rat problem

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KathJ
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Re: rat problem

Post by KathJ »

We'd had another little visitor a couple of nights ago as he'd left behind a little indicator to say he'd been there yike* We haven't seen any for months but it was that really cold night so probably wanted some shelter. We have a rat proof feeder now which is really good so nothing for him to eat. We set the 3 traps again outside and caught the poor little thing the next night (or one of his mates anyway!!) )t'
Kath xx

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RIP my beautiful Ranger, Roxy, Bluebelle, Poppy, Speckle, Daisy and Honey xxxx
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wendy
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Re: rat problem

Post by wendy »

I am in a battle with mice in the utility room.
I have, so far, caught 6 and there is another hanging around.
It is either an infestation or I have the same two/3 coming in. As I have caught 2 together, in the trap twice.
I have blocked all possible holes that I thought, they might squeeze through.
Twice this new little so & so has eaten the food from the trap. So we try again tonight.
But they are so tiny now. Not heavy enough to set it off yike*
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Mo
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Re: rat problem

Post by Mo »

Is your trap the sort that breaks their neck, or do you send them outside to come back?
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wendy
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Re: rat problem

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I send them outside to come back. {rofwl} {rofwl}
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Gwenoakes
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Re: rat problem

Post by Gwenoakes »

You must be gluten for punishment, Wendy.

We have just laid more poison down as they are appearing once again.
I am not sure if I am teaching anyone how to suck eggs, but they can get through anything as small as a Bic biro size hole.
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kitla
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Re: rat problem

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The first time we had mice in our house we caught them & put them outside, but didnt realise they were popping in through the vent bricks again. Since then we've blocked all vents & gaps big enough to fit a pencil (info from a pest controller) with wire mesh & now they cant get in!
Our rats all stopped appearing within a week of the poison being laid. The boxes were rebaited & left for another 10 days but I'm so worried about other creatures getting in I've put wire grills in front of them all, I'll be glad when they're taken away. Then we'll fill in the burrows & pour Jeyes down them - which stops them being reused apparently. Its nice not worrying about the rats but I still feel sad for having to do it.
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wendy
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Re: rat problem

Post by wendy »

I cannot see any small spaces they can get through.
The 1st greyhound I had died mysteriously after 4 months. {cry} The RVC did a post mortem and couldn't find a reaon for the stomach bleed that killed him and thought it might be rat poison. Wasn't from me. But maybe a mouse he ate had eaten it. So I don't use poison would do that to anyone's cat or dog
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kitla
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Re: rat problem

Post by kitla »

Wendy that's why it was a last resort using poison, especially as the neighbours cat catches young rats. That was also why us and the neighbour paid a professional to do it as safely as possible. My elderly neighbour the other side told me his friend gave him some rat poison & he'd scattered it behind his greenhouse yike* That was the final decider for me to get someone in!
By the way, I was reminded that any dead rats we found should be bagged before going in the bin to protect the wildlife that feed off landfill - something that I woudnt have thought about!
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
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wendy
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Re: rat problem

Post by wendy »

This morning I caught the 7th mouse.
As I have said they are so small. I think they are a litter that has been born in there yike*
Lets see if we have anymore tell tale signs in the morning. Seven is quite enough !
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KathJ
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Re: rat problem

Post by KathJ »

We caught another 'Roland' in the trap last night. He's been drowned, bagged and binned! I know it's sad but they need to go from around the girls. They've got acres and acres around us to roam about in peace }hairout{
Kath xx

Mum to my beautiful girls Lucy, Holly, Rosie, Hettie, Polly, Ruby, Lily, Penny, Gracie, Maisie, Molly, Evie and my gorgeous boy Toby

RIP my beautiful Ranger, Roxy, Bluebelle, Poppy, Speckle, Daisy and Honey xxxx
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wendy
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Re: rat problem

Post by wendy »

Heaven forbid .... there is another one ....
Now to catch this one !
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Mo
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Re: rat problem

Post by Mo »

wendy wrote:Heaven forbid .... there is another one ....
Now to catch this one !

There's only one. You'll have to put a blob of nail varnish on his tail and be more bruta; if it comes back.
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Mo
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Re: rat problem

Post by Mo »

Mine get in the loft.
I caught one in a bag of (bulk purchase) oats one time.
And they like polystyrene Christmas decorations.

I've stopped storing apple in the garage too.

Not so good when they die between the loft floorboards and the ceiling. Nasty stain comes through.
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Gwenoakes
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Re: rat problem

Post by Gwenoakes »

Not so good when they die between the loft floorboards and the ceiling. Nasty stain comes through.[/quote]

Even worse is the horrendous foul smell that comes into the bedrooms, especially when they come down into the bathroom light and lay there spread eagled. YUK, YUK, YUK, YUK.

I bet there are more Wendy and I do not envy you at all.
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KathJ
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Re: rat problem

Post by KathJ »

We had to stop storing apples in the garage too and potatoes as last year they ate through a hessian sack to get at them. They also like leather boots }hairout{ I'd put three pairs up in the loft and when I went to get them out they'd gnawed through the front of one boot in each pair so they all had to be thrown }hairout{ }hairout{
Kath xx

Mum to my beautiful girls Lucy, Holly, Rosie, Hettie, Polly, Ruby, Lily, Penny, Gracie, Maisie, Molly, Evie and my gorgeous boy Toby

RIP my beautiful Ranger, Roxy, Bluebelle, Poppy, Speckle, Daisy and Honey xxxx
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