Rats are very intelligent with a great sense of smell. They tend to have runs alongside things as you've noticed, rarely going into the open. So, put your traps alongside the fence, never, ever touch them or any bait with your bare hands, (marigold gloves are your friend), they learn about traps and teach their kids about them! With poison always use a lot more than you think necessary, whatever it is you use. Too little and the rats can survive long enough to, guess what, teach their kids to avoid it. Borrow a farmers Jack Russell or a wise old Farm cat. And if you know anyone with a cat who uses litter then spread the cat urine soaked litter along your boundary as a temporary barrier, until they learn there's no cats about. Red Gardens posted a good video about rats recently, it's worth a look. He also posted one a few years ago which showed a more drastic yet understandable approach.

It's always some kind of wildlife!

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

Just hoping when the growing starts they don't destroy too much

I had them in my compost bins (homemade pallet bins) i switched to the darlik ones and put chicken wire on the bottom of them and stapled it to the bin i then screwed the front cover on with 3 screws each side its a pain keep unscrewing it but only do that once a year so far i havent had any come back think i helps with the fox hovering around. If you moved the bins away from the edge of your plot and more in the middle that might help cause they will be more exposed trying to get to the bins

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

I have recently moved the bin to more in the center the win had lifted it up so I moved it well I think it was the wind could of been the rats. Will look into getting chicken wire thanks

You really need to get in someone with a ferret and a couple of terriers. It’s the only way to get rid of them quickly, your bait stations aren’t working. Trapping is hard work. If you can’t get someone witha ferry, try soaking rags in petrol and stuffing that down the who,ex. The fumes can be an effective way to drive them away.

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

The people next door used to have some but they got rid of them there is plenty people around here in the trade. They have been eating the bait either there is alot of them or it just isn't killing them. I have killed a couple in a trap. Willing to try anything

Thin coating of Peanut butter on the traps also helped with our vole troubles a couple years back. Go to your local coffee shop for their spent grounds so you can heavily place it everywhere.

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

Thanks I used chocolate spread on the traps but stopped when the bad weather come in. Will see if I can get some coffee grounds have a few shops near me

I know when there is poultry around it attracts rats. I had some once in my back garden. Pretty much did what you are doing. Good luck mate!

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

The last guy had chickens looks like the were under the chicken coop and have have stayed but one allotment down still has alot. Just going to stop putting food in the compost and put poison down now for a while

@AmirsAllotment

Жыл бұрын

@@JacobsonFamilyAllotment have you started growing anything yet? I’m itching to get started, but I’m not going to rush into anything yet.

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

@@AmirsAllotment doing a few seeds tomorrow. Strawberries, tomatoes , leeks and a few others. I have a grow light and heat mat so the will be under there then moved to the greenhouse. Apart from that just my garlic and shallots from last year.

I’m so sorry your having such bad experiences with 🐀 I’m surprised the council don’t try to help. Hopefully you get it sorted soon. In any case have a wonderful new year 🎉🎊🇨🇦

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

The council doesn't really do much for these allotments. It's right next to a old landfill so alot of rats came from that. Happy new year to you too Ali

commercial baits are a waste of time IME, and you don't really want that stuff around your chickens/pets/nature, those traps are useless as they learn how to avoid getting caught in them. 2 pronged approach works, 1) peanut butter mixed with baking soda 50/50 as a bait, it works because their intestines can't cope with the gas and it does work, 2) 5 gal bucket or 50L plastic drum with a beer can on a coat hanger wire across the top so the beer can spins freely (search YT for beer can water trap) bait the beercan with peanut butter fill the bucket/barrel with 1ft of water, they go for the bait, beer can spins, they fall in the water, can't get out = many dead rats, you don't even need to reset the trap. I've had 3 lots move in near my chucks in the last 12 months, this aproach got rid of them within 2 weeks.

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

Thanks yea I feel like that traps just never work any more. I have seen the water trap before just havnt done it with the freezing temps over winter. Will try that baking soda sounds good. Will do anything to get rid thanks

@glassbackdiy3949

Жыл бұрын

@@JacobsonFamilyAllotment looking at your site you probably have a lot about, barrel will be the quickest to get the numbers down fast, 1 female will have 5-10 pups every 2 months, you'll soon know as the bakingsoda/penut butter will got pretty fast but it takes a few days to have an effect, if you disturb one thats had the bait it will be slow enough to squash with your foot/rake or something it really does effect them. I compost them in the bottom of my cold compost dog poo bin (with the damn moles I also get) very rarely find anything lieft, maybe the odd skull nothing else after 18-24 months when it's emptied.

@glassbackdiy3949

Жыл бұрын

btw microwave the peanut butter to make mixing in the baking powder easier ;)

@JacobsonFamilyAllotment

Жыл бұрын

@@glassbackdiy3949 thanks yea should be able to get some stuff for it fast. hopefully get them down before the veg goes in