Brown Rats

yammycat

There is a family or at least one brown rat living in my shed/garden, they are feasting on the compost bin, saw one running around my shed last night and was surprised by how big he was, must have been at least a pound,

anyway I wish to catch and release them elsewhere, had a look online and a large plastic coke bottle with the bottom and top cut off balanced over a bin with one end smothered in peanut butter should do the trick, the rat climbing down the tunnel to get the butter unbalances it and he plops into the bin,

I have a plastic straight sided 18 inch tall bin, would it be possible for a rat to climb back out or should i get a bigger bin

kildare.17hmr

set a trap and kill it, relocating a rat will make it someone else's problem, i don't know anyone who would want a rat released anywhere near them, there are enough already!

Unregistered.

Get some nice cats to serve as a deterrent for future rats

boomerang

You can get "live capture" rat traps in B&Q. Probably safer than the method you're proposing. They can be very agitated and aggressive when frightened.

planetX

First step is remove the compost bin, or get a different type. You'll only get new rats moving in, even if it's only raw peelings they love it.

Traonach

Live capture trap is the way to go. Just check the rat isn't lactating if it's a female (you will see enlarged nipples). If it's a lactating female release it straight away, because the baby rats feeding on her might starve.

If non-lactating female/male rat release in a suitable enviroment so it won't starve. A rubbish dump would be a suitable release site:)

carwash_2006

Enjoy your rat problem if this is your plan as they will be around for a while

Seriously, you will have to bring them at least 8 miles away to release them and even then they will likely find their way back to where they know there is a very good food supply, shelter and all that happens in the way of risk is that they have to take a long walk every so often.

Also, releasing them may not be as kind as you think. Don't think there won't be other rats in the area you release them and these rats will not welcome intruders with open arms, also they may carry diseases that the locals aren't used to, so you could be interfering with the balance of things quite badly.

Sort your compost bin first, get some very strong wire about 1" gauge holes and make sure that they cannot get into the bin. Or buy one of those ones on a frame that they can't get at. Then you will probably need to put down some traps to make sure that they don't stick around and go trying to get into your house for a new food source. As a previous poster said, even if you do relocate them and they don't find their way back you will just have another lot moving in a week later for that perfectly good food supply you are laying on.

yammycat

Thanks for the advice, I'll sort out the bin, probably overdue as we have had mice there for the last couple of years, I managed to transport a few to greener pastures, they were tiny, only a couple of grams, the rat is a big guy though, I was very surprised, I had suspected he was about as there was a lot of rustling and big branches moving around the bin which a mouse couldn't do but I was in the shed having a smoke last night and heard something behind me so looked around and there was this guy sitting on a shelf not a foot from my head looking at me, then he ran for it, a good 10 inches long and at least a pound, and fat, though that isn't surprising either as a lot of food goes in the bin.

I shall get the live capture trap and let him loose in the mountains, I'm pretty rural.

Unregistered.

Cats, a bow and some arrows is all you need.

belle2e

Rats are harmless.
Maybe if u gave it enough time ud get use to the poor guy.
After all there Gods creators 2

annascott

Do you have electricity and a power point in your shed? One of those plug in deterants might help. If you do get a humane trap, be careful on releasing as it might turn on you.

kylith

belle2e wrote: »

Rats are harmless.
Maybe if u gave it enough time ud get use to the poor guy.
After all there Gods creators 2

Yeah, rats are harmless other than the chewing electrical wires, constant urination, spread of disease, fleas, and spoiling of food.

OP I feel your pain, we have a rat in the garden at the moment. It's so far eluded the dogs, though they're doing their best. So far the little gurrier has chewed through the wire for the pump in my pond.

Honestly your best bet is a good snap trap. It'll break their neck and they die instantly, then just chuck it in the bin (wear rubber gloves!). I'll be off to my local hardware shop in the morning to get one.

In The Sticks

Unregistered. wrote: »

Cats, a bow and some arrows is all you need.

My good God...a cat who can use a bow and arrow!!

Unregistered.

In The Sticks wrote: »

My good God...a cat who can use a bow and arrow!!

No. The cat is merely a scout to sniff out and find the rat.

junospider

Will you kill the bloody rat!!!They are filthy creatures.If you catch him in a cage you have to kill him anyway as it is illegal to release vermin in a different area.

Discodog

junospider wrote: »

Will you kill the bloody rat!!!They are filthy creatures.If you catch him in a cage you have to kill him anyway as it is illegal to release vermin in a different area.

Show me where it is illegal. This may be a myth & I have never seen it in any law.