Kitchen Garden Forum

My greenhouse now has a resident mouse.

My garden now has transient rats, courstesy of next door's bird feeding.

What next?

I should be glad I'm not in an edible doormouse area, seemingly protected so difficult to get rid of.

Can't use poison due to dog.

Have to really hide traps, due to dog, she's already put her nose in a rat trap to try and eat the bait. So the greenhouse mouse is due a terminal surprise.

Can use the air rifle, but guess what, the rats either never show or do a Linford Christe from under the shed to next doors hedge. I'll have to wait till the colder weather and scatter some tempting morsels to slow them down.

Don't know if you're searching for an answer, or just spoilt for choice from your extensive list!

We've had a few mice in the house recently - I bought one of those humane traps. Basically a short plastic rectangular tube with a bend in it. Bait it with peanut butter at one end, wait for the mouse to crawl in, tip it up and remain trapped.

Don't know if it's the best, but is worked for me.


Colin

Eradirat is a good product for getting rid of rats. It's not an actual poison - so your dog will be safe if he should get hold of a treated rat - it dehydrates the rat thus killing it. Best used in a bait box.

http://www.ascott-shop.co.uk/item343.htm

There is also Eradimouse - equally effective.

I've just had the same problem with the rats because of the same problem with the neighbours feeding the birds.

The Council ratman comes out to me every couple of months as a routine call as our gardens back on to the old Great Central railway which is now a nature reserve. There's always the odd rat wandering past who takes up residence under the chicken shed so I have a permanent "rat box" behind the shed. Because of the bird food problem we now have no less than SIX rat boxes in our two gardens which finally seem to be working. They consist of a pipe which opens out to a box in the middle containing the poison. Rat eats poison; remaining poison stays in the box. As I have chickens wandering around we have to be VERY careful.

Yesterday the amazing spectacle of FIVE dead rats greeted us at 8am. Normally you never see dead ones as they go underground and die. The biggest of the rats was the fattest one I've ever seen and the top of it's tail was the width of my little finger. Yuk. There's still one whopper running around but that's the most of them gone; for now.

I do know one thing; it's easier to kill the rats than it is to stop the neighbours feeding the birds!

Hi Peter,
I understand your problem with the dog but there are two preparations, EradiMouse and EradiRat, on the market that are totally harmless to all other creatures than Rodents. You and I could eat these baits and come to no harm and should the dog manage to eat them then no harm there either. They work on the digestive system particular only to Rodents.
Somehow they prevent the rodents utilizing water and basically they expire due to dehydration.
Maybe worth a try.
JB.
Have just come across their website:-
http://www.eradi-products.com/
Hope this helps.
JB.

Get a terrier!!

If that is not practical, there are lots of lovely dogs in rescue centres, so give it SOME thought!

This Eradirat sounds good.

Peter - if I was nearer, I'd bring my dog to visit you. She's a Brittany and is brilliant at catching mice, rats, rabbits, moles, pretty much anything that's furry amd moves.

If you can set up a trap that's dog proof, I believe chocolate is a good bait.

Hi Diane,
I do apologise. I didn't read your thread properly before I wrote about EradiMouse and EradiRat otherwise I would not have done so. You must think me most rude.(probably True)
JB.

No worries Johnboy.

Snap!

One down, how many to go?

Snap!

Two down, this one smaller.

Snap!

Third one.

How many more?

Can't wait for tomorrow.

I don't get out much.

Hhmmnnnn. Maybe you should try a rehab pogramme. Getting a bus timetable. Planning to get on a bus. Looking at a bus. Standing at the stop. Getting your fare ready. Stepping onto the platform. Buying a ticket. Taking a short ride.............................................................................................................