Do rats breed in winter?

[Primrose]

After ages being rat free, I noticed a week ago a heap of earth behind my compost cage & our fence, obviously built by a rat, as I'd spotted one in the garden. I demolished it, but in the past week, despite the snow, it has twice been rebuilt and today I spotted two rats and early signs of a third attempt at earth mound rebuilding. They're obviously desperately keen to settle in this particular location. Could it be that breeding is imminent? I don't know whether rats breed at a particular time of the year.

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Primrose, i'm sure if there is a food source, rats will breed all year.
They might have a break when the weather is very harsh, but they will be at it as soon as there is the slightest break.

[Primrose]

Dear OH,
Yes, that's exactly what I'm afraid of. I think I'm going to have to be out there every day demolishing that nice little cosy heap they keep rebuilding. That's really going to spoil their Christmas spirit.

One of them actually climbed up on our patio ledge this afternoon and I caught it peering into the house. He seemed completely unafraid. Just as well that it's cold and the house doors are normally closed otherwise he would have been inside and pinching all the walnuts off the sideboard! One of them was climbing up the fence earlier and pinching nuts from the peanut cages.

[richard p]

moved our fowl house yesteday... not been done for a month, one big un and about half a dozen half grown underneath.... one didnt make it to the hedge. cats fast asleep in the armchair.

[Catherine]

Our neighbours had rats in their garden last year, they were putting up bird feeders, they got a rat catcher from the council to put some poison down. We saw one large on in our garden so my OH put a rat trap out and caught 4. We did not put feeders out for a while but they are out now, I will have to keep an eye on them for rats.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I've seen a rat this week and on inspection they/it have made tunnels under the snow leading to where I feed the birds. There was no sign of them for a few days after it first snowed and they had been stocking up with lots of poisoned bait, so I hoped they were merrily eating that, but now they are out and about again and not looking any worse for wear.

I suppose they are all merrily bonking down their tunnels too since they haven't much else to do. I wish the local cats were larger and fiercer.

[Primrose]

I've just spent an interesting half hour watching wildlife activity in our garden, and various skirmishes which have taken place around the ground feeding tray, which I'm going to have to remove.

1 Rat versus small flock of starlings. Rat won.
1 Rat versus 2 magpies Rat won.
1 Rat versus squirrel. Rat won
1 Rat versus 2 squirrels. Rat won
1 Rat versus 2 crows Rat won.
1 Rat versus 3 wood pigeons. Rat won
1 Rat versus human being (me) Human won for 5 minutes.

He's commandeered the feeding tray and is lunging at any creature who dares to challenge him and come too close.

I've put down some bait but I don't think he and his mate are going to be easily shifted.

[PLUMPUDDING]

My son's air rifle worked very well in the summer - got three large rats and no sign of them for four months, but obviously they've moved back in for the winter. Its a bit chilly to hang out of the window with the gun though at the moment.