Getting rid of the rats?

[kozzi 0]

Hi, just wanted to know the best way to get rid of the rats without killing my two dogs that have free rein around the place and my son who is 2 and into everything. Shooting is a last resort as I haven't the time. If I bait traps will the rats make it back home or will my dogs find them laying about waiting to be eaten?

Seem to be more about now the corn has been cut and our stores of hay and straw for the horses are full.

Any help well appreciated.

Live near Ipswich if anyone wants to come one evening and bang a few with their airrifles.

[fenman1# 724]

hi,

id have a crack at it but is there anychance in useing dogs not really into the guns you see?

cheers mate

[fireman 11,379]

Can the straw and hay be moved out so some dogs could have a go?,if so i'm not to far from you and don't mind moving a few bails for a bit of sport with my dogs.If not a few live catch traps or fenns in a tunnel should be safe enough for the dogs and kids,is there a good few there as if any of the above are no good then i would bring my misses lad for a pop at them with the pellet flinger.

[john b 38]

If you have a definite 'problem' then it's probably worth getting some professional help to cull them back, but if we're talking about prevention and maintenance it sounds to me like a good candidate for spring traps in boxes.

That way you can clip lids on, of put a few bricks on top etc which should stop most fingers. These are not all my own but pictures I have collected off here and other forums.

 

 

 

 

[stubby 175]

have you seen/got actual rat burrows, or are they just coming in from anywhere?

 

if you have burrows,we have terriers and a noiseless smoker

 

if not, I'd go with john's suggestion, pick up some break back rat traps, place in boxes, poison free so no risk to the dogs or little one

[Hedge_hunter27 18]

I kept seeing a few rats in the hay barn at the farm where I keep my horse so I asked Pointer who is a member on here to show me how to set a fen trap. Pointer loaned me a box & trap & after a couple of days of waiting this was the result.

 

 

 

After that success I re-set the trap & after a few days low & behold yet another one.

 

 

 

Had a few more over the past couple of weeks but don't have any recent photo's.

 

I find the fen trap most effective for those places a dog just can't get but also find my dog is in effective rat catcher when I clear the hay barn out.

 

[kozzi 0]

I would just like to say a great big " thanks" to all of you who have expressed an interest in my post and have either replied or PM'd me!

After talking with the wife, my dog located several holes under the stable and cart lodge, a few under the compost heap and some in the stream bank running paralell with my land. She has since flushed a couple of rats from the bushes but being a large dog didn't stand a chance.

The PRO'S will be called next week to deal with the problem, I have neither the time nor the experience to deal with them myself!

Again many thanks, you have all done yourselves proud in my book.

Scott

[IanB 0]

Lockable bait stations with poison blocks through a support bar, so the bait can't be removed isolate any other food sources or use bodygrips / fenns in suitable tunnels..

[Matt 160]

If you need advice on a good local pro, drop me a PM.

 

I would advise you to have some AF rat boxes properly installed (screwed down), and use them to bait the existing population, combined with some burrow baiting.

 

Once your existing infestation is dealt with, install some Kness break back traps in the AF boxes and remove the poison. These (maybe utilising some Fenns too) will pick up the rats as they arrive on your premises, and should you be unlucky enough to have a similar problem in the future, will provide an already accepted (rats are neophobic) way of baiting them.

 

You shouldn't worry too much about the effect of baited rats on your dogs. They would have to eat a considerable number to have any significant effect on their health. Loose baits and horses/horse feed are a bit of a problem though, so ensure any bait is either right down the burrows (and they are then blocked) or fixed into boxes which do not move.

 

New labelling restrictions now mean that anyone using the 'second generation' anticoagulants will need to carry out 'frequent searches for dead bodies', and I'm sure you will assist with that.

 

There is also now a legal requirement to remove all bait 'at the end of the treatment', and the majority of baits have a 26 week maximum time limit for their use.

 

One last thing, not all pro's are that 'professional', so beware......... (Local Authorities are the worst IMHO).

 

Any advice needed, drop me a line - if I was nearer, I'd drop in and help you sort it out.