Rat Control

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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 04 11:00 am Post subject: Rat Control

On various sites I have noticed people describe how they deal with rats. As with most aspects of livestock there are strict Government Guidelines that are worth noting.

I'm not lecturing people but I have been a little vague in my replies so I thought I would track down a suitable document (written in March 2004). I've not read it all yet but for reference it can be found at:

https://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/rds/publications/technical/TAN_34.pdf

My preferred method of control is either a cage trap and shooting or to bait a rat run until I see signs of a rat and then setting a spring trap with the same bait on the run. This is for the odd one that turns up in our back garden.

It should be noted that drowning rats is not viewed as a humane dispatch method and may result in prosecution under the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

Please feel free to add comments to this topic as actual experience is always welcome.

DarrenG

Joined: 26 Dec 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Lincolnshire Fens

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 04 1:24 pm Post subject:
I do so hope you mean a Fenn trap and not a gin, as a gin trap will leave you open to prosecution.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 04 1:52 pm Post subject:
The humane rat trap is sold by a country store chain as a rat trap, so I'm sure it's legal. The spring trap is a recent purchase from B&Q and legal. I've never seen a gin trap in use. I'm not that keen on the legal spring trap. I'm certainly not a pest control expert, hence the link to DEFRA.

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 04 2:27 pm Post subject:

We live next to a farm, and we occasionally have a rat visit from there, but there were very few last year and this; I don't know what controls they use. I haven't seen any rats or evidence thereof this year at all. Mr D put down posion one year in the garden, but then we stopped that. We have more mice than rats, and they run around in the hen run and live in the shed and the pot store......and eat my bulbs and beans and make nests in the flower pots. Little darlings.

DarrenG

Joined: 26 Dec 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Lincolnshire Fens

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 04 2:46 pm Post subject:
most farmers use pest control contractors who use wax blocks. When setting a trap place it against a wall and lean a board over the wall at an angle so it creates a tunnel this will improve catches, also peg your trap down as if the rat isnt killed it may drag the trap away with it

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 04 5:45 pm Post subject:
We get the odd one or two but the jack russell tends to get to them before we do

DarrenG

Joined: 26 Dec 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Lincolnshire Fens

Posted: Tue Dec 28, 04 7:10 am Post subject:
in 1991 myself and a friend produced a video that was widely sold throughout the sporting press, where we killed 2008 rats with two patterdales and a pitbull at an abotoir, it earned us a few � as well

Legion

Joined: 24 Nov 2004
Posts: 170
Location: Western isles, Scotland

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 04 3:25 pm Post subject:
We of course use or plummer terrier who locate all live runs and inhabited dens , rats are dirty disease carrying vermin that do need control - I have a couple of articles on rats, runs, leptospirosis etc, would you like me to post one?

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 04 3:34 pm Post subject:
have you got anything that the average back garden poultry keeper could do?

Legion

Joined: 24 Nov 2004
Posts: 170
Location: Western isles, Scotland

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 04 3:57 pm Post subject:
Many are done around my dogs and rats, I'll send you one in a pm in a mo, you can read then decide, whatever it doesnt matter, just thought it might be of interest - and no its not killing killing just info...

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45676
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 04 4:03 pm Post subject:
Ta, how come you don't call me Essex Boy any more?

DarrenG

Joined: 26 Dec 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Lincolnshire Fens

Posted: Thu Dec 30, 04 10:59 pm Post subject:
can I just say it NOT illegal to kill rats with dogs, I understand that there has been some confusion about this

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 04 12:31 am Post subject:
Well sometimes Darren you just can't stop them anyway can you!!

deerstalker

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 589

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 04 3:09 am Post subject:
I must admit I hate rats. You've got to respect them though. They are here because they like humans. They are here to stay because we spport them. We've shot them, trapped them, poisoned them and hunted them with dogs - but we haven't dented their numbers. Are they more successful than humans? There are more of them than us, and always will be!

DarrenG

Joined: 26 Dec 2004
Posts: 110
Location: Lincolnshire Fens

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 04 7:17 am Post subject:
the ultimate survivor

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