Got a chance to go ratting

[Pignut 4]

I have got the chance to go ratting with my two Patts and a friends two collies - all very keen!

 

I know that they are in the byre (shed) walls and underground but the only access points are at holes in the wall. Will the dog team still be effective or are they better suited to digging them up outside?

 

Also, when is the best time to do this - evening, daytime, early morning, when do rats leave their nests?

 

Sorry if these sound stupid questions, but rats are very rare here (Shetland) - I have only ever seen 2 in 10 years! Not like Britain, at all.

 

Please can you give me any tips and pointers. This will be our first real outing and we have to travel for 4 hours and on two ferries to get to where there are some rats!!

 

Cheers

Pignut

[harrycatcat 31]

Cant help mate as I am no expert but my terrier got her first rat the other day and hope to go to another place where chap said "100's of rats" but I have heard that one before.

I hope some one responds to your post that knows their stuff.

[Guest jrt]

hiya mate.. im in a slightly different position than you.. i dont have permission so i have to pick my times carefully.. but normally if i can i will take the dog for a mooch at dusk they seem to be out and i see more of them.. but saying that ive been out in the early hours and had a few

[dazbo 15]

you should take a smoker mate to smoke the rats out for the dogs then you can go what ever time you like.

also take a spade to dig out any in holes and and look through any piles of junk that they could hide in.

hope this helps

[Pignut 4]

A smoker is a good idea. How could I make a home-made one?

[dazbo 15]

A smoker is a good idea. How could I make a home-made one?

all you need is a old 2 stroke engine exstend the exhaust and away you go

try the key word serch at the bottom of the topic and type in smoker

ill try post pic s of mine tomorow mate

[scotrat 2]

A smoker is a good idea. How could I make a home-made one?

all you need is a old 2 stroke engine exstend the exhaust and away you go

try the key word serch at the bottom of the topic and type in smoker

ill try post pic s of mine tomorow mate

 

I use my patterdale for the ratting and if you go up during the day you can almost guarantee they will be tucked up in their burrows.Like gone bush has suggested I would use a smoker or 2 stroke petrol engine with a wee drop of mineral oil in the petrol to help it smoke.You can use any old 2stroke but I prefer something with a handle on it like an old strimmer or chain saw easily adapted with an hour and will have the rats running everywhere.

Its a rush if I was closer I would have come up and shown you how to do it

I would like to hear how you get on

Edited May 6, 2008 by scotrat

[katecampbell01 0]

Hey! Generally you can do rats any time of day, if you get a smoker then do them through the day, to start you just an old two stroke engine off something like a strimmer or saw, just make sure you take off all de limbing parts!!!! Put a bit of tough rubber pipe have a stong mix of two stroke and off you go, smoke the holes! And rats will soon come out. On the other hand if you cant get this then go out at dusk and stay out till yer torch runs out of battery!!! Rats tend to sleep through the day so don't bother in the morning unless you can smoke em out. Keep an eye on your dogs to, get them bit too much on there first outting you willsicken them, even if you just work a couple at a time then swap them. Also before you take the dogs, check the place out, block off a few holes, chuck a few obstacles like sticks in the paths, these will slow the rats down and give your mutts a better chance of a kill and thus improve their confidence. Remember and clean the dogs up after with a little salted water, cos rats carry some pretty maky diseses! Hope this helps buddie!

[harrycatcat 31]

I have an old two stroke hedge trimmer for a smoker, i have took the hedge trim bit off and a chap welded a bit on the exhaust so i push an old bit of flex off a dyson hoover and push it down the holes.

Folks take the p*ss cos i look like ghost busters coming with the yellow Mcullock engine and yellow flex.

But does the job.

[Pignut 4]

I have an old two stroke hedge trimmer for a smoker, i have took the hedge trim bit off and a chap welded a bit on the exhaust so i push an old bit of flex off a dyson hoover and push it down the holes.

Folks take the p*ss cos i look like ghost busters coming with the yellow Mcullock engine and yellow flex.

But does the job.

 

LOL!

[fireman 11,463]

Look over the ground find the runs and escape routes,clear any undergrowth block escape routes and don't forget your spades either,you won't get to all places with a smoker.A walk at dusk or after dark with a lamp should show you where most will be found and their runs.Good luck and enjoy.