Caught a big rat in a hav-a heart trap

[jools2014]

I would've thought poison was least humane? I would use myself (we did buy a pack) but I worry about rats laying around dying and then having to put them out of their misery anyway. Right I guess I will use the air rifle (just out of interest is an air rifle, pellet gun and bb gun all the same thing? I said pellet gun then realised we all call it an air rifle. I do actually know how to use it despite my lack of knowledge about guns!) guess I'll see if my brother was right about it being hard to kill them like that-not looking forward to it but has to be done.

 

[Weehopper]

My husband used to use an air rifle. It did the job. You really need to pump it up.
I know I wouldn't like to drown....

 

[country boy 91]

I've got a gamo 1,000 fps air rifle and I've dispatched many a coon possum mice and snake and a stray cat or 2 with it. The only downfall with it is its brake barrel single shot so it takes a bit for a followup shot

 

[jools2014]

Its not about relocating them to where there are people, its about relocating parasites, disease, etc..
And you are moving vermin into another area where plenty of vermin already live. You are just plopping them down into some other critters territory, with no home range, to compete for what food is there.

The point of "humane" traps, is that if you catch a non-target animal you can release it unharmed. Which is not the case with snap traps or poison.

ok i looked up the humane rat traps and they do intend for you to release the rodents elsewhere-clearly I had read that and that's why I thought it was ok to do that when I bought it. It says to catch them humanely, and then take the cage at least 3 miles away and humanely release into the wild-now I didn't take them 3 miles away when i caught them and I'm not going to go to all that trouble-and I wouldn't release it somewhere I didn't know either. Anyway, I agree with most of your points, but it seems rather bad that these traps are encouraging people to live release when it is apparently such a bad idea.

We are supposed to by law dispatch of them humanely and drowning is against the law apparently-but poison is ok..I would rather drown I think than be poisoned! Anyway rifle it is. Caught a mouse this morning in it-was dead though and I had gotten up early to check the trap-sometimes the mice do die. Anyway, that trap is really good.

Thanks weehopper and country, I'll be trying out the rifle tomorrow.

 

[country boy 91]

Is it pellet rifle or bb gun

 

[jools2014]

Is it pellet rifle or bb gun

I thought they were the same-we've always called it an air rifle.

 

[carlf]

A BB gun shoots bb's but not pellets and they are smooth bore. A pellet gun shoot pellets or bbs and has a rifled barrel. BB guns are basically target practice "toys" (but are still a gun, treat them like one. Pellet rifles are high power, accurate guns.

 

[country boy 91]

Also pellets don't ricochet like BBS do

 

[Busterchicken]

In order to humanely dispatch the rats/mice, wear a thick gardening, welding, or leather glove. Hold the rodent firmly, and smash him on the ground with considerable force. This is not for people with a weak stomach, but it is very humane, the rodent feels absolutely no pain, as long as it is done on a hard surface. There is also minimal cleanup (maybe a drop or two of blood out of the nose). Poison has the potential to poison other animals and is a slow, painful death for the rat.

 

[country boy 91]

In order to humanely dispatch the rats/mice, wear a thick gardening, welding, or leather glove. Hold the rodent firmly, and smash him on the ground with considerable force. This is not for people with a weak stomach, but it is very humane, the rodent feels absolutely no pain, as long as it is done on a hard surface. There is also minimal cleanup (maybe a drop or two of blood out of the nose). Poison has the potential to poison other animals and is a slow, painful death for the rat. 

its a rat and it will bite if given a chance just use the rifle or you could drop the trap in a bucket of water of you could just shake the trap until you break its neck