Rats in garden

[Moonbun]

Found evidence of rat holes in the garden. Both of our neighbours have chickens which I think encourages them. How would you deal with it? DH is really against using poison. I just want them gone

Get a cat?

We live rurally and had a rat/mouse problem the first winter we moved in. DH sealed up any holes he could see on the outside of our house and DCat sees to the rest. Thankfully he doesn't feel the need to bring us any "presents".

Get a terrier. Or borrow one, if you don't want a dog.

We had a rat problem when neighbours had chickens, and my lakeland terriers sometimes got 2 rats a day.

Snap traps..just make sure they are not accessible to other animals like cats.

Why is he against using poison?

We got rats coming into the garden last year. We called the council bloke out and he put down safe poison traps (we have a dog) and they were gone after 2 visits. Rats don't just move away - they're a real problem unless you exterminate them.

Also, check around fences. If they dig in under them, bury some chicken wire to make it more difficult

go against your DH- poison!!!

Spray peppernint oil and get some high frequency deterant boxes. Worked for me.

Poison. We had a huge infestation. The neighbour was delighted when we put poison down as her DH wouldn’t let her!

It's not chickens themselves that attract the rats, but their food, so is it worth having a word with the neighbours re their feed set-up? There are rat proof feeders on the market. And if these are put away at night in rat proof bins for good measure, it might prevent the rats returning once you've dealt with them.

Poison's pretty unpleasant, tbh. The rats die slowly from internal bleeding, and if a dying rat ends up somewhere concealed or inaccessible, the body will stink to high heaven for a while and attact flies. I hate rats, but I still don't like the idea of them being killed in a way that's inhumane.

Also, other animals can ingest the poison from preying on the carcase of the dead rat. (voice of experience, one of my terriers spent 24 hours in the vets having a transfusion because he got Warfarin poisoning from either despatching a dying rat or playing with, and I guess carrion birds might be vulnerable, too.

We've just had to have a pest control man out as some rats had made a burrow under our garden shed and runs under a neighbouring fence.. A couple of bait boxes with poison in them have gone down. Apparently trapping them in there is no longer legal, which surprised me. Same with snap traps. So they can get out once they have taken the bait and will go somewhere to die

I've no qualms at all about poisoning them. I don't want them in the house.

Rats and other animals are part of the world. We have to share the planet with animals. Why do we have the right to poison them.

We don't poison human beings who do vile things to others, so why should we poison an animal who is just living its life.

I feed the wildies in my garden 😳

Snap traps are not illegal for rat catching. Glue traps are about to be banned iirc (,good because they are horrible).

I agree with @LakieLady about issues ariund poison. We don't use it because we have birds of prey here amongst other creatures.

Why do we have the right to poison them

I'm not heavily into rat welfare and do not want them getting into my house. Are you speaking from the safe position of one who currently doesn't have a rat problem?

It's normal to cull to control population btw. Done for many species.

Poison causes absolutely Horrific pain to rats - do they really deserve that? If you'd witnessed a poisoned rat suffer, I'd like to think that you'd think twice.
Rats often then get eaten by other animals, whether that's a fox, a cat or an owl - you'll also be responsible for killing them too - many of which who will have young - is that fair?

Yay - me too! Absolutely beautiful little creature 🥰🥰

Get an air gun and sit down there for a few evenings and get rid of them, that is what we do. If you use poison don’t bother with the normal stuff get the stuff the farmer’s use which is much more effective.

Same 😊

They are. So intelligent.

I have had rats as pets many times so I don't see them as vermin at all. Just wild creatures, same as hedgehogs or foxes.

Hedgehogs and foxes don't usually get into homes and cause lots of damage. I had pet rats and I wouldn't compare them to wild ones feeling wise tbh.

Behind fence? Live and let live. Passing through back of garden? Live and let live. Come within 2 meters of the house, nope. I had mice in once and it took me a week of barely any sleep to get them. Never again will wild rodent be in my house

Knew someone who had rats that entered her home and chewed through cables and piping to washing machine, fridge etc and got into her food cupboards. Horrendous and has cost thousands to sort out and much stress.
Encouraging rats by feeding them sounds madness - they are quite capable without our help..

Mice are the rodent most likely to enter your home and cause damage. Squirrels are regular culprits too. People are generally happy to feed the latter (or indirectly feed them via bird feeders). They carry all the same diseases as rats too.

I've seen rats srurrying across my garden (it's 80ft long) and as long as they are nowhere near my house - I've got a cat, he doesn't chase or kill anything - I'm not worried. They're just going about their business.