Rats and the neighbours.

[Keepthechangefilthyanimal]

We live in a semi. About 5 years ago we had a massive problem with rats. Poison was put down and we managed to get them under control but it was difficult and my husband had to kill some and dispose of them or fully drown them in the neighbour’s pond. We had a long conversation with the neighbours about them scattering bird food on the ground as it was giving the rats a food source. They were living under their decking and using their pond for water.

About 2 years ago, I was at the back of our shed and found a massive dead rat. About the size of a small cat. DH disposed of it. Spoke with the neighbours, put poison down but no other rats were seen or found.

Last night, DH put the bins out and was speaking to the neighbour. She said you’ve got rats again under your shed, just as she was scattering bird seed everywhere. He snapped and said you aren’t helping feeding the birds. She said she’ll feed the birds if she wants. We’ve out poison down at our shed, just in case. Our shed is just on our back garden boundary fence with the neighbour.

Is there anything we can do? We do live rurally. We have mice in the attic and garage now and again but massive rats are completely different.

I don't like rats at all but honestly I lost respect and sympathy for you and your husband when you mentioned he drowned a rat in the pond. Absolutely disgusting vile behaviour.

@thecatneuterer
Rats invariably invade a house if left to multiply.

Shovel to head of rat is quicker, but not allowed nowadays!! Was done in the olden days by my dfil in a very rural setting.

@KittenCatcher

Call environmental health pest control. Poison causes misery to any animal nearby, hedgehogs, cats, dogs, birds, dont use it.

Our council EH won't pay for pest control. But they will write to neighbours and ask them not to feed rats.

@MissingEsme

I don't like rats at all but honestly I lost respect and sympathy for you and your husband when you mentioned he drowned a rat in the pond. Absolutely disgusting vile behaviour.

Yeah and this It’s vile. Don’t do that again

I over fed birds on the ground last year and got rats. I think I have it under control. Otherwise I'd call pest control and try the council about the feeding.

Rats invariably invade a house if left to multiply

Simply not true. Most of the time they just go about their business. On all the occasions our compost heap rats have taken up residence there, they have never once attempted an ‘invasion’. We do have a cat though (who is mostly disinterested in hunting).

If it was the case that rats left alone always multiply and invade houses, then most of the houses in Britain would be infested, because they are very common animals. Generally they just do their ratty thing and avoid people.

[quote PlanDeRaccordement]@thecatneuterer
Rats invariably invade a house if left to multiply.[/quote]
I don't want to tempt fate but I have seen rats at my compost heap at the end of the garden, and once saw one sitting on the verge of my road in broad daylight munching something (that one just stared at me when I stopped my car very close to look at it) but I have never had them inside the house. I'm not convinced that invasion is inevitable. Perhaps it depends on the rats? I have a sonic repellent inside the house which appears to be very effective. Got it after mice got in one winter and they've never been back.

Can you borrow a ratter terrier?

When rats invade our tack room I borrow my dads terrier and it has a field day killing them all

There’s also folk who will come out to dispose of them using terriers or hawks.

You need proper pest control

@Hedgesfullofbirds

Your husband is committing an offence by drowning rats - causing unneccessary fear, distress or suffering. Not so long ago, a chap was successfully prosecuted for catching a squirrel in a live catch trap and then drowning it in a water butt. Rats? Squirrels? All living, sentient things which, if they must be killed at all, should be killed instantly and humanely. Poison is also a cause of a lingering, painful death - hours and hours of internal haemmorhaging and raging thirst anyone? Not to mention the risk of secondary poisoning to non target species. There is a reason why poisons may now only be used outdoors by people who have had training in the use of SGACR (second generation anti coagullant rodenticides)!

That post horrified me. The casual talk about drowning sentient creatures. Poison is a horrific death too.

Yes, rats in particular are highly intelligent.

@VenusClapTrap and @BewareTheBeardedDragon

I guess I should have said that rats invariably invade a home if left to multiply and there is no deterrent

Your experiences are based in homes with rat deterrents in place...a cat or a sonic deterrent. Neither of which the OP has.

And by the way, London has six rats to every person and they do infest wherever they can if no deterrents or other pest control is in place.

Can you film the rats eating the bird food and show the neighbours? There are movement activated cameras linked to your phone which you record. Very cheap on Ebay etc.

Sorry to tell you we have the exact same issue. The council have given up with them. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Your husband is fucking monster for drowning rats.

People are allowed to feed the birds. And you live in the countryside. I lived in the countryside and feed lots of wildlife.

I don't see the problem with drowning them when the other option is death by poison, at least drowning is quicker. No one wants rats in their garden or next door they are a disease risk, Weil's disease is no laughing matter. I hope whoever said that they had rats in their compost heap knows that the compost shouldn't be used on edible crops.

The rats will multiply and you will have problems. Rat numbers can go from 2 to 1,250 in a year. I would suggest buying your neighbour some hanging bird feeders that are rat proof and requesting they use those instead. You shouldn't have to but what else can you do? Also get the council pest control out, you might have to pay but we found them very helpful with a mouse problem. They might speak to your neighbours for you too maybe.

The problem with drowning them is that it causes unneccessary suffering, distress and cruelty - rats can hold their breath under water for up to 3 minutes. Is it only 'not a problem' because they are rats and not something cute and fluffy like a rabbit for example? And there ARE alternatives which give an instant death - shooting, snap traps or body grip traps such as those used by gamekeepers and land managers