Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Rat control and poison issues  (Read 3593 times)

GribinIsaf

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Montgomeryshire
    • Gribin Isaf
Rat control and poison issues
« on: November 17, 2018, 10:35:14 pm »
For the first time this Autumn we have been aware of rat activity.  I am sure they have always been around but hitherto have kept a very low profile.

Evidence of rats visiting the roof space in the house roof and also activity around poultry enclosures have led to us for the first time to buy some poison and bait stations.

Tonight one of the dogs caught a rat and that made us hesitate.... What are the chances of a rat ingesting poison which can then get into a dog - either by a live catch or finding a dead poisoned one?

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2018, 07:00:15 am »
Quite high and not just dogs but wildlife too.  We use poison and the first job of the day is a sweep round to find any bodies and remove them before the dogs are allowed into the yard.  A favourite place for rats to die is with their heads in the muck heap with the bodies outside.

DavidandCollette

  • Joined Dec 2012
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2018, 09:32:24 am »
This is a real problem for us this year. We use poison as well as fenn traps. The dogs sometimes dig one out, but I'm always able to get the dogs to give them up fairly quickly.also bought a treadle feeder for the chickens to ensure that we are not feeding the rats as well. The air rifle comes in handy as well! I always use poison in block form so that I can spring them onto a length of wire and fasten it to something so that they have to eat the poison there and then, they can't take it away and store it

GribinIsaf

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Montgomeryshire
    • Gribin Isaf
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2018, 09:39:57 am »
Thank you both.

We too have tightened up on poultry feed, using treadle feeders and other devices to limit access.

We also are using  block poison in a way so it can't be moved.

Worry is that a dog will have a rat, either dead or alive, containing poison.  As we spotted it last night we were able to get the dog to give it up quickly but we might not always spot it that quickly.

Was hesitant about use of poison anyway due to possible dangers to other wildlife.  Certainly don't want to use it habitually.

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2018, 09:49:13 am »
Snap traps are not without problems. Easy to catch hedgehogs, or only injure the rat and they need to be in tunnels to avoid snapping dogs and cats- we had one hidden in the garage that ended up on our dogs' nose! Poison for us would be a disaster as our dog would be certain to eat them, as would the numerous birds of prey here including our resident barn owl. No guarantee mice and voles aren't eating the poison as well as the rats.


My preference is for a cage trap and an air pistol to humanely despatch any rats caught.

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2018, 10:25:58 am »
Place bait in stations as you have bought or out of reach of dogs. Ours aren’t ratters but we pick up any dead rats and dispose of before the dogs have a chance to find them. I’m sure more must crawl off somewhere secluded to die but the odd ones we find are moved pretty quick.


Put all feed and bedding on pallets, move everything off the ground. Under the chicken houses is normally a favourite nesting place for them so ours are all on pallets raised up too.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #6 on: November 18, 2018, 03:01:41 pm »
I've used the snap traps in the barn, keeping cat in house while they are set. I leave them baited but unset until bait (soft bread pressed together ) and sprinkled with tiny bits of feed has gone, then set it. Last time I heard it go off as I locked the door!
If using fenn traps we have a wood tunnel, trap set in middle. Set inside they shouldn't catch hedgehogs? Hope not. Maybe a block entrance slightly once bait is going?

GribinIsaf

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Montgomeryshire
    • Gribin Isaf
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2018, 11:13:31 am »
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts. It is really helpful to get a range of responses with details of how people manage this.

Thanks for that eBay link Scarlet.Dragon

For the time being we are going to concentrate on non-poison strategies.

Steph Hen

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Angus Scotland.
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2018, 01:20:30 pm »
Anything that can fit in your tunnel can get caught. Stoat? Small rabbit? I once caught a kitten in a fenn trap in a very small tunnel. It was horrendous.  The most humane would be the cage trap and air gun. Then I can let the stoats go. Although rats don't stay still in the cages and are still tricky to shoot.

clanger

  • Joined May 2018
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2018, 04:30:50 pm »
I find lead to be the safest, care of a 22 air rifle. So as to ensure a humane kill, I use a bait of peanut butter to lure them as they have to eat it at the feed station and cannot grab the food and run.


I put the food out when the birds go to bed for a couple of days so that the rats get used to it. On the third day, I lie in wait.  If I do then have a runner that was not a clean kill, if the dogs or cats (or Red Kite) find the carcass, at least it will be safe for them.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2018, 10:08:50 pm »
Anything that can fit in your tunnel can get caught. Stoat? Small rabbit? I once caught a kitten in a fenn trap in a very small tunnel. It was horrendous.  The most humane would be the cage trap and air gun. Then I can let the stoats go. Although rats don't stay still in the cages and are still tricky to shoot.
We have never caught anything we didn't want to, but we don't have kittens about, and I gladly catch stoats, watching the security video, one dragging my call duck away, still flapping her wings trying to escape was heartbreaking, i hate them.

sabrina

  • Joined Nov 2008
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2018, 02:39:05 pm »
I have 2 cats from the CPL. One was a young feral when she came but not so much now. Both cats live in our barn and are great hunters. I went out the other morning and the younger one was very eager to show me her prize. One big rat. In the past our Jack Russel got them but he past away this year. As I have free range chickens no poison.

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #12 on: November 23, 2018, 08:21:36 am »
I suspect that the rats around here look upon cats and dogs as an everyday hazzard just like crossing the road.

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2018, 03:04:34 am »
https://www.pctonline.com/article/secondary-poisoning-concerns-with-rodent-baits/

It is pretty unlikely if your careful that its only rodents have access to the poison.

GribinIsaf

  • Joined Aug 2015
  • Montgomeryshire
    • Gribin Isaf
Re: Rat control and poison issues
« Reply #14 on: November 28, 2018, 09:15:46 am »
https://www.pctonline.com/article/secondary-poisoning-concerns-with-rodent-baits/

It is pretty unlikely if your careful that its only rodents have access to the poison.

Thanks for that link.

 

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