beechessam Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 Will rats take pigeon? I found a dead bird head removed in the loft this afternoon, so I put a fen trap down outside the loft with the dead bird along side. Within a few hours I had caught one of the biggest rats I have seen in years. Was he the killer though or just taking a chance? Any help would be appreciated.
frank-123 Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 rats have taken lots of birds from my clubmate's loft glad you caught it hope you don't get any more
just ask me Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 most likely the rat was the cause but no harm in keeping trap set i allways have a few set and a dog around the place allways helps
aye ready Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 the rats probably the culprit.check round the loft because rats usually chew holes top get into a loft if theres no easy access
OLDYELLOW Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 be a dog rat be sure to keep trap set when theres one there be more
cowman Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 did you have food in the loft that the rat could eat ? was the crop opened up on the bird and contence missing ? when i had a rat get in he ate the contence of the crop and left the bird could have been a stoat or weezel however rats will take pigeons but its strange that it was left and not dragged away a weezel will drink the blood from the bird and leave the carcase .
Guest spin cycle Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 i think they will. i've lost nestlings to rats..but not adults. a friend had real trouble ( taking adult birds)...but put it down to a single rogue rat that 'got the taste'. hopefully ,if right, you've got your culprit. had the bird been 'dragged' like towards an exit...as if the killer was trying to carry it off ?
THE FIFER Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 Will rats take pigeon? I found a dead bird head removed in the loft this afternoon, so I put a fen trap down outside the loft with the dead bird along side. Within a few hours I had caught one of the biggest rats I have seen in years. Was he the killer though or just taking a chance? Any help would be appreciated. can crows get in, thats what the carrion crows do take the heads off, and its the time of year for them,just starting nesting, i had lots of trouble with them in the past, they even get at your birds through the dowling on sputniks etc,
Guest bigda Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 yep, you got trouble there mate its possible you have at the least 6 rat if you catching a big dog, the *expletive removed* will be the last one to get normally as she will be in the nest check the ground for borrows all around your loft, if you can set traps do that as then you can keep a count of them, but should you kill more than six you will need all the poisons you can get before the neighbours start there finger pointing, since the wheelie bins came in to operation the rats have been forced to come to the gardens for bread and such like as there are no burst bags about
beechessam Posted March 2, 2009 Author Report Posted March 2, 2009 He could have got into the day section through the weld mesh and had tried to drag the carcass back but obviously could not. The head and neck had gone together with the crop down to the top of the breast. I thought I had removed all the rats from the area with regular poisoning but this one could have come from a bit further away. Anyway it dead now, and I will reset the trap and leave it set going forward.
meadowlofts Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 cleaned my old corn shed out at the weekend only food that was in there was bucket of rat poison i got off the local pig farmer the rats had eaten a hole in the side of the bucket and ate all the poison talk about help yourself hav had 3 traps set since sat afternoon but no joy as yet
Guest strapper Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 if there is one rat there will be more...make no mistake about it, they dont live on their own!! they have inspected your loft as a potential food source. ive had rats take crops out of my birds and rip their heads off too. now i regularly put down bait and i havent had anymore trouble but for the occasional marks where i know they have tried to gain entry. years a go i would clear out rats from barns with the terriers...so used to them and their antics. dont underestimate them...they are geniuses.
badgeman Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 One problem i had a few years ago was that i had to cull a couple of birds and i put them out for (as i thought at the time ) the fox ?,next thing i knew i had rats killing my birds ,soon sorted them with some stuff i got from a gamekeeper,but they were biting through the floor of my loft at night ,i doubled my loft floor with a type of kitchen surface formica this stopped any further raids .
Guest strapper Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 i had them climbing onto the loft roof and coming down through a vent i had...i put avairy wire over it ,would not have believed how clever they are...they manouvered down the v perches to the floor ...skilled rodents...more like circus acts,isnt the saying ...when the bomb goes off... all there will be left on earth is cockroaches and rats!
Roland Posted March 2, 2009 Report Posted March 2, 2009 Glass is also a very good way of keeping them out. They can't gnore through it. When had concrete floor was easy. Now, if I had a problem I would certainly lay a sheet of glass over the floor with another wooden floor fitted on top. Same as walls of loft. Place the sheet glass to the wall and plave the covering over it. Drill the holes and using washes etc. I would over lay them. Prevention is better than cure I suppose. The digestive biscuit crush and mixed with peanut butter and Anti freeze left in pipes will work too. Squirrels are also pest, and great scrappers too, so maybe they can share it.
joe61 Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Its a Vampire !!!! put garlic in your water oh happy days :)
blackswan Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 :-/ :-/ :-/ :-/One problem i had a few years ago was that i had to cull a couple of birds and i put them out for (as i thought at the time ) the fox ?,next thing i knew i had rats killing my birds ,soon sorted them with some stuff i got from a gamekeeper,but they were biting through the floor of my loft at night ,i doubled my loft floor with a type of kitchen surface formica this stopped any further raids . why would you put the dead pigeons out for the fox?
Guest Paulo Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 Will rats take pigeon? I found a dead bird head removed in the loft this afternoon, so I put a fen trap down outside the loft with the dead bird along side. Within a few hours I had caught one of the biggest rats I have seen in years. Was he the killer though or just taking a chance? Any help would be appreciated. Yes they normally bite the heads off and make a right mess
the pigeon_milker Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 where are new loft is there are a lot of rats about so what i intend to do is trap as many as i can then i getting a ferret that will live near the loft in the hope the smell will keep them away and if i can get a very small gill i send it down there holes
Guest spin cycle Posted March 3, 2009 Report Posted March 3, 2009 where are new loft is there are a lot of rats about so what i intend to do is trap as many as i can then i getting a ferret that will live near the loft in the hope the smell will keep them away and if i can get a very small gill i send it down there holes tough life for a ferret 'ratting'. having kept ferrets myself i would be more worried about the ferret getting into the birds.......that would be bad. just my opinion though. best of luck if you do get one.....i miss not having them
beechessam Posted April 10, 2009 Author Report Posted April 10, 2009 I`m tempted to say that the problem is now solved, touch wood. No signs of ratty since and the birds are settled, got my first egg this week so with a bit of luck I will have a few more in the near future.
retired Posted April 10, 2009 Report Posted April 10, 2009 Where i am moving to there is visible signs of previous rat activity where the garden shed once stood (Dead decayed rats etc) so am looking at all possible options myself to keep them away. Bit of a food chain stinker as lots of cats which would help with the rats so looking at several options to keep on top of everything - The joys of the countryside!
Guest numpty01 Posted April 10, 2009 Report Posted April 10, 2009 well one way we found on farm to stop rats liveing round or under the loft was to pour waste oil into holes you find they hate it and wont stay around its the same if you put some in their run they use another
PATTY BHOY Posted April 10, 2009 Report Posted April 10, 2009 trays of water with anti freeze,bye bye rats.
allenyeates Posted April 10, 2009 Report Posted April 10, 2009 Antifreeeze is top draw. Best way is to make a paste with it and Digestive biscuits and peanut butter. Rats can also not resist fatty stuff like fried sausage,smoked fish skin or skin off boiled bacon
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