Rats

[Joe]

Well I just had some unwelcome visitors, just the other day I heard it chewing at the wall and it’s made it into the kitchen and they are in the cavity wall. (Rats)
Fast forward several days with 3-4 hrs sleep and a cancelled holiday and I am now at war with them.
They are smart and I mean very smart, so for I have been outsmarted several times but I have a plan.
Seriously you don’t want to go into my kitchen just now, the place has been ripped apart and unit’s ripped out.
I have found how they get into the kitchen and blocked them temporarily but even as I type I can hear them trying to dig by the obstacle.
Today’s plan, find the entry point to the property.
Before anyone mentions traps I have tried that, they are too smart. I now have a plan and trust me if you get this issue it’s not an easy fix.
More to follow.

[bigpaul]

we got rid of rats by using poison, wife got a supply online and we still have plenty left.
we have one visiting the garden but its only after the seed the birds have dropped from the feeding station, one we can tolerate-outside- but once he brings the family as well out comes the bait.

[Skean Dhude]

I had mice in my loft two years ago. I had to empty everything out and repack in plastic boxes as well as setting traps. I exterminated every single one of them at the cost of my knees.

[Joe]

Got the poison here and plan to deploy it pretty soon but I have a slight technical issue. I don’t want them dying in the cavity.
I have spent 4 days on this issue so far and researched it to death, I now know the main priority is entry points. My temporary block to the kitchen is holding and the plan today is to locate the entry point. I suspect the hole the rabbit dug next to the house has not been dug solely by our pet.
In hindsight I was stupid, pure and simply and I was outsmarted by a far more intelligent species, once that fact is absorbed I can move forward and fix it.
1. Don’t ignore holes near the house.
2. Yes it might your kitchen but anything lying around is going to cause you an issue eg dog food, dog treats, rabbit treats. Just seal everything up and keep cupboards closed.

More to follow and yes I admit rats have the edge on me ( for the moment)

Ps dogs are less than useless.

[bigpaul]

it is said "we are never more than 3 feet from a rat" in the UK, in the big cities I suspect its closer than that.
I think the only reason the wife puts up with our sole rat is because I do, if he brings the kids out he's history.

[Joe]

BP did you say sole rat ? As in one?
If you’ve seen one there could be a dozen.

[bigpaul]

(9 June 2022, 14:36)Joe Wrote: BP did you say sole rat ? As in one?
If you’ve seen one there could be a dozen.

quite possibly but only the one appears in the garden, if the others do we will put out the bait.
of course post SHTF I'll just use the air rifle.

[Mortblanc]

If you set out the poison and offer water at a point outside, the poisoned rats will generally go to water after ingesting the poison and die at the water source.

I have only had on severe rat infestation at one location I moved into 30 years ago. It was a rural area and the rats had replaced squirrels in the ecosystem. They were living on forest mast and nesting in the trees. It took me several months to poison and shoot out the population.

[Straight Shooter]

Plaster of Paris and flour mix equal amounts put some down ....as MB says by a water supply .....no more rats ! ...keep it covered in the dry .

[bigpaul]

got two youngsters coming out with the mother, have put out poison, next doors cat caught one yesterday and neighbour killed it, so thats one less.