Rats in my loft again

[cowman]

if you use a ferret you need a dog ferret as they give off the smell rats don`t like i put old ferret muck under my lofts and keep poison down 24/7 if the rats can get a feed outside without having to spend time noring through the wood they will take the bait rather than chew. also rats can smell us and a dead rat on a trap wash your traps in warm soapy water and set while wet as they dry our sent evaporates and you catch more rats .

[marmite]

i had big prob with rats went round loft blocking every concievable hole then shut my jack russell in there at night 4 a wk  no more rats  not seen 1 for about 2 mnths now  but know how horrible it is to have em

[Guest bakes]

A wee terrier, why not get one of them instead of messing about with traps and peanut butter  etc.

 

i agree

patterdale x long haired jack

jack russell

 

 

[cemetary]

Greig,

 

I spoke to a guy the last time about your problem, i also dropped you a PM if i mind right, he said that he will come and get rig of them for you for i think it was £60 at the time, 3 visits if i mind right, the money you are spending on different things dosent seem to be helping mate, if you want i can speak to him once again and can take it from there if you wish.  

[Guest bakes]

Greig,

 

I spoke to a guy the last time about your problem, i also dropped you a PM if i mind right, he said that he will come and get rig of them for you for i think it was £60 at the time, 3 visits if i mind right, the money you are spending on different things dosent seem to be helping mate, if you want i can speak to him once again and can take it from there if you wish.  

 

there you go mate get a lad round with a few ferrets and a small team of tez's job done

 

all the best

bakes.

[leighton1984]

you need to wire all your lofts 12/12 inch mesh that will stop them.

if you think rats are bad you never had a mink in.

we had mink in are loft not one left alive.

 

[Guest Freebird]

Try to find out where they are coming from. Once you track them down you can then solve the problem at source. They advise to use a bit of kipper in the traps. Good luck.

[sammy]

went into the loft on Saturday to let birds out and feed and saw a youngster pulled through the side of my nest boxes (see Picture). Can only be the damn rats again we have tried everything to sort them out but they just keep coming traps all over the place Poison which has been down since January which they are eating. Got it from Blackpool ROBAN it's called load of $hite if you ask me so dont know what to do now.

 

have seen many a pigeon killed by rats were they normally eat the head never ever seen one like this are you sure its rats as it more looks the act of a cat as there seem to be some bones amiss from that carcass and rats will not eat bones and leave the meat just a thought greig with the amount of poison and traps yi have set it surprises me why yi have not caught any or seen any dead with poison hope yi get it sorted greig

[THE FIFER]

 

have seen many a pigeon killed by rats were they normally eat the head never ever seen one like this are you sure its rats as it more looks the act of a cat as there seem to be some bones amiss from that carcass and rats will not eat bones and leave the meat just a thought greig with the amount of poison and traps yi have set it surprises me why yi have not caught any or seen any dead with poison hope yi get it sorted greig

 

or carrion crows  :-/

[THE FIFER]

what hight is ur loft off the ground,also have u tried using smoke bombs, or flood them out with waterif you know where their burrows are, old engine oil put down them also good,

[Guest spin cycle]

i had trouble last winter. where are they getting in ? in my case they were chewing the wood....i painted bottom boards with creosote sustitute and made some nice baiting points....managed to get on top of the problem.

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

Sorry to be critical, but you have to prevent the rats from getting in. You'll have to use sheet metal, wire mesh, concrete, or what ever it takes. The problem you have is that rats can follow rat odour for years. They will follow the trails left by previous rats. So, even if you poison or trap them you are garanteed to have more later.

The best cure is to make sure the ground around is clear of hidding places and make certain that they can not hide under your loft. The grass and plants must be kept short so that they will have to cover open ground to get to your pigeons. After you have done all that you should place bait boxes close to the loft so that those who do try it will have a proper poison waiting.

Meanwhile you have another potential problem. Rats and mice carry all sorts of nasty diseases. Some are contagious to humans. Paratyphoid being one of them. You really need to clean your birds up as well as getting rid of the rats and mice. And besides, it would be unfair on the Members of your Club for you to put your birds into a basket with theirs.

 

Not many places for them to hide apart from the railway and grass banking which I cant do anything with as i am in a compound.

 

As for the birds going in the basket I am not racing right now as I did not take any early youngsters so not a worry for anyone in my club and when my old birds where racing it done mine no harm or other club members just look through the posts at results they talk for themselves.

 

But thanks for your in put owen

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

Greig,

 

I spoke to a guy the last time about your problem, i also dropped you a PM if i mind right, he said that he will come and get rig of them for you for i think it was £60 at the time, 3 visits if i mind right, the money you are spending on different things dosent seem to be helping mate, if you want i can speak to him once again and can take it from there if you wish.  

 

problem at the time was sorted mate they have been away for weeks/months but I think it will be a good idea for this can you pm me numbers and info mate

 

Thanks

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

 

well if you see them, then get a gun and shoot them

 

we have a gun loaded 24/7 but cant keep it in our hand all the time mate

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

you need to wire all your lofts 12/12 inch mesh that will stop them.

if you think rats are bad you never had a mink in.

we had mink in are loft not one left alive.

 

bottom of the loft has wire mesh mate and eves are blocked off aswell only way in is through the sputnik that we can see

 

Did have a mink in the loft when I 1st started keeping pigeons not a nice site

[Guest phillip]

Hi . Try a liquid poison "Finale" if you can find it in the UK , I do not know if it is only sold local in South Africa .

Mix with a sweet Sherry . They cannot resist it and will not be going very far .

Will have to place it where cats or dogs cannot get to it as the poison is very lethal .

 

Good luck

Phillip

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

 

have seen many a pigeon killed by rats were they normally eat the head never ever seen one like this are you sure its rats as it more looks the act of a cat as there seem to be some bones amiss from that carcass and rats will not eat bones and leave the meat just a thought greig with the amount of poison and traps yi have set it surprises me why yi have not caught any or seen any dead with poison hope yi get it sorted greig

 

a rat for sure Sammy it tried to pull it through the gap between my boxes and the wall no way of a cat getting in mate.

 

Also left the carcass at the front of the loft for an hour and came back and it was gone?????

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

what hight is ur loft off the ground,also have u tried using smoke bombs, or flood them out with waterif you know where their burrows are, old engine oil put down them also good,

 

the loft is the hight of a breeze block off the ground and is on a base which has been leveled with a whacker plate.

 

Cant see where they are coming in from so flooding them out cant be done.

 

will speak to local garage for old oil

[DAVE1975]

U NEED THIS

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

U NEED THIS

 

give me it then I will pick it up  

[DAVE1975]

SHE IS 4 SALE MATE BUT IF SHE GETS HOLD OF YA BIRDS THEY ARE HISTORY AND SHE LOVES CATS

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

SHE IS 4 SALE MATE BUT IF SHE GETS HOLD OF YA BIRDS THEY ARE HISTORY AND SHE LOVES CATS

 

wouldnt get near the birds and cats well what can i say

 

where about are you and can she be kept outside 24/7 as I dont want a dog in the house not fair when am out all the time

[DAVE1975]

KEPT OUTSIDE AND IM IN WOLVERHAMPTON

[Guest Greig the doo Drysdale]

KEPT OUTSIDE AND IM IN WOLVERHAMPTON

 

am In Livingston next to edinburgh a bit far away mate but thanks hope someone gets a use for it

[mazzie]

mate can honestly say i know how you feel about fives years ago had the same problem , it terrible seeing your birds like that i had to raise my loft 12inches min up off the ground , but still got them in time found the nest and set fire to it