jomaxsmith Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Just a muse (and apologies if it's in the wrong place) but are rats getting more immune to human activity? I ask because several times in the last month I have seen rats wandering across my garden seemingly care free and in no hurry. Yesterday one sat on my decking for ages surveying his doman. It was enormous, too, I thought it was a squirrel at first glance! I've made my garden as rat unfriendly as possible - put mesh under the compost bins, blocked up holes under the shed, try not to leave chicken feed lying around etc but living in the country and with neighbours who feed the wild birds with abandon we're never going to be rat free. Has anyone else noticed rats getting less scared of people? Jo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenarees Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 They're definatley very brave around here, a few weeks ago a rat charged at my cat Tabitha ready to attack her when she walked past it, poor girl ran and hid, she's a huge cat and semi-feral. Helena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 Yep, I have seen them in the gardena couple of times recently. I chuck things at them so they know they are not welcome and have poison in my shed. It is a rural area and Im no longer shocked when I see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 I have three rat boxes that I put in strategic places in the garden. If I see a rat and it bothers me I bait up the boxes for a week or so. I haven't seen any rats for weeks, and I live very close to a marshy coast, with drains and all sorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 I saw a rat in our garden last week for the first time ever! OH said what did I expect with chickens (oh, well, of course it just HAS to be the chooks doesn't it, not the compost bin or the bird food in the shed ) and that I must be prepared to get rid of them! War has been declared - the traps are baited, there is poison in strategic places. Just nipping next door for some lessons with the air rifle .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted November 18, 2007 Share Posted November 18, 2007 We used to see rats in our garden up until we got our cats. Sausage (big, fat, black and white hairy monster - similar to a Bond villains cat) kills anything in sight. We think that he lulls them into a false sense of security. They probably venture close as they think it would be impossible for him to move. Then we have Smegol (thin, stealth like and cunning). Between them nothing gets into our garden. Thankfully Smegol is totally laid back about the chickens - even when we had a small bantam roaming around the conservatory. Sausage, on the other hand associates bantams with lunch which is why I need to have a large, walk in run built for them. He is petrified of the brahmas though which has detered him from pursuing the larger girls. Get a cat...or two. I can highly recommend them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 I'd love a cat but am allergic to the long haired ones, only a matter of time before that extends to the short hairs - and my dad is very allergic so he'd never be able to set foot in the house again! Next doors cat is a frequent visitor to our garden though and a very good hunter! I used to scare him off if I saw him, but I'll be changing my tactics! He'll think I've gone very strange when I start encouraging him instead! Hm, I know how to deter cats - how can I encourage them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 I also noticed rats in our garden for the first time a couple of weeks ago... And for anyone considering getting decking... DON'T! That is where our rats have chosen to live and it makes an ideal home for them and it is also very difficult to erradicate them when they are safely beneath the decking! We plan to rip ours up and just replace them with good old fashioned patio slabs instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 And for anyone considering getting decking... DON'T! My old boss had rats under his decking. Someone on the forum had problems with rats living under next door's decking, but I can't remember who. Rats must love Diarmuid Gavin!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 It's well reported that rats love decking and accessible compost bins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rona Posted November 19, 2007 Share Posted November 19, 2007 Someone told me today that conditions this summer were ideal for rats so they have bred well and haven't been eating their babies , which apparently they do if conditions don't suit them. that's why there is so many of them about this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
