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Has anybody noticed an increase in rats lately

  • 15-05-2020 12:45pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭


    We moved into our house almost three years ago and have never had an issue with rats. Never seen one, never seen any signs of one. I don't doubt that they have been around, but in fairly small numbers.
    Yesterday my kids said that they saw a rat in the back garden. He is just hanging around there, sniffing at the grass, in the middle of the garden. We chased it away a few times, and he went, but was back again fairly quickly. I screwed a trap to a plank of wood, baited with peanut butter and put in on the grass near where the rat had been hanging around. Of course, after that, we didn't see him again all evening.
    This morning it was back again, but in a different area and with no interest in the bait. I went out to it a few times and it skipped away, but has been back again. Again, no interest in the bait, it just seems to nibble at the grass.
    Later on, i saw one in the front garden. It is definitely not the first one, so now we have at least two.

    We are based about 5 km outside of a fairly large town. There are houses beside us, but each based on about .75 acres, so not densely built. There is a drain at the end of our back garden.

    Based on my previous experience with rats, this is very unusual behaviour. My experience is that they are very shy, tend only to come out at night, hang around the perimeter, or walls or ditches and are rarely in open space.

    I am just wondering if this is a consequence of Covid-19? Are they getting desperate for food?
    I have Storm which i have used in the past in bait boxes. Do i need to put that out again?


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,725 ✭✭✭lalababa


    Was it a big rat?


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    The one in the back garden seemed didn't seem particularly big (but definitely not a mouse). The one in the front garden seemed fairly fat, although i only got a quick look at it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,760 ✭✭✭jimmytwotimes 2013


    Less crap for rats to eat in townlands and cities with people not gathering there.

    Seagulls must be wondering where their scraps of chicken rolls have gone too


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,067 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    It's nothing to do with Covid anyway!

    It's just a matter of a local food source, weather warming up, likely reproduction etc. I had rats in the garden over the winter, and after a while they were confidently coming out into the middle of the lawn during the middle of the day etc - so it's something they will start to do if given the time and motivation (food!). Some people are in a constant battle with rats, and in other places they come and go in different years. As a general rule, assume that there are rats nearby in every habitat - urban, suburban and rural, with very few exceptions.

    Make sure you're not inadvertently providing them with some source of food, remove any source of drinking water that you can, and get a covered trap and an appropriate rat poison.

    Be very careful with snap traps that they're covered appropriately so that they don't trap birds instead.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    If you're out a bit from a town, try and stay away from rat poison if possible. If a poisoned rat is eaten by an owl (or other wildlife), the owl is a goner too.

    I don't have a problem with people using poison in urban areas, but the OP says he's 5km for the nearest town, so there would be wildlife to consider


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,786 ✭✭✭Doctors room ghost


    The Luna rat trap is the lad you want.its a timber snap back with Luna written on it and a picture of a cat.
    Put a smear of crunchy peanut butter on that and put it somewhere only ratty can get it.theyre only about 3 euro.theyre the best trap with the strongest spring.ive used other traps before and they didn’t kill the rat needing me to “hurl” the rat. The Luna has yet to fail and it’s accounted for 20+ rattys


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    Three in the back garden now. One big fat one.
    I have never seen the likes of it.
    They have no interest in the peanut butter in the trap, even though one of them is mooching around in its vicinity.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,786 ✭✭✭Doctors room ghost


    Do you know anyone with working terriers that will rat.you could then smoke out ratty with a hose off a chainsaw exhaust or a strimmer without the chain or bar on obviously or else dig them for the dogs.
    A working plummer or Jack Russel terrier


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    Do you know anyone with working terriers that will rat.you could then smoke out ratty with a hose off a chainsaw exhaust or a strimmer without the chain or bar on obviously or else dig them for the dogs.
    A working plummer or Jack Russel terrier

    Unfortunately not. Also, i don't know where the nest it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    Just notice that silage was cut in a field across the road yesterday and the field beside us (the side from which the rats are emerging) has long grass. So guessing they may have fled the field that was just cut, congregated in the field beside us and are moving onto our lawn periodically. If there are loads of them, there is no way that we can kill them all.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 289 ✭✭Son


    Got at least one (prob more) hanging around the house here, rural area so will have to get a trap. It's been out near me skipping about during the day, there's also one or two holes in front lawn near hedge row, not sure if this was from the rat


  • Registered Users Posts: 26,960 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Is it too soon to blame yer man from the back garden bird feeding thread? :D

    Something has been pulling my compost heap apart lately, I'm hoping its a fox rather than rats...


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 76,209 Mod ✭✭✭✭New Home


    It's nothing to do with Covid anyway!

    It's just a matter of a local food source, weather warming up, likely reproduction etc. I had rats in the garden over the winter, and after a while they were confidently coming out into the middle of the lawn during the middle of the day etc - so it's something they will start to do if given the time and motivation (food!). Some people are in a constant battle with rats, and in other places they come and go in different years. As a general rule, assume that there are rats nearby in every habitat - urban, suburban and rural, with very few exceptions.

    Make sure you're not inadvertently providing them with some source of food, remove any source of drinking water that you can, and get a covered trap and an appropriate rat poison.

    Be very careful with snap traps that they're covered appropriately so that they don't trap birds instead.

    And if you're putting down poison make sure no hedgehog can go near it, but keep in mind that it's by no means a painless death.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,603 ✭✭✭Birdnuts


    The rat population has increased on the back of 2 very mild winters and the fact that in Tillage areas alot of the harvest was lost in the fields last year due to very wet harvesting weather


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,786 ✭✭✭wakka12


    If you're out a bit from a town, try and stay away from rat poison if possible. If a poisoned rat is eaten by an owl (or other wildlife), the owl is a goner too.

    I don't have a problem with people using poison in urban areas, but the OP says he's 5km for the nearest town, so there would be wildlife to consider

    And the dogs! Nearly lost my dog to it, she liked the look of the rat poison treats


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,589 ✭✭✭corks finest


    It's nothing to do with Covid anyway!

    It's just a matter of a local food source, weather warming up, likely reproduction etc. I had rats in the garden over the winter, and after a while they were confidently coming out into the middle of the lawn during the middle of the day etc - so it's something they will start to do if given the time and motivation (food!). Some people are in a constant battle with rats, and in other places they come and go in different years. As a general rule, assume that there are rats nearby in every habitat - urban, suburban and rural, with very few exceptions.

    Make sure you're not inadvertently providing them with some source of food, remove any source of drinking water that you can, and get a covered trap and an appropriate rat poison.

    Be very careful with snap traps that they're covered appropriately so that they don't trap birds instead.

    And bird feeders


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,589 ✭✭✭corks finest


    It's nothing to do with Covid anyway!

    It's just a matter of a local food source, weather warming up, likely reproduction etc. I had rats in the garden over the winter, and after a while they were confidently coming out into the middle of the lawn during the middle of the day etc - so it's something they will start to do if given the time and motivation (food!). Some people are in a constant battle with rats, and in other places they come and go in different years. As a general rule, assume that there are rats nearby in every habitat - urban, suburban and rural, with very few exceptions.

    Make sure you're not inadvertently providing them with some source of food, remove any source of drinking water that you can, and get a covered trap and an appropriate rat poison.

    Be very careful with snap traps that they're covered appropriately so that they don't trap birds instead.

    And bird feeders


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    No food source in the garden.
    No bird feeders, although we have a lot of birds hanging around, so it is possible that they drop berries etc. onto the grass, and that the rats are eating their "crumbs"!
    The drain at the end of the garden is a problem as it is a water source for them, but nothing can be done about that. It runs along the back of all the houses.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,831 ✭✭✭s8n


    Do you know anyone with working terriers that will rat.you could then smoke out ratty with a hose off a chainsaw exhaust or a strimmer without the chain or bar on obviously or else dig them for the dogs.
    A working plummer or Jack Russel terrier

    why do you call them rattys ??


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    s8n wrote: »
    why do you call them rattys ??

    My daughter calls each one ratty too "oh there's ratty again". It is kind of affectionate!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 605 ✭✭✭upupup


    There is a rat in my garden that seems to be eating grass in the middle of the day and was not too afraid of me.I'v never seen this before:confused:


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,786 ✭✭✭Doctors room ghost


    s8n wrote: »
    why do you call them rattys ??



    I think it’s a throwback to the wind in the willows but I call them ratty for years.you need yourself a good plummer terrier op.
    YouTube the plummer terriers ratting.they wouldn’t be long with sorting out old ratty


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    upupup wrote: »
    There is a rat in my garden that seems to be eating grass in the middle of the day and was not too afraid of me.I'v never seen this before:confused:

    Exact same as me. Was this in the last few days?


  • Registered Users Posts: 605 ✭✭✭upupup


    CarPark2 wrote: »
    Exact same as me. Was this in the last few days?

    yes,its a fat rat too so maybe pregnant.I read somewhere that they get moisture from eating/nibbling grass so it might be connected to the lack of rain.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,589 ✭✭✭corks finest


    s8n wrote: »
    why do you call them rattys ??

    Wind on the willows


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,831 ✭✭✭s8n


    CarPark2 wrote: »
    My daughter calls each one ratty too "oh there's ratty again". It is kind of affectionate!

    Its kind of childish


  • Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭CarPark2


    s8n wrote: »
    Its kind of childish

    Well she is 9 years old, so I guess it goes with the territory.


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