what do u think?

[Guest stb-]

is it too early for the red mites yet   :-/    , it is very cold this year so may be its the weather

 

yip unless you have the heaters on   ;D

[Guest]

first id like to thank everyone who has replied to my post  every time i have a problem i know i can get sound advice on pb which started a few years back when a stray decided to make my garden shed its new home (its still here) anyway back to my problem, i set two mice traps last night but when i checked them first thing this morning one had failed to go off but the bait had been taken and the other trap has just dissapeared?   any ideas anyone    debbie :-/

personally Debs ,i would try (if wooden or hard plastic trap) try drilling it and screwing it down ,reset and check again tommorow ,may well be a rat ? hard to say for sure without evidence of droppings.    andy.

 

[Guest stb-]

personally Debs ,i would try (if wooden or hard plastic trap) try drilling it and screwing it down ,reset and check again tommorow ,may well be a rat ? hard to say for sure without evidence of droppings.    andy.

 

defo aint a mouse Andy somthing much bigger rat squireel  somthing dont sound like a weasel or owt as they dont normally bother with bait traps

[Guest bakes]

 

Probably a rat that has gone off with the trap attached!

 

agree what traps you using if you using snap trap wooden screw it down when it goes off wont go no were as its secure if it was a mouse that set it off it would of been killed by the strike to the back off its neck a rat would just make it jump and it will run off try to set a rat trap there bigger stronger and wonce they go off they wont come back from that

 

all the best.

[DJ]

im only using standard mice traps with a plastic base but if its rats wouldnt they have taken the newly hatched young,uns and not left them in the nestbox   debbie :-/

[Guest]

im only using standard mice traps with a plastic base but if its rats wouldnt they have taken the newly hatched young,uns and not left them in the nestbox   debbie :-/

 

try the traps again like i said Debs, if you can secure it ,then take it from there ,were all eager to help and may make some suggestions when we dont have all the evidence.   andy.

[Guest IB]

Well cold air air falls, so bottom boxes will tend to be colder than those higher up. Doubt any insect will survive in these temperatures. Probably the cold weather.

[Guest bigbok]

looking for the simple things is the best action the weather is the answer once it gets to cold they just up n leave em simple

[Guest bigbok]

first id like to thank everyone who has replied to my post  every time i have a problem i know i can get sound advice on pb which started a few years back when a stray decided to make my garden shed its new home (its still here) anyway back to my problem, i set two mice traps last night but when i checked them first thing this morning one had failed to go off but the bait had been taken and the other trap has just dissapeared?   any ideas anyone    debbie :-/

 

rats

[pigeonpete]

Well cold air air falls, so bottom boxes will tend to be colder than those higher up. Doubt any insect will survive in these temperatures. Probably the cold weather.

 

Doubt the cold weather would nick the trap ian  ;D

 

Can you take a picture of the bottom boxes please? Would be concerned that if it is rats, and the trap has dissapeared out of the loft, Then i would say, You have got a hole that is far to big somewhere, If a rat can get in then a stoat can get in, And believe me from experience, you dont want that, I have mesh 1/4 in all over the louvres now, Hope you find out whats going on :-)

[Diamond dave]

Debbie, dont think that rats would have taken the youngsters cos I think they enter the loft for the water. But they would certainly put the birds off. I dont think it would have been draughts either because the birds wouldn't have gone down there in the first place if it was that bad. I've got one of my pairs nested on the floor and have hatched ok. Is it the yearlings that are on the floor? I've had experienced birds on the nest that have protected there young on the nest from rats and the box looked like a blood bath in the morning. The hen was ripped to peices but she was still sat her youngsters in the morning. However, I would expect inexperienced parents to leave the eggs and as it is so cold they wouldn't last long. So, I would suggest that it could be a combination of the 2. Rats and cold.

Good luck with your trapping.

 

D.D.

[Guest strapper]

Debbie, dont think that rats would have taken the youngsters cos I think they enter the loft for the water. But they would certainly put the birds off. I dont think it would have been draughts either because the birds wouldn't have gone down there in the first place if it was that bad. I've got one of my pairs nested on the floor and have hatched ok. Is it the yearlings that are on the floor? I've had experienced birds on the nest that have protected there young on the nest from rats and the box looked like a blood bath in the morning. The hen was ripped to peices but she was still sat her youngsters in the morning. However, I would expect inexperienced parents to leave the eggs and as it is so cold they wouldn't last long. So, I would suggest that it could be a combination of the 2. Rats and cold.

Good luck with your trapping.

 

D.D.

 

rats enter to kill birds, ive had birds in my loftsyears a go with their throats ripped out...a clear sign of rats,ive also had them dragged and tried getting them through openings.

do not underestimate rats...highly inteligent animals.

 

[dwh]

 

rats enter to kill birds, ive had birds in my loftsyears a go with their throats ripped out...a clear sign of rats,ive also had them dragged and tried getting them through openings.

do not underestimate rats...highly inteligent animals.

WE HAD  A RAT GETTIN IN NOT SO LONG BACK TRIED EVERYTHING LIKE I SAID IN PREVIOUS THRED TRIED EVERYTHING  RATGLUE GOT IT BEAUTY OF IT IS OWT GETS ON IT IT DONT COME OFF BUT KEEP IT OUT OF THE WAY OF THE BIRDS IF ITS MICE  OR RATS THIS WILL CATCH EM AND YOU'LL KNOW ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

[Guest Owen]

Debbie I suport the rat opinion. Even if they are not taking youngsters yet they soon will. You have a major job to do now. You need to make your loft rat proof and trap or poison the vermin that is there. I have rat poison bait boxes down all the time. I am afraid that part of keeping pigeons or chickens for that matter is planning for rats.

By the way, I have not seen any rats at my loft for ages but suddenly the bait is being eaten. I automatically check the bait every week and just about a week ago it started to go down. Since then I have had to top it up daily. Today was the first day when the bait has not gone down. Tomorrow I will set out two or three more bait boxes. I definately do not want rats or mice here.