Cinnamon Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 My grain poison is still going every night so I reckon I either have one great big mighty super rat,or lots & lots of really very stupid regular ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 you probably have lots - you may never see the evidence of their deaths - but you should keep putting it out until it stops being taken... they may be found dead or decomposed in many places scattered around your neighbourhood - or never at all - most will die in their sleep in the burrow (not to say it's a nice death - it's internal bleeding - which leads to loss of energy - tiredness - and death...) somebody must have laid poison round here last year - because me and the neighbour both found dead rats in our gardens at about the same time... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Rat update. I moved some planks and found some empty white egg shells. Then remembered that my White Star had a few days off laying two weeks ago..... I inspected all round the eglu and found that the rat had tunelled underneath the paving slabs part that the eglu base is on and into the run. It must have chosen Star's egg because they are quite thin shaped and easy to carry. The cage trap still hasn't been tripped. Tried laying a line of bricks along the bottom of the fence to disrupt the rats run. It tunnelled underneath them. Time for the poison. Actually I can't decide between poison and a heavy duty trap. I want to minimise the risk of anything else getting poisoned, but don't want to have anything else caught in the trap either. Decisions, decisions..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Call the council Graham; they'll do a good job and you needn't get involved. Wonder if that's where my eggs have been going... the girls have tailed off lately, but no signs of tunnels - probably just the shorter days I am giving the whole run a clean out at the weekend, I'll have a look then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Rat update. The cage trap still hasn't been tripped. Tried laying a line of bricks along the bottom of the fence to disrupt the rats run. It tunnelled underneath them. Time for the poison. i don't disagree - poison IS (and always was) the best answer here - and getting the council in to advise is even better,, but you started this thread with a very clear wish to do it the non-killing way, which is what made it different to all the other ratty threads that we have had - and it has only been three nights since you started. rats are NEOPHOBIC - not only have you put out a shiny new trap - but you have also moved it and stuff around it - and you've been digging, which makes them nervous. It is very unlikely that you will catch anything in it for a week or so... as i said before (I think) - some people advise leaving it wedged open for a few nights - then the rats gain confidence in it... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Nervous?! I think not. It's certainly not nervous enough to stop it from coming back and digging new tunnels. This rat is VERY close. This is not a nervous rat at all. Clever, yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 OK - wrong word maybe... I still think that if you really want the trap to work - you'll have to be patient. rats use rat runs because they are familiar routes - and they will dig under new obstructions - but they are usually not confident enough (or too clever) to go into something new - like a bait-pipe or a cage trap - for quite a long time. as Sheila said.. Rats are very neophobic, so often don't go near any trap for at least 2 weeks. that's sound advice... Phil as for rats being clever... http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTX033631.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Thanks to this thread I have had that darn song in my head all day "Theres a rat in me kitchen,what am I gonna do" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 ahh - that's the power of UB40. I saw them at the height of their powers back in the early 80s... awesome band! There`s a rat in mi kitchen what am I gonna do? There`s a rat in mi kitchen what am I gonna go? I`m gonna fix dat rat thats what I`m gonna do, I`m gonna fix dat rat. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 OK - wrong word maybe... I still think that if you really want the trap to work - you'll have to be patient. rats use rat runs because they are familiar routes - and they will dig under new obstructions - but they are usually not confident enough (or too clever) to go into something new - like a bait-pipe or a cage trap - for quite a long time. as Sheila said.. Rats are very neophobic, so often don't go near any trap for at least 2 weeks. that's sound advice... Phil Yes, but that's not really an option. The eglu is on a semi-permanent bark chipping base, next to the fence. And the rat has now dug under the fence approx 3ft from the eglu. I have to go near it to let the chooks out and collect the eggs. Thanks for your continued help though Phil! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 As soon as our rat came near the house, that's when the poison came out. There was no way that we would give it a chance to come in ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 I think you've misunderstood me Graham... you can go near the trap - you have to in order to check it - what I said was that the rats - being neophobic - may not go near it for up to two weeks... Rats are very neophobic, so often don't go near any trap for at least 2 weeks. those were Sheila's words - the "so often" refers back to the rats... you can go near it - but i wouldn't move it about / change its position - the cage-trap, that is... Phil (I am no expert on this - but I have caught rats in a cage-trap - many years ago - we didn't release them, though, we whacked them on the back of the head with a sturdy piece of wood. This was in my brothers garage in rural wales. We didn't catch the first one for about a week and a half... we caught four or five - then resorted to poison - they can breed almost as fast as you catch them (i think they start being sexually active at 3 months...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 we caught four or five - then resorted to poison - they can breed almost as fast as you catch them (i think they start being sexually active at 3 months...) I think the figure quoted is 2000 descendants in a year from a pair of rats. You are right in that rats are sexually mature at three months, but can then produce a litter every 21 to 23 days each containing between 8 to 22 babies, the babies will be mature enough to live independantly at the age of about 6 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Caught! Here it is and it's not happy. When I go near the cage, it throws itself in my direction, screaming, and clamping it's jaws on the bars. I'm a little bit scared about this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Wow that thing is massive I would be scared too..............Now what do you do with it................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 That is a big old rat! What are you going to do now then,grd? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Good question. I don't particularly want to share a car with this thing, driving it to a field somewhere. It is trying to attack me when I attempt to pick up the cage and it's VERY aggressive. A strange feeling looking into it's eyes - there's just nothing.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 The one time I caught a rat in a trap,my neighbour came over with his shotgun & dealt with the matter for me Maybe you could shove it in a box & mail it to someone you really do not like Or send it off on an long train trip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Oh help! Let us know how you get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 well done... let's hope it's the first of many - for there are bound to be more.. when you've caught them - DEFRA regulations say you should shoot them or whack them over he back of the head. what many people do is lower the cage into a water butt and drown them - precisely because they don't want any chance of getting any closer to the rat.. but - you are not allowed to do that because it is classed as cruel... (so say DEFRA regs) if you can overcome your release fears - (obviously don't take it near anyone else's house) then don't put the cage directly on a car seat - it will wee on it. put it in the boot - you won't see it - despite recent tales of super-rats - it's not going to escape and devour you as you drive.. ratty may or may not survive the deep forest - he's on unfamiliar turf and he has become a lazy domestic garden rat - but I suppose you've given him/her a chance... either that - or keep him and take him on the bus or the trrain whenever you want a double seat... but don't take too long deciding what to do - you'll have to start feeding and watering him (there's no water in the cage) - and he will be distressed (hence gnashing) - and when you start feeding and watering, it doesn't take long before you become attached.... Phil PS - when/if you release him - don't forget to tie string round the bottom of your trouser legs - you don't want him running up your leg.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Good question. I don't particularly want to share a car with this thing, driving it to a field somewhere. It is trying to attack me when I attempt to pick up the cage and it's VERY aggressive. A strange feeling looking into it's eyes - there's just nothing.... try singing to it Graham - there's an old Michael Jackson song that might do the trick... Ben, the two of us need look no more We both found what we were looking for With a friend to call my own I'll never be alone And you, my friend, will see You've got a friend in me (you've got a friend in me) Ben, you're always running here and there You feel you're not wanted anywhere If you ever look behind And don't like what you find There's one thing you should know You've got a place to go (you've got a place to go) I used to say "I" and "me" Now it's "us", now it's "we" I used to say "I" and "me" Now it's "us", now it's "we" Ben, most people would turn you away I don't listen to a word they say They don't see you as I do I wish they would try to I'm sure they'd think again If they had a friend like Ben (a friend) Like Ben (like Ben) Like Ben Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Phil - as helpful as ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Yea, good one Phil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 That is horrible Grd I like rats but only the domestic variety They are one of my favourite animals because they are so smart but an aggresive one you can keep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Phone your local environmental health - they'll remove it for you. They destroy it, but if it's as vicious as you say, then it probably for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
