kinsk Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 A few years ago my husband made me two raised veg beds. The last couple of years I haven't really done much with them due to not really having the time - family illnesses etc. Now the rats have moved in and there are holes/burrows in both of them. As you can see they are quite deep This year is going to be my veg year, no excuses but any ideas on how to evict the rats. We are always going to have them around due to the hens etc. I accept that, but I'd be grateful if they set up camp somewhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Get a cat to camp in it for a week or so? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 We have problems with errant Rattiness at the moment too, & have set poison down which is being merrily munched, as well as putting down several cage traps. We have a stream boardering our garden, so they are always about, but rarely have they nested in the garden before. I am thoroughly fed up of them, & they seem incredibly bold too. One just sits there washing his whiskers while I clean out the hens not 6 paces away from him. Luckily my hen pen is pretty much rat proof, as I saw one scaling the outside of the wire mesh yesterday! Persistent poisoning & trapping will probably be your best bet, but be prepared for it to take a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinsk Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Get a cat to camp in it for a week or so? Unfortunately our cats decided the grass was greener on the neighbours side and went to live with them We used to put the jack russells on them every night to try and make things as unwelcoming as possible, didn't seem to make much difference though. Will start doing it again and see if it makes a difference. I don't really want to put poison in the veg beds though, plus I always worry about the dogs eating a poisoned carcass. There is one that decided to try and set up home under the bonnet of my car, I have a feeling it's damaged some wiring too as the front indicator stopped working it used to cadge a ride to the gate and I'd see it running out when I stopped to get out and open the gate. Then it obviously tried to jump ship whilst I was driving to the gate and my back tyre got it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 You wouldn't need to put poison in the veg beds I shouldn't think - you can get those proper dispensers that prevent it coming into too much contact with soil. Ours is a tube shaped one which you fill from the top into a clear tube,so you can see how much has been taken on a daily basis. You can get triangular ones too. Also see where they run around, as they tend to use the same areas over & over again. My cat seems to ignore any carcasses,although I must say that in 24 years of living here & laying poison (on & off), we have only ever found 3 poisoned dead rats. I think they take themselves off to die. And they are dying because the bait stops being taken. One thing I would say if you do decide to lay bait is to use the stuff that is poisoned grain rather than just pellets. we were told by an expert that its much more likely to work on them. We also mix it up a bit brand wise, in case of them developing any immunity. As for cats. well our fabulous hunter Nemo prefers to lounge around inside by the log burner at this time of year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 as Cinnamon you won't need to put the poison in the beds as chances are they won't take it from there anyway use the type of bait box that Cinnamon describes and use a grain or pellet type of bait as they have to sit and eat it in the box and not take it away to store it for later you might find that the bait isn't eaten for a while (any thing up to 4 weeks ) if the rats are really nervy if after 4 - 5 weeks it have started to go down you'll need to move the bait box to another location but if it starts to get eaten then keep the box were it is and keep it baited at all times as 'spot baiting' or 'hit and miss baiting' is how they build up resistance to the bait if your now that the rats aren't living in the beds at the moment get them dug over to the full depth of the beds so that the soil is to lose to support tunnels as soon as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I think you still need be careful with poison. There is no guaranteeing that one of the rats doesn't die in the bottom of your veg patch and you only find it at the end of the season or something. The poison will stay in the soil for a long time. I think traps might be best. Or turn out all the soil of the veg patch. Will not kill the rats (although you might get a good chance with a rake, when digging...) but at least will make them rehome themselves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I'd deep dig it over with a fork Kinsk. Alternatively you could soak the beds very thoroughly so that the burrows collapse. Either way they would then move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 I'd deep dig it over with a fork Kinsk. Alternatively you could soak the beds very thoroughly so that the burrows collapse. Either way they would then move. I agree, if you keep disturbing the soil they will move out By the time it comes to planting again the rats will hopefully be in the fields so wont be a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 The Jack Russell method more or less worked for my mum. The dog didn't completely get rid of the rats but she certainly had way less of them than she has now the dog has gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 We get rats in the compost and they try to dig in under the walk in run. That now has a wired floor that sits on compacted scalpings but they still sometimes get to underneath the feeder. We sometimes borrow the neighbour's Border Terrier but the only thing that really works for us is a .22 with a night sight every now and then when numbers build up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
