, because the lower branches of the tree are not strong enough to hold this.
I’ will answer you quite straight. Take all your bird food from outside in your garden and take indoors. Call out pest control and let them deal with it. I do that every time. They are the experts. I’m not. And they know what to do, and all all the other birds and wildlife will be ok when I’ve had pest control out before. If you don’t. any neighbour could report rats from your garden if it affects them. And anyone that does that, your local authority will come out, as they can legally can in UK law to see if there is a problem with rate. I call pest control out straight away, as rats can breed very fast and then the problem can get worse very quickly. Also the local authority can legallly check about rats even if you own your own home, if anyone has problems from neighbours gardens or buildings!
Regards,
Ian.
In reply to THOMO:
I am of the mind that using natural methods is the best way to go if needed to remove Rats. You can get various Rat sprays that are natural remedies and gadgets that emit high pitch sounds that rats and most animals hate You can buy humane Rat traps, but I would be careful what I do and know what I am doing first by getting good advice from an expert. The reason why I believe this is because Rats to me are still wildlife, no matter how bad a reputation they have, they still part of nature. Rats are opportunists and that is simply how they behave, and they are good at what they do. Humans have added to their success with a lot of our own bad habits. So we have added to the Rats downfall purely of our own making Another reason why I hate killing Rats, Mice etc...is because I bought some mice traps and placed them.in our garage many years ago, and I found a dead Shrew. It really upset me for a long time. I only put out humane mice traps out only and take mice miles away so hopefully they stay away. All the years I have fed birds I have seen one or two mice but they gave been no problem. I put the bird food in metal containers so they are secure. I have never seen any Rats chewing through anything to get at bird food on my feeders ever. Rats carry serious diseases and you are better off not touching feeders that are contaminated with Rat saliva by wearing thick gloves, and that is why to need to your feeders Rat proof. You have to be diligent with your hand hygiene at all times. I think the best way forward here to stop using the coconut shell to house any bird food. I would buy fat squares and buy a square mental wired container to place them in. The aim is to try to not use string, rubber bands or plastic ties at all to secure feeders, and instead use wire only to hang up any feeders. Or you could buy a mental fatball container, and use for loose fatballs in the same way It also.depends how much you as re willing to spend. All wire containers will last for years.and they are a good investment Personally I would go 100 per cent mental feeders so it will not be chewed through so easily.by Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Magpies or anything else.that is clever enough to get food, and eat you out if house and home. I hope that you get sorted soon and let me know how you get on.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
In reply to Yoga8616:
Yoga8616 said:Hi THOMO, thanks for the answer! When you say you do that all the time, do you mean: Regularly, you take all your bird food indoors. You then call pest control to deal with rats. Then you put your bird food outside again? How often do you do this? Hiring the local authority's pest control to control a rat infestation costs between £150 and £400. That's very expensive to do regularly and is not an option for me. If that is the only way, then I'd rather forego the joy of bird feeding altogether. Do you use any precautions to prevent rats from eating your bird food?
My local authority charge around £60.00 for getting rid of rat investigation. If your local authority has given you that quote then you should have a look around at other well known pest control organisations with a quote. your local authority quoted you should have a look around at other well known organisations that can control infestations.. And yes I always take my bird-feeders indoors and bird tables as well as my birdbath. If any neighbour complains tgen the local authorities can legally ask anyone to stop feeding any wildlife including birds, until rats or mice are dealt with.
In reply to Peewit:
Peewit said:I am of the mind that using natural methods is the best way to go if needed to remove Rats. You can get various Rat sprays that are natural remedies and gadgets that emit high pitch sounds that rats and most animals hate You can buy humane Rat traps, but I would be careful what I do and know what I am doing first by getting good advice from an expert. The reason why I believe this is because Rats to me are still wildlife, no matter how bad a reputation they have, they still part of nature. Rats are opportunists and that is simply how they behave, and they are good at what they do. Humans have added to their success with a lot of our own bad habits. So we have added to the Rats downfall purely of our own making Another reason why I hate killing Rats, Mice etc...is because I bought some mice traps and placed them.in our garage many years ago, and I found a dead Shrew. It really upset me for a long time. I only put out humane mice traps out only and take mice miles away so hopefully they stay away. All the years I have fed birds I have seen one or two mice but they gave been no problem. I put the bird food in metal containers so they are secure. I have never seen any Rats chewing through anything to get at bird food on my feeders ever. Rats carry serious diseases and you are better off not touching feeders that are contaminated with Rat saliva by wearing thick gloves, and that is why to need to your feeders Rat proof. You have to be diligent with your hand hygiene at all times. I think the best way forward here to stop using the coconut shell to house any bird food. I would buy fat squares and buy a square mental wired container to place them in. The aim is to try to not use string, rubber bands or plastic ties at all to secure feeders, and instead use wire only to hang up any feeders. Or you could buy a mental fatball container, and use for loose fatballs in the same way It also.depends how much you as re willing to spend. All wire containers will last for years.and they are a good investment Personally I would go 100 per cent mental feeders so it will not be chewed through so easily.by Rats, Mice, Squirrels, Magpies or anything else.that is clever enough to get food, and eat you out if house and home. I hope that you get sorted soon and let me know how you get on.
I’ve said many times I don’t over sentimental if at times certain wildlife has to be controlled. The RSPB have had to control the Deer at Leighton Moss because of damage to the Reed Beds. The National in the past have had to control the seals on the Farne Islands as the seal population was beginning to affect tthe bird population. The Grey Squirrels are controlled in Northumberland in North East England y the Northumberland Wildlife Trust as in Northumberland and Cumbria Red Squirrels are still fairly widespread and I see Red Squirrels myself every year in Northumberland. Also the RSPB have had to control Rats on various reserves over the years. Also Rats carry disease and I’ve had them in my home. Rats can also naw through plaster work as well as electric cables, which can be dangerous and can cause fire in your home. Some individuals get over sentimental about getting rid of rats or mice or culling wildlife they use live traps and then release them outside their home. Mice and Rats will come back into your home very fast if anyone does that. If anyone uses live traps to catch Rats and Mice they would have to released back into the wild about 3-4 miles from your home address. I’ve got no qualms in pest control and calling them out straight away if necessary and they know what to do without affecting other wildlife! A question for you what experts give you advice about using natural remedies.As far as I’m concerned I would never use what you call natural remedies!. From what organisation give you advice for using natural remedies if can give that information!
I would not say I am sentimental about Rats in any way at all. I love all wildlife on its merits and negative aspects. Yes I am sad at some species having to be eradicated but there you go. I disagree with some of the methods used too but there you go What I do not understand is that you obviously love wildlife but you want to exterminate it in a unsympathetic way like it was nothing. In a wildlife world you have to put the good and bad together By the way, I have had all the injections because of Rats as an employee of the Water Board because I had to go out to Sewage Works. I am not talking about one injection either. If we did not have Rats to clear up all of our ness the world would be a dirtier place. They spread disease because of us, and they are clever at exploiting us, and who can blame them Answer, The best suggestion for a natural remedy here to have wire feeders, the ones that are covered meaning the birds have to peck through wiring to get at the food, and makes it bit less easy for Rats to bite through anything that holds food By the way these are my own thoughts here so no link is needed.
I also kept horses years ago and put the horse food in a wooden chest, the chest 2 inches thick and Rats managed to gnaw through the thick wood in one night so that is how determined they are. Metal is the only thing they cannot chew through so easily Yoga I hope there is a way of sorting out your problem. Another thing I want to say is that you store your bird food away in strong containers. I have often wondered about hanging up coconuts as you buy them. I will not now after reading about your issues We get Grey Squirrels and they give us a headache. They have chewed through Wooden ended feeders of ours. The baffles are great but with Rats they climb anything no matter what it is The smell of a Cat may put them off if you do not have one with a bell on