Brown Rat - Kill it or Leave it Alone

BargainHunter

I have a nice little wilderness in my garden, with lots of cover for wildlife. However, in addition to the rabbits, hedgehogs, bullfinches etc Ive seen a couple of brown rats sniffing around.

Should I try to kill these or are they a natural part of the ecosystem that will provide food for foxes? Id like to have as natural an ecosystem as possible in my garden.

mathepac

Your rodent friends are opportunists and in cold weather, or if the food smells are nice (to them) or if the humour takes them they'll come in and join you in your house and will be very reluctant to leave.

They will leave calling cards by chewing through wires, insulation, cables, plastic water-pipes, wood, plaster-board, furniture, in fact anything that helps them keep their exceptionally tough, fast-growing teeth in check (rats who don't do this starve). They may swim through sewage and then frolic in your water-tank if your tank isn't covered.

I'd suggest getting cats or a terrier or professionally laid rat-poison. If you see them out and about it means they are becoming emboldened and accustomed to humans, so the next stage is joining you indoors.

E39MSport

Get rid.

I have one at my bird feeders. I wanted to leave it be but I saw 5 little rats int he garden recently. Thankfully a helpful stoat came my way but he/she doesn't seem to have an appetite for the adult who these days lets me approach it to within a few feet.

Where theres one theres more. I'm still struggling to dispatch the adult without killing it. It's a clever little git too.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

E39MSport has covered it nicely.

Get Rid!

Kess73

Get rid. I had one that became a daily visitor some months ago who managed to avoid every humane trap I laid for it, then as I resigned myself to having to use more lethal means, nature took over for me.

The rat was on one of it's runs across the back of the garden and ran across the open lawn whilst Mrs Sparrowhawk was hiding in the tree. Better than any cat.

SamB64

Get rid, use a humae trap if that's your way, but get rid. I had a friend who thought his brown furry friend was just that. bt, was less keen whenthe little fella met a mate and started to produce more little brown ball of fun.

Get rid before it's too late.

Unless you live on a farm, then it is probably already too late

Sam.

Feargal as Luimneach

mathepac wrote: »

Your rodent friends are opportunists and in cold weather, or if the food smells are nice (to them) or if the humour takes them they'll come in and join you in your house and will be very reluctant to leave.

They will leave calling cards by chewing through wires, insulation, cables, plastic water-pipes, wood, plaster-board, furniture, in fact anything that helps them keep their exceptionally tough, fast-growing teeth in check (rats who don't do this starve). They may swim through sewage and then frolic in your water-tank if your tank isn't covered.

I'd suggest getting cats or a terrier or professionally laid rat-poison. If you see them out and about it means they are becoming emboldened and accustomed to humans, so the next stage is joining you indoors.

Don't use poison. If you have foxes, birds of prey etc around they could be poisoned secondarily. Trap or use terrier

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

And if you trap it, kill it rather than release it somewhere else, as many people do!

Judgement Day

Agree with everything posted, rats are dangerous disease carrying vermin which will come and live in your ear if you let them. The damage they wreak is incredible and they will play havoc with wiring, insulation, floorboards etc.etc. I dispatched one with a spade in a house recently but take care as they are hardy and one nip and its off to A+E for all those tetanus shots etc.

BargainHunter

Thanks for all the advice. Ill get a trap.

jwshooter

every property owner in the country should keep traps down ,if you see a rat you have rats not a rat .

mathepac

If anyone intends setting traps or laying poison without professional help, please wear disposable gloves, as rats, as well as other mammals, can carry leptospirosis or weil's disease, in their urine . The urine of an infected animal is contagious as long as it is still moist.

doctor evil

Also best to use gloves to keep your scent off the trap, leave for about three days before checking.

jwshooter

doctor evil wrote: »

Also best to use gloves to keep your scent off the trap, leave for about three days before checking.

traps should be looked at least once a day , the last rat i had was cot by its front leg .