Hi, I wonder if anyone out there can help me.
My neighbour's house has been empty for some time and his garden is very overgrown. His other neighbour has seen rats in the garden. We have noticed that there are holes under our fence and the adjoining neighbours - a rat run.
I have phoned the local Council, vermin control department and they have informed me that they cannot come out to investigate for another 2 weeks due to a backlog of work. They have however told me to remove all of my bird feeders as the rats are obviously coming into the garden for the food that may have dropped on the floor.
I have so many birds in my garden that I have been feeding for years now and at this time of year when the weather is getting colder I dont want to remove the feeders.
Any ideass greatly appreciated.
Sue
x
Hi Sue, sorry about the rat problem. Could someone mow the overgrown lawn to minimise the habitats, or let a cat catch them?
Cheers, Jason
Hi doggie.
Cudnt possibly cope with a rat in a trap. May have to go down the poison route. Going to hate it tho but my neighbour has a little girl 2 years old and my poor old dog has gone blind and I fear for him.
Thanks
Hi Jason. The house is hopefully going to be put up for sale (owner in hospital) but the garden is totally overgrown not just needs mowing. There are also foxes living in there. Would the foxes chase out the rats do you know?
Hi Sue...I get rats taking up residence in the garden virtually every year, when the surrounding crops are harvested, I hate them too near the house...council stopped coming because I still put out bird food. It takes a while/and money to get rid of them using poison blocks in a covered rat feeding station, similar to the ones the council use, I bought mine in Robert Dyas shop and also put out little dishes (used sardine tins) of loose bait in various places but under cover, eg sheds...I don't want the birds or hedgehogs getting it. Constant top up is required until it is no longer taken/rats no longer seen. Yes, foxes will chase/eat rats, including poisoned ones! Hopefully it doesn't make them too ill. I also move my bird feeders (ground ones) to more open spaces for the duration, hoping the buzzards have got a chance to get the rat if it tries to feed at them.
Madbird said:Yes, foxes will chase/eat rats, including poisoned ones
The thought of leaving poisoned corpses for foxes,or anything else,to find and eat is a bit worrying.Isn't this the sort of thing we condemn the shooting fraternity for ?
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
I have a rat problem, well now hopefully, solved thanks to the regular visits from a pair of Sparrowhawks. A few mornings ago I looked out of the window and saw a female Sprawk buzzing the aviary. Not unusual, it happens too frequently, but suddenly she flew towards the tree heath 4 mtrs. from the house and took the rat ( a very clean specimen btw ) from a feeder hanging in the heath and flew back to the aviary to eat her kill. I was pleased because I had been tempted to shoot it and glad that I didn't have to, but that at least, is instant, unlike poisoning.
P.S. Wasn't it someone, quite well known, once said something like " if you've got bird feeders in your garden, you've got rats" . I've not seen that person on TV for a while. I think too many people are obsessed with the ' Black Death'.
I agree with you, Heron. I have a problem with the grey squirrels here - otherwise known as tree rats - and the idea of poison is a fairly horrifying one.
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Obviously if you find a dead rat then wrap it and bin it, but you won't necessarily find the dead body.
I have grey squirrels visiting as well but I cannot imagine that they would squeeze into the rat box or under the shed, squirrels are cute compared to rats. If I had a gun I too would be tempted to shoot rats, I look forward to seeing a sparrowhawk take a rat, wasn't aware they would.
Thanks for all your comments. I shall have to put poison down or wait for the "rat man".
I have actually seen a Sparrowhawk in the vicinity of the garden - perhaps he will help me out here.
Thanks again guys.