Rat's again!

[Westi]

Interesting but annoying day at lottie yesterday as rats have attacked! Chewed my largest swedes & most of the kale. I think I may have missed spotting any damage on the celeraic but they were all mush which I assume was secondary as they are on the next bed to the kale. We get free granules now as it is such a problem on site, so reluctantly I filled my trap to dissuade them as I didn't have time to find the runs. They will be along the left side fence as that's the side the chicken keepers are so prodding that & filling with mothballs & other smelly things will be first job tomorrow, but as they seem to be moving my way this will need to be regular to push them to the back of my plot into the field, but if I miss any the neighbour the other side will have the problem & I can't warn him as he's just left for a 3 week wedding festival in India.

I just hope none die on the plot as I find it revolting burying them but need to stop other critters eating them. I will have the dogs in tow but rats are not on their food radar thankfully!

[Colin2016]

Have you heard of using plaster of Paris as rat poison which is harmless to dogs.

Search Best Way To Make Sure You Kill All "Rats" - Simple & Cheap or copy and past link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67JO4ET_p4E

[robo]

Plaster of Paris mixed with bread crumbs the rats eat it the plaster of Paris sets hard in rats internal organs the result is ready stuffed rats

[Westi]

Funnily after Colin's post I had a clarity moment (very rare); & remembered I had packed up some stuff from home to take down to make safe bait after the last big attack. I found it still nicely in it's zipped plastic bag hidden under the mess in the shed. It is crushed biscuits & something like baking powder, but still to make them as visits brief due to the incessant rain. I did get a couple of hours down today but that was fixing & retrieving things blown around from the wind - why does loose netting always end up in the highest apple tree?? I did shove a cane in around the likely entry points while waiting for Mr but didn't find any runs, but bait was taken.

[Colin2016]

I too am suffering from rats, they chewed through tunnel netting to get at the brassicas, digging under a bed to get at alternative tunnel bed with brassicas and got into garlic netted bed and pulled up the newly planted bulbs.

I can see the rat runs on neighbors plot.

Put up a camera to see where they were coming found they were climbing over the fence.

I have not used the plaster of Paris idea yet as suspect it is too wet would set even covered up.

Been building new beds at home where hope to grow the plants rats like and just use the plot for compost creating bulk stuff like spuds, onion, garlic and leeks.

[Westi]

I have had success from prodding for their runs & dropping in mothballs so a double effect to make them move as they don't like disturbance or the smell, but it is a slow process - yes they move but not too far, so it is quite a log winded & tedious game. I did manage to evict them for several months, but they came back eventually.

My near neighbour with chickens is fastidious with cleaning & clearing up uneaten food but he has to set traps as his neighbour who also has chickens doesn't do that & has one of those feeders the chickens stand on to get food, but no guarantee they eat it all & a rat would soon master that.