No nothing to do with Jimmy Cagney,but looking in our compost today there looks like droppings a bit like torpedoes about an inch long so maybe rats.So the question is can I buy rat poison and if so where from?
You dirty rat!
- Thread starter ThePlotter
- Start date
If I was you Plotts I'd go about it the correct way, seek advice. The bait has to be put into a cage which prevents birds, hedgehogs and other wildlife from eating it. You would be in big trouble if your neighbours cat died and they did tests on it only to find it had eaten Warfarin or whatever else they use these days. Local councils charge these days, I believe about
My aunt lived in a first floor flat.
She called me one day and said she thought she'd got mice. I advised her to call the council.
The council pest controller came round and said he thought she'd got a rat in the kitchen. He put some bait in one of those black plastic containers in one of the bottom cupboards.
Her fruit kept disappearing from the fruit bowl. She rang me up distressed at the thought of a rat in the flat. I went round and looked in the bottom cupboard, no sign of anything untoward there. I pulled out the kickboard (if that's what it's called). OMG, there was enough fruit and biscuits in there to feed an army. Tissues and tea towels shredded for its bed.
No actual sign of the rat though. I cleaned the whole lot out, filled two bin liners, made me cringe. I put the kickboards back. Disinfected the whole kitchen (although by now my aunt was not really using it, just kept the door closed). She also insisted we throw away all her crockery, pans and utensils which I did. I rang the council pest controller again and he came out the next day. He put bait where the kick boards had been, and also in some other bottom cupboards.
Four days later, my aunt rang me in hysterics, the kitchen was plastered in blood. I went round and found the rat dead.
It turns out it had got through a tiny tiny hole in the wall. The council came out again (after I tore them off a strip) and fixed the hole. As I say, this was a first floor flat lived in by an old lady who was fastidious about hygiene.
It was horrible.
Lisa
She called me one day and said she thought she'd got mice. I advised her to call the council.
The council pest controller came round and said he thought she'd got a rat in the kitchen. He put some bait in one of those black plastic containers in one of the bottom cupboards.
Her fruit kept disappearing from the fruit bowl. She rang me up distressed at the thought of a rat in the flat. I went round and looked in the bottom cupboard, no sign of anything untoward there. I pulled out the kickboard (if that's what it's called). OMG, there was enough fruit and biscuits in there to feed an army. Tissues and tea towels shredded for its bed.
No actual sign of the rat though. I cleaned the whole lot out, filled two bin liners, made me cringe. I put the kickboards back. Disinfected the whole kitchen (although by now my aunt was not really using it, just kept the door closed). She also insisted we throw away all her crockery, pans and utensils which I did. I rang the council pest controller again and he came out the next day. He put bait where the kick boards had been, and also in some other bottom cupboards.
Four days later, my aunt rang me in hysterics, the kitchen was plastered in blood. I went round and found the rat dead.
It turns out it had got through a tiny tiny hole in the wall. The council came out again (after I tore them off a strip) and fixed the hole. As I say, this was a first floor flat lived in by an old lady who was fastidious about hygiene.
It was horrible.
Lisa
Actually rats aren't dirty mammals, they are very fastidious in their cleanliness. Unfortunately they carry micro organisms in their saliva and urine that doesn't agree with us humans.
I've been in many homes where the living accomodation and occupants were dirtier than rats.
I've been in many homes where the living accomodation and occupants were dirtier than rats.
we had a rat problem at one place i worked at. so after work one night my mate and i nailed a chunk of pork rind to a board and put it in a corner where they were getting in then we settled down with a flask and waited after about an hour we had 6 of them all trying to remove the bait so it was up with the trusty 12 bore and they got a seasoning of no 6 shot of Eley's best 6 with one cartridge was quite cost effective(and good sport)
The droppings are in the compost bin with the lid on so any poison in there can not be got at by our or neighbours cats etc.
I like the 12 bore idea 35 years ago a neighbour did just that with a water rat as we have the river at the bottom of the garden.
I like the 12 bore idea 35 years ago a neighbour did just that with a water rat as we have the river at the bottom of the garden.
Hi Plotts
It's not just where you place the poison, when the rodent dies, other animals will probably eat part of its remains. The poison will kill them too.
What you need is a good terrier.
Lisa
It's not just where you place the poison, when the rodent dies, other animals will probably eat part of its remains. The poison will kill them too.
What you need is a good terrier.
Lisa
I used to have a J.R worked her in obedience trials and also she loved ratting also i could put her into a hedge and she would flush out to the gun. really missed her when she went to the big kennel in the skyThis little dog is an excellent ratter.
My Schnauzers were originally bred to hunt and kill rats in Germany. My two would run if they saw one, they are wimps.
Sorry, not mine but the breed were bred for hunting rats .... sheesh why cant we have edit buttons :O(
Plotter,
Just to make sure you are talking about a compost bin at home and not a bag .... I thought so, just checking
I am reliably informed the only way you would be getting rats in or around your compost is if any meat product (or any cooked food for that matter) has been put in your compost bin.
If it is only paper, card, hair, vacuum bag contents, veggy off cuts, grass & other garden off cuts. You should be ok, but rats are only supposed to be attracted to meat.
Hope this helps
Just to make sure you are talking about a compost bin at home and not a bag .... I thought so, just checking
I am reliably informed the only way you would be getting rats in or around your compost is if any meat product (or any cooked food for that matter) has been put in your compost bin.
If it is only paper, card, hair, vacuum bag contents, veggy off cuts, grass & other garden off cuts. You should be ok, but rats are only supposed to be attracted to meat.
Hope this helps
Hi Rubix
Sorry to contradict you but wild rats are omnivorous - they eat a variety of different things - nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, fruits, insects, worms, eggs, dead animals, frogs, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Having spent lots of years on farms and livery yards, believe me, I've seen the evidence. They are also not shy and will often come out during the day and walk in front of you, when they are only a few feet away.
Lisa
Sorry to contradict you but wild rats are omnivorous - they eat a variety of different things - nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, fruits, insects, worms, eggs, dead animals, frogs, fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Having spent lots of years on farms and livery yards, believe me, I've seen the evidence. They are also not shy and will often come out during the day and walk in front of you, when they are only a few feet away.
Lisa
Agree with Lisa there. They practically eat anything, that is why people need to be careful about them around electric cables.
A cornered rat will even attack you, ask any coal miner.
A cornered rat will even attack you, ask any coal miner.
Totally agree,we have rats in the garden even tho' everyone baits with nuclear strength poison supplied by one of the neighbours who works for a chemical company. As we live next to a railway , surrounded by farmland it is to be expected and the matter was made worse when the nearby psychiatric hospital was closed and redeveloped.
I'm told the new development has a real problem with rats ,funny it didnt say that in their marketing blurb ;O)
I'm told the new development has a real problem with rats ,funny it didnt say that in their marketing blurb ;O)
Strangely enough, I called the pest control man this morning, as I have found evidence of rodent droppings in my flat roof extension, what ever it is had gotten into the clockroom, and made a start on biting the bottom of the door, and also biting the plaster off the walls.
He put bait into the roof and also behind the pipe cover in the loo and will return in a week to see whats what. The pest man seems to think the "thing" is taking refuge in my extension, and feasting on neighbours chicken food. Ironically the people who live on the other side of the chickens have also have had problems with vermin.
We usually have a rat or two turning up on my bird table during the winter, and yes, they will live in the compost bin, and also underneath the garden shed. Usually a visit from the council pest control with suffice (FOC) but due to the work load, he has normally taken about 7-10days before he's turned up.
On this occasion, I called in a private pest company, he was here immediately and charged
He put bait into the roof and also behind the pipe cover in the loo and will return in a week to see whats what. The pest man seems to think the "thing" is taking refuge in my extension, and feasting on neighbours chicken food. Ironically the people who live on the other side of the chickens have also have had problems with vermin.
We usually have a rat or two turning up on my bird table during the winter, and yes, they will live in the compost bin, and also underneath the garden shed. Usually a visit from the council pest control with suffice (FOC) but due to the work load, he has normally taken about 7-10days before he's turned up.
On this occasion, I called in a private pest company, he was here immediately and charged
The problem creature is in a commercial composting bin you can see where it has got in where there is a gap in the trap door at the bottom and has burrowd up to the top where it appears to be living on cabbage leaves etc and from now on rat poison which I bought this morning from B&Q it is in the bin so no other animals can get to it I have also put sone in the shed which is next to the composter and shows signs of vermin paying a visit.I suspect half the problem are caused by them being attracted by the neighbours putting out large quantities of bread for the birds.
They could even be nesting in the middle of the compost bin Plotts. Rotting vegetation gives off heat so they are probably quite snug and what more can they need than people throwing stuff in the bin for their breakfast.
I wouldn't think putting out bread for the birds would make any difference at all, rats are probably the most adaptable and successful animal on the planet and would be thereabouts, bread or not.
I wouldn't think putting out bread for the birds would make any difference at all, rats are probably the most adaptable and successful animal on the planet and would be thereabouts, bread or not.
I agree LB some years ago when I had a greenhouse we became aware of a rat and called in the ratman who found that the rat had collected all the neighbours bird bread and took it into our greenhose where there hidden away was a pile about equivalent to three loaves!
I read that there are now in excess of 80 million rats in Britain and multiplying rapidly. The main reason is the fact that lazy Brits throw the fast food wrappings and leftovers all over the street and of course this free food attracts the rats.
The bright side is that they now think that Black Death was not caused by rats so there is hope yet.
The bright side is that they now think that Black Death was not caused by rats so there is hope yet.
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