AIBU to not want rats in the garden?

[Cottagepieandpeas]

DP thinks it’s just what happens in the countryside (he’s 100% rural, I am the opposite).
I’m appalled and don’t want them here. We have a dog so can’t poison.
I’m starting to get obsessed that they’re going to be running up the drainpipe 😩

Do I just have to accept it?

It is unfortunately one of those things living rurally, particularly near cows, poultry or grain storage.

Might be a good excuse to get yourself a little ratting terrier...

I think you could call Pest Control out to get them to assess the situation. Rats never live alone, and breed every few months. They like mushy, leafy spots and hidden corners to nest in. Might be worth working out how rat-friendly your home and garden are.

Do you know anyone with a Jack Russell? Amazing at catching rats.
Also fill any gaps in walls, fences etc with fine gauge wire wool. Common sense measures - don't leave any food or crumbs out, keep doors shut when you're in the garden, etc. Make the garden as unattractive to rats as possible. Keep moving things around too - they're creatures of habit and they are very averse to change.

Good luck!

Thanks both. I’d love a little terrier! But we have an ancient dog who needs a quiet life so we’ll have to wait for that.

The garden has lots of mushy, unkempt areas. It’s definitely a wildlife garden 😁
I think we can block up some holes in fences (but I might block them in!).

Thanks @Farevalah I’ve just read about moving things around and how they don’t like change. Amazing! It makes me feel a little more sympathetic towards them 😁

I think rats can climb fences so all you are likely to do by blocking up holes in fences is keep things like hedgehogs out...

No. Entirely unacceptable and not inevitable in rural areas. Yes, on farmland or with chickens but not an ordinary garden.
When we moved to our current house about fifteen years ago I told my husband if I ever saw a rat within our perimeter hedges/fences etc I’d move out. Despite a graveyard next door, we have never had a problem.

In fairness, my husband works hard to make sure it doesn’t happen.
No fallen fruit left lying on ground in orchard. He picks up everything.
No food composting. Garden waste compost well away from house behind fenced area.
Shed with freezers and dog food has a metal grid underneath and part way up sides to prevent entry by rodents.
Underneath sheds is cemented and has no area for nests.
All drain pipes, drains and eaves sealed or covered.
Not having mains sewage helps.
Main garden area is either flint walled or fenced - mainly for dog security, but is also dug down about a foot. Mesh is small and rat proof; it’s behind hedging to camouflage it.

Then he has bait boxes around the perimeter that he checks and replenishes weekly. Occasionally bait has been nibbled (which means rodents will die, but generally it’s just freshened. The bait is in dog proof boxes.

@Cottagepieandpeas

Thanks *@Farevalah* I’ve just read about moving things around and how they don’t like change. Amazing! It makes me feel a little more sympathetic towards them 😁

Good to hear! Take whatever precautions to keep them out of your space but live and let live

Cut back and tidy up, sounds like ratty heaven

Agree it's not a rural thing, I have a huge water feature in my garden and have seen one rat run around it, never seen one aside from that is six years and I hate that I saw it but given there's a lot of water I accepted but even then like I said it's been once in six years

YANBU

Wow @LemonRoses I need to borrow your husband

I would just accept it , but I quite like rats 🐀. They are very clever little things and eat the slugs and snails.

@stairway

I would just accept it , but I quite like rats 🐀. They are very clever little things and eat the slugs and snails.

A rat walked into our house tonight. Live in a town

Many of the features which could make your garden attractive to rats also make it attractive for other wildlife. Hedgehogs need gappy fences and leaf piles, slow worms love compost heaps, birds will eat fallen fruit etc. Rats dont like heavily scented herbs, so you can help deter them in a more wildlife friendly way by planting lots of herbs particularly around borders where they might enter. Mint, lavender and rosemary are good options which will also benefit the bees. And you can continue to keep a bit of mess for other wildlife.

@stairway

I would just accept it , but I quite like rats 🐀. They are very clever little things and eat the slugs and snails.

Agreed, very clever little things. I saw one dying of poison once and I can never forget the pain I saw on its face. Poison should be banned.

Yes @Cluelessasacucumber I don’t want to make it unfriendly for wildlife-I just wish that didn’t include rats.
The one I saw tonight strolled nonchalantly past the back door. It looked very well fed. I used to live in London and the urban cousins definitely did not look that healthy.

Thanks for all the tips. Lots of ideas here. Glad I asked!

@FitToFly that is awful. I wouldn’t want to do that to an animal.
I need to have an open and honest discussion with them. ‘I agree not to poison you and you must agree not to come in the house’.

Rats are everywhere. Wildlife friendly gardens are brilliant for so many species . You won’t get overrun with rats unless you have an obvious food source - I live rurally, and have hens which attract rats, as does my bird feeder, but I am not getting rid of either, I just keep an eye on rodents numbers and have a very secure chicken run.

[quote Cottagepieandpeas]@FitToFly that is awful. I wouldn’t want to do that to an animal.
I need to have an open and honest discussion with them. ‘I agree not to poison you and you must agree not to come in the house’.[/quote]
That’s kind of where I sit too.

I see the odd rat in my garden sneaking about underneath the bird feeder. I live in a city centre.

Just make sure they can't get into your house. That isn't likely as you have a dog.

It is a fact of life that there are more rats around in the countryside. If you leave them alone they won't hurt you and aren't likely to show their faces when you are walking about.

I live in London and have had the odd rat in my back garden. I know this because my cat caught it, a great big furry thing! As long as they don't enter my abode I don't care. I've never seen any running around.

Then he has bait boxes around the perimeter that he checks and replenishes weekly. Occasionally bait has been nibbled (which means rodents will die, but generally it’s just freshened. The bait is in dog proof boxes.

This is so irresponsible. Please stop it. You will be poisoning all manner of wildlife, things like hedgehogs and also those higher in the food chain, such as birds of prey and owls who feed on rodents.

Rats live everywhere- if you think you don’t have rats it just means they are hiding somewhere-we have chickens and any rats get dealt with by our dogs- I would never put poison down-it kills indiscriminately-agree with having a tidy up do you don’t get over run but it isn’t realistic to think you can have a rat free existence 😂 just population control!

Get a cat or an ammonia spray to con the rats into thinking you have one, or if you know someone with a cat ask them for used litter (urine) and keep it in a tray by doors windows etc. Rats and mice won’t come in as the smell is enough to convince them there are cats around.

There are as many, if not more, rats in towns and cities than in rural areas - all the food waste, overflowing bins and food retail outlets make that inevitable!

Can never understand why rats are seen as only being rural dwelling. Same applies to foxes - easy pickings for them!