Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Rat control  (Read 14676 times)

Stereo

  • Joined Aug 2012
Re: Rat control
« Reply #30 on: November 19, 2014, 01:33:39 pm »
Anyone use an electronic ultrasound scarer ?

I know they don't kill them but if you only have 1 or 2 might move them on.

I've got one in the shed for mice. They poo on it.

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Rat control
« Reply #31 on: November 19, 2014, 02:27:38 pm »
Some interesting vids on youtube about folk making DIY NV set ups with sony camcorders. The cheapest proper NV scope seems to be the Yukon Photon at £400!

This is what I'd like to do but just do not have the confidence with electronics/tech devices.

That's why I Wondered if anyone has made one and next question, if I got all the bits and paid time would they make me one?  :)

Stereo

  • Joined Aug 2012
Re: Rat control
« Reply #32 on: November 27, 2014, 07:27:26 pm »
Went up tonight with the air gun and a head torch and bagged a couple but it was tricky. The head torch is not great and it's not easy to keep the light lined up with the scope. It sort of worked so might try fixing a mag light to the gun next time. I reckon with a proper night scope I could have a field day but that doesn't come cheap. Would be fun though.

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: Rat control
« Reply #33 on: November 27, 2014, 10:33:10 pm »
There is really no need to go to the expense of hight scopes etc.

 Find some where that you can lay up and shoot from then about 25 mtrs away simply set up a ring of led lights about five feet from the ground  and place some bait oin the frog of a brick  under each one.  Restock it at the same time in early evening each night.  The rats will take about three to five days & nights to take to the feeding station . Learning the stocking up time as well .

 One night when the wind is to your face whilst your laid up re-bait a bit earlier and take up the shooting position .

 The rats will come along as happy as ... SPLAT !  You should make several kills in the first evening . clean up every now & them  during the session  . Leave off shooting for a couple of days but keep up the refills using only a bit of food this time and repeat the shooting .

 It could take a month or more before the rats become food shy at this location so relocate the lights  elsewhere and repeat as before .
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

HesterF

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Kent
  • HesterF
Re: Rat control
« Reply #34 on: November 27, 2014, 11:20:52 pm »
So I've got rats under two of my poultry sheds. The cat brought in one the other day that was 18 inches long (12 inches of body, 6 inches of tail). Anyhow, not sure whether this applies to all councils but our local one sends out the pest controller for free for all rat problems. He came today and reckoned they're getting in and out of the poultry run over the seven foot fence. They're definitely getting in and out because there's not enough water in the run for them to be breeding there. Given the run is currently half mud bath with plenty of water around for the ducks, this was quite surprising. He's set poisoned bait points on the outside of the run because even a grain of the bait is fatal to the chickens and will come back and check it weekly until we're clear. Yay! He did say the freebie service in theory only applies within a certain (short) distance of the house but for the sake of simplicity they don't normally charge at all (given he was about 200m from the house at the time, I was pretty happy!). Worth a try elsewhere?


Stereo

  • Joined Aug 2012
Re: Rat control
« Reply #35 on: November 28, 2014, 02:06:17 pm »
We're in the middle of nowhere and on a farm so I doubt we would get any help. I'll try the lights idea. If I pick up some cheap solar ones and wrap in red cotton would that do?

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: Rat control
« Reply #36 on: November 28, 2014, 03:13:23 pm »
If you want red LEDs, how about some cheap rear bike lights from fleabay?
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

Stereo

  • Joined Aug 2012
Re: Rat control
« Reply #37 on: November 28, 2014, 03:39:38 pm »
I guess, might be a bit bright though? Also would need to turn them off afterwards. The solar ones would not need any input once set up. Good news is that the blighters have started eating the poison I got finally. Left it in an upturned plastic storage box with a rock on top and some corn and they have been at it (after 2 weeks). I can't remember the name but it's apparently harmless to anything buy rodents. We'll see.

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Rat control
« Reply #38 on: December 09, 2014, 01:31:43 pm »
Only just seen this about red led lights. That's interesting, will try!
I've caught four now in my traps. Got the most recent fen trap, but baby started crying so had to leave it... Next morning, the trap had been dragged back into another hole in the pile and rat gone (eaten)

cloddopper

  • Joined Jun 2013
  • South Wales .Carmarthenshire. SA18
Re: Rat control
« Reply #39 on: December 12, 2014, 12:00:53 pm »
We're in the middle of nowhere and on a farm so I doubt we would get any help. I'll try the lights idea. If I pick up some cheap solar ones and wrap in red cotton would that do?

 I was not meaning for you to use red Led lights to illuminate the area , simple one pound a go stick in the ground jobbies from pound land or a string of out door white LED Christmas lights running off a protected mains extension cable .

( Protected from the elements at the plug /connection in points )
Or

If you can afford a bit more for the mains light go for a 10 or 20 watt led white light flood lights they will easily illuminate a 50 yard circle it they are slightly elevated to say 8 foot up.. ( plenty on the internet @ £10  - 40 ish )


It is all about getting the rats to feel comfortable eating whilst the light is on over a couple of days  . Once they are hooked & not afraid of the light then you shoot them with ease .  It means putting the light on at some time before dark and doing the shooting when you observe their developed feeding habit time.
Strong belief , triggers the mind to find the way ... Dyslexia just makes it that bit more amusing & interesting

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Rat control
« Reply #40 on: December 12, 2014, 12:35:16 pm »
Why not get pest control in?
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