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  • Rats

    I have a family of rats under my shed in the back garden again and they are running around as if they own the place. They have a plentiful larder from the cherry tree across the way and Pest Control is not yet available. I don't even want to go outside! What can I do? Please help.
    Granny on the Game in Sheffield

  • #2
    I feel for you Florence

    On my new allotment, I resorted to using slug pellets to try and salvage some sunflowers from slugs.
    Watching from my greenhouse, a whole pack of rats scoffed the lot, I nearly threw up.
    I've not used slug pellets for years due to the harm they used to cause, however seeing that the new formula is apparently 'organic' I succumbed and bought some.

    Never again.
    .......because you're thinking of putting the kettle on and making a pot of tea perhaps, you old weirdo. (Veggie Chicken - 25/01/18)

    My Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnC..._as=subscriber

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    • #3
      I have had rats under my sheds too. Rats hate disturbance. I got rid of them by generally annoying them , I kept putting bricks over the entrances and pushing my hosepipe into their runs. I kept on doing this and one day they had all gone. Hope you manage to get rid of them soon.
      Nestled somewhere in the Cambridgeshire Fens. Good soil, strong winds and 4 Giant Puffballs! https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...lies/smile.gif
      Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result
      https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ilies/wink.gif
      Forever indebted to Potstubsdustbins https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...lies/smile.gif

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      • #4
        They said on a morning programme there’s been a 51% rise in rat problems,because of the restaurants & cafes being closed,they’re looking elsewhere for food. The suggestion was to change your garden around so it’s different for them,they don’t like change,maybe block some of their runs against the fence,put something in the way. I had to use rat poison years ago before we had a cat. I put the poison into clingfilm like a packed lunch,down the hole I found,they multiply like rats otherwise.
        Location : Essex

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        • #5
          I built my sheds/summerhouse on slabs and the rats haven't been under them, I have had them after the bird feeders and did have to resort to drastic methods after trying to shoo them away failed. I now have rabbits again, so it may well be time for drastic action again. You can buy traps, I have one that traps them alive, I have only caught mice so far, so I guess the rats have moved on now to safer haunts, I let the mice go again and the rats could be released the other side of the railway. Grey Squirrels however cannot be released into the wild again as it is illegal to let alien pest species go.

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          • #6
            We had rats in the back garden a couple of years ago.
            They had found there way up from the sewer through a small hole in the inspection chamber.
            I got some bait from Wilco and then found that the local council deal with rats for free.
            They scoffed the Wilco poison first and then the stuff the council rat catcher put down.
            The inspection chamber belongs to Severn Trent water but getting them out was too much hassel so I filled the tunnel leading to the inspection chamber with concrete and rendered the inside of the chamber with a strong mix of cement.
            The rats are gone now...
            Click image for larger version

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            Near Worksop on heavy clay soil

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            • #7
              Contact your local council pest control dept, they should deal with it. left uncontrolled it will become an immense problem......rats multiply rapidly....ie litters of 8-10 every 3/4 weeks and females can breed from a very young age ie approx 8 weeks old . So do the Maths...its pretty alarming . Gp
              Never Let the BAD be the Enemy of the GOOD

              Conservation and Preservation for the Future Generation

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              • #8
                Rats are no different than hedgehogs, squirrels, blackbirds, cats, dogs etc. They're just living as best they can where they can. They're clean, familiy oriented animals who eat pests as well as plants.

                Why the hatred?
                Location:- Rugby, Warwckshire on Limy clay (within sight of the Cement factory)

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                • #9
                  Rats do a lot of damage to seed beds and gnaw our sheds and destroy stored seeds.
                  I have to have a steel ammo box the size of a suit case to stop rats pinching my seeds.
                  Near Worksop on heavy clay soil

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                  • #10
                    The easiest thing is to keep disturbing where they are. Regularly flood any tunnels, stick wire wool down them, move the earth around etc.

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                    • #11
                      Interesting, we have signs of rats at the bottom of the garden for the first time in 8 years! The local pub is shut so maybe that ties in with Jungle Jane's point above! As for getting rid, get a professional in.

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                      • #12
                        After over 15 years on our allotment with no sign of rats, we've all had a lot of trouble with rats this year with them being out and about in broad daylight taking food from people's chicken feeders while they are standing a few feet away. We discovered on our plots that they'd tunnelled into our polytunnel and then across both of the plots, under the raised beds and slabs to the chicken run where they were taking the food. I kept digging the beds to disturb them, hung the chicken feeder up off the floor on a string and they seem to have moved on. We have no water supply at the allotments so flooding them out is not an option. Others on our site have resorted to traps, poison and sonic scarers (though they don't think these are as effective as the advertisers claim)

                        When we had them at home under a concrete base, we put a hose into their exit hole and put gallons of water in there. It took a while but they did eventually leave.
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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Mark Rand View Post
                          Rats are no different than hedgehogs, squirrels, blackbirds, cats, dogs etc. They're just living as best they can where they can. They're clean, familiy oriented animals who eat pests as well as plants.

                          Why the hatred?

                          I agree with you and friends have had them as pets, very cute (domesticated species before anyone screams ) and would never harm one, however, they had to be encouraged to new pastures after gnawing their way into my shed and wreaking all kinds of havoc with everything in there.
                          Nestled somewhere in the Cambridgeshire Fens. Good soil, strong winds and 4 Giant Puffballs! https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...lies/smile.gif
                          Always aim for the best result possible not the best possible result
                          https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ilies/wink.gif
                          Forever indebted to Potstubsdustbins https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...lies/smile.gif

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                          • #14
                            When the children were small we lived in a little 2 up 2 down in an area due for demolition and had rats in the property. We had to dig out the bay window and fill it with concrete and ground glass, had to clap our hands when accessing the slot meter in the cellar and wipe every tin kept in the larder at the cellar head before we opened them. They often made an appearance in our kitchen and living room, so yes, I hate them even the ones outside. The Pest Control man who has been today says he has never been as busy as this.
                            Granny on the Game in Sheffield

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                            • #15
                              We had rats in the insulation when we lived in a terraced house as students.
                              At night they would somehow get into the bathroom and eat the soap
                              ( and yes... poo all over the place...ewwww.....)
                              "Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

                              Location....Normandy France

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