[Declan]

I caught a bloody big rat that was holes up in the back of the goat house. I got him in one of those live catch traps. I don't have a gun- how should I have killed it?!!

[Fleecewife]

That's the problem with a live catch trap    What did you do?  I know a very soft hearted lady who catches her rats that way then puts the trap in the back of her pick-up and drives miles to release it somewhere in the middle of nowhere.  Hmm.

[lazybee]

My Fox terrier dispatches them as quick as a flash as soon as they run out of the trap. If you are going to be catching more you should probably get an air pistol but it will only be good at point blank range. Some people (my neighbour ) submerges his trap in his water butt. I can't bring myself to do it like that though.

[plumseverywhere]

My Cats do the job for me. sadly they also bring them into the house to prove that they did it, bleugh.

[jinglejoys]

My Fox terrier dispatches them as quick as a flash as soon as they run out of the trap. If you are going to be catching more you should probably get an air pistol but it will only be good at point blank range. Some people (my neighbour ) submerges his trap in his water butt. I can't bring myself to do it like that though.

   The RSPCA prosecuted  someone for drowning an animal in a live trap the other day...mind you it was a fluffy little squirrel,I doubt they'd take notice of a rat

[Declan]

Here was my predicament. My cat got killed on the road 5 weeks ago. My new kitten isn't just that far on yet- although he is having a go at mice. We are not allowed pistols over here in NI- the red tape in having a gun is horrendous. I drowned it. Sorry if anyone is offended. It took about 45 seconds. Still my conscience is getting at my a bit and thats why i posted this. Might have to look at getting a gun if this is going ot be a regular occurance.

[plumseverywhere]

I'm so sorry to hear about your cat, that is so sad    we had a cat killed outside the house on sunday, its horrible.
if its still on your conscience I'd say go with any other route you can. even if it means driving to the middle of nowhere to release it.  am sure your new addition will be mousing fairly soon so its only temporary.

 

[doganjo]

Couldn't you have rat bait in the trap so that it was already dead when you found it?

[ballingall]

I don't know what I would do in that case. If something like that happens, I normally surround myself with the jack russel, the collie that is interested in catching rats, and a cat, on the basis that one of them should get it!

Better it is gone Declan than not, so I wouldn't worry too much.


Beth

[Fleecewife]

Or you could get a trap which kills the rat instantly.  As long as the kitten can't get near it. 
Years and years ago, when we lived in Anglesey, one of our cats brought a large rat into the house and let it go.  After a long chase around the house, my OH eventually cornered it behind the sofa and despatched it with the carving knife    He felt really mean as he said it looked very intelligent and likeable, and was only a problem because the cat had brought it in.  Now with a smallholding our terriers dig out and despatch any rats and are much more effective than a cat.

[chickenfeed]

 ;)i always shoot rats caught in the live traps, but when i was grwoing up on the farm the routine was to drown all the rats caught in the live traps in a large water tank.

doganjo if you were to put rat bait in the trap it would most certainly be a long slow death as the bait is by no means instant.

[Olly398]

If I catch a squirrel in a live trap (sorry but they are hell around here, urban plot, they dig everything up), I transfer it to a stout sack, then carefully locate it's head (through the sack-cloth), hold it steady on my log block and thwack it with a wooden bat. Very quick, can't imagine they suffer. Still feels bad 

[jinglejoys]

I'm so sorry to hear about your cat, that is so sad    we had a cat killed outside the house on sunday, its horrible.
if its still on your conscience I'd say go with any other route you can. even if it means driving to the middle of nowhere to release it.  am sure your new addition will be mousing fairly soon so its only temporary.

 

   Of coarse that depends if it gets released on your patch!

[crosser]

i still use the sharp spade ..  its very quick and not messy at all... 

[plumseverywhere]

   ooh I know Jinglejoys - I mean LITERALLY middle of nowhere. bad enough urban foxes being released on our patch let alone ratty's as well!!