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budgie123

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Posts posted by budgie123

  6. Help needed!

    in Ferrets & Ferreting

    Posted

    Since they stopped producing them every supplier I have tried has sold out. In conjunction with this suddenly Ebay became full of them with some going for double there original value and more. Obviously some people saw this coming and bought up stock with a view to making something on them. Watch ebay though as there is still some people selling them at a realistic price.

  7. Never too old for a career change..

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    I did a career change at 40 being sick of continental shifts.

    I completed 4 one day training courses at Killgerm at Ossett as they are local to me then applied for jobs. Turned down on the 1st interview as they wanted an experienced technician but was fortunate with the second at a Local Authority. 

    15 years later and in hindsight I wish I had gone into the industry a lot earlier.

    I had interests in field sports but be aware it is a vastly different to that other than if you work predominantly in rural pest control.

    When questioning the manager who gave me the job later he reported they had found that employing people with no pest control experience had proved for them more successful.

    I received on the job training going out with all the current Technicians learning how to do the job and possibly more important how to do it safely. How to relate information to people across a diverse spectrum of society. You must not underestimate to need to be able to communicate with all aspects of society.

    The route which I have taken makes me sceptical how anyone can just transition into this job with minimum information set up on their own and work safely in all aspects of the job.

    To be successful on your own you need to be aware of the need to gain commercial contract work. Most private pest controllers base their business on 60% commercial contract work and 40% reactive treatments. Without commercial contracts you will not be able to make a living. The reactive work fluctuates year on year but the commercial contract work gives you a fixed income annually.

    In the current climate jumping into pest control seems madness. We have a portfolio of over 300 contracts with some that have been suspended since April possibly never to reopen and the situation is becoming worse. Until this whole terrible situation unravels life through a vaccine returns to normal what ever that may be and the furlough scheme ends no one knows what will happen with commercial contract work.

    I would advice you gain employment with one of the main companies for no other reason than gaining knowledge experience training and an in depth understanding how to do the job and safely. There work will be predominantly commercial contract work if not 100% but you will gain knowledge and experience how to set them up and what expectations some customers have.

    AT one point the service I work for was going to be outsourced so I looked towards setting up myself. I did some training on running a business marketing  and finance.

    Make sure you do your home work and maths on running the business in your particular area. Can you make a living within the constraints of what your competitors are charging including the local authority.

    Would you be better of working form some one??

    If working for a company is 100% not what you want just use it for what it is for a period to gain knowledge and experience let the current situation resolve and then jump ship.

    Good luck with whatever decision you make.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 3

  8. Telemetry

    in Falconry

    Posted

    Can anyone recommend some one who repairs this type of equipment.

    I am looking for someone who can repair ferret finders as deben who manufactured them have stopped production and support.

     

  9. Goodnature traps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    A gentleman on a training course where a sales rep was singing their praise said it is all in the name good nature because that is all they are good for because they catch nothing his experience.

    When you face the very real challenge of neophobia with rats why would this device be any different.

    In respect to squirrels fen traps in boxes or magnum traps do it every time and a lot cheaper.

  10. Kennel Dog Boxes.

    in Working Dogs & Livestock

    Posted

    Kennel Dog Boxes.

    View Advert

    Kennel Dog Boxes.

    kennel Dog Boxes.

    Galvanised Steel Box Section Frames with Timber Sides.

    Bottom and top fix together with 4 screws. Hole in the top is for a heat lamp.

    Measurements  1200mm high x 600mm wide x 800mm long.

    Step to front 300mm wide.

    Bottom section 500mm high x 600mm wide x 800mm long.

    2 available will sell separately.

    Located LS25 4AQ.

     

  15. Wasps

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    First wasp nest today.

    Just the queen no workers but they were only about a week from emerging.

    Wood wasp with nest in a garden shed.

    Another queen was chewing timber on another shed in the garden.

    High numbers of queens around the area.

  16. Killgerm

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted

    I work for a Local Authority and we never seem to have many problems with product supply but we do collect most orders.

    What impresses me the most is the all round service we get not just product supply.

    We are registered with their waste scheme which runs seamlessly.

    Their Technical Department also provide excellent support on insect identification and treatment difficulties at no charge. They have a wealth of knowledge and experience which is shared feely.

    There training is also excellent and they strive to deliver relevant courses and keep everyone up to date with the raft of changes the industry is facing.

    Personally I found Murry Anderson one of the most engaging trainers I have ever come across and he would answer any question asked. It was a sad day when he retired but Mathew has taken up the mantel and I find him an excellent and engaging trainer and again will take time to answer any question.

    I think the criticism Pirate fails to see the wider picture and services they provide there far more than just a supplier of products.

  18. Bedlington greyhound

    in Lurchers & Running Dogs

    Posted

    They are both dogs I have had another dog and my mate has had 2 and they were all round 22 inches. 

    Good luck with your breeding it sounds like you will be onto a winner with the Bedlington.

    The litters I have seen have all been very even with bitches just slightly smaller but like peas in a pod.

    There was another post just search Bedlington greyhound which got a lot of response an information not too long ago.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1

  20. Fleas

    in Lurchers & Running Dogs

    Posted

    Hi from your description you are indicating the issue is in your kennels.

    I am a Pest Control officer and regularly undertake flea treatments.

    Understanding the flea life cycle is important so you use products to cover the various life stages.

    Not wanting to appear a clever shit but a flea lays an egg from which the larvae emerges time taken to emerge is temperature related the cooler the temperature the longer it takes.

    The larvae feed for a period of time and then pupate again temperature and available food source related.

    They pupate and emerge as the flea after a period which is governed by temperature. This is what you will be seeing as you describe they go for a period and then return. The period of development in a cold kennel will be possibly as much as a month.

    To be able to reproduce fleas need the blood of the host animal so are species specific but can feed of us and non host blood and survive.

    Talk of fleas from other species of animals such as rabbits and hedgehogs is not feasible in my opinion as said they need blood from their host to be able to reproduce.

    No insecticide products are capable of killing the pupae stage but physical methods such as steam can.

    Because of the life stages you need to use a residual(long lasting insecticide) in conjunction with things like insecticidal smoke generator(smoke bombs) as they float on air flow for roughly 2hrs killing anything they contact settle and are gone. Do not breath this in or allow the dog to. They have no residual activity. The residual insecticide will remain active on surfaces and kill fleas as they emerge from the pupae stage 

    Products you use can be a risk to your dogs particularly water based or liquid insecticide.Do not allow the dog onto sprayed surface until fully dry or the dog can lick the insecticide from the paws and ingest it.

    Also in a kennel environment the conditions in respect to dirt will impact on the efficacy( ability to work effectively) of any insecticide and residual activity.

    The fleas particularly the larvae stage will have crawled into cracks and crevices.

    There is a product called diatamatious earth which is a powder based on microscopic pieces of silica dust in a chalk carrier which is non insecticidal and kills insects by rubbing away the outer skin of the insect which dies from desiccation. This posses no risk to you dogs and can be brushed into cracks and crevices. Because it is physical method of control there is no resistance to it.

    Treating the dog with a flea product in theory treats the whole environment as the fleas have to come onto the dog to feed to be able to reproduce so at some stage will contact the treatment. Fleas do not live permanently on the dog.

    I come across so many people who despite using a number of products still have a problem and you have to question is there resistance. But on the flip side I visit a cattery where the owner continues to achieve 100% success with frontline and insists the majority of the problems are relating to poor application. Her words it is a 2 man job to apply effectively.

    When I first started pest control we did one application of water based insecticide on the carpets with no call backs.

    14 years later and it seems impossible to resolve domestic cat or dog flea problems in one visit despite using a water based insecticide and apply a ULV treatment which is basically a insecticidal fog produced by an electric machine same as a smoke bomb.

    I also come across customers who have spent considerable sums of money on products trying to deal with it themselves.

    When properties have a lot of hard flooring it is a particular challenge with the water based insecticides struggling to gain control on hard surfaces. 

    We rotate insecticides due to talk of resistance but available products is limited and is shrinking due to new directives.

    From training vacuuming has the potential to crash number by up to 80%.

    Washing dog bedding at 60 degrees kills all life stages.

    Tumble drying items on the hot cycle for 30 minutes kills all life stages.

    On a recent job for cat fleas I had major problems resolving activity in one room with polished floor boards I eventually had to spend considerable time brushing diatamatious earth into all cracks and crevices which resolved the problem.

    Good luck.

     

     

    • Like 6

  21. Part Time Pest Control Officer Required.

    in Snaring, Trapping & Pest Control

    Posted · Edited by budgie123

    Due to staff absence due to illness Wakefield Council are looking for a qualified Pest Control Technician on a temporary basis undertaking domestic and commercial reactive treatments and contract service visits across the Wakefield area.

    The length of this appointment is currently unknown.

    For any further information you can contact me on 07713329853 or Wakefield Environmental Health Department on 03458506506.

    Thanks martin.

    • Like 1

  24. Mk3 M

    in Ferrets & Ferreting

    Posted

    As others have said sounds like collar batteries.

    The only criticism I have of the locator is poor battery life.

    It is critical the batteries are in good order and I now change them regularly.

    My mates and me have had issues even with new ones. You just don't know how long people have had them in the shop.

    There is a device seen on utube for testing the batteries but they are crap. They show batteries at 100% but they wont run the collar.

    I use rechargeable batteries in the locator and get a season out of a battery.

    Again the locator seems to be heavy on batteries.

    Obviously battery life depends on how much you use it and on the land we ferret it gets some use.

     

  25. Ferret Wanted

    in Ferrets & Ferreting

    Posted

    Hi my ferreting mate is looking to purchase an Albino Jill ferret for breeding.

    He has a dog line of ferrets which he can trace back nearly 30 years breeding worker after worker.

    Unfortunately he has lost the bitch line with the bitches failing to breed anymore.

    I only keep dogs so cannot help.

    We are willing to travel and pay for a Jill from genuine working stock and are willing to exchange any young if you wanted some.

    We live in West Yorkshire but as previously stated we are willing to travel for the right stock.

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