Rats in the Garden

DD1 sent me a photo the other day of a large very healthy looking rat sitting on her bird feeder directly outside the window. The slippery pole didn’t seem to be a problem for him at all! She’s decided to call him Ralph. I have explained that he may well have a large family, but apparently he was an itinerant as he hasn’t been seen since. She says!

My ds saw rats in his garden. His neighbours kept chickens and rabbits so he asked them to tidy up round them a bit, which they did, and the rat problem disappeared.

We had a rat in our garden earlier this year. I was horrified. We called the council in and he said, immediately, stop putting food on the ground for the birds. We have a slim pole feeder with a tray about half way up and he said that should be ok, as they were unlikely to be able to climb it. He put down to bait traps, but the bait was left untouched during the three weeks they were there. We have never seen any sign of the beast since, but it has made me very wary. We have very tidy environs so I have no idea where it could have come from or where it ultimately went to. A very expensive exercise though!

They don’t like open tidy spaces. Keep the garden as neat as possible and sheds secure with no rat sized access. Make sure there’s no food lying around to encourage them - compost heap covered etc. Killing them doesn’t work - others just move in. Do you know where they’re coming from?

Do you put bird food out? If you do it might be an idea to stop that for two or three weeks and then the rats will move on.

That's what I was advised to by a Council chappie when I saw a rat in our garden in Oxon.

Tried that they are absolutely useless They come along put poison down kill maybe one then the rats are back

Phone call to your Council asap I should think.