Dealing with rats

[chrissynemetz]

How's the rat war going?

 

[CarpCharacin]

How's the rat war going?

They still haven't really eaten the bromethalin poison.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Hmm... do their numbers seem to be decreasing?

 

[Ladies-Eight]

How's the rat war going?

No one's been on lately. I'm sure we will hear something soon.

 

[CarpCharacin]

I am unfortunately still encountering rats.
They haven't eaten much of the poison for months, even though it is still out there, and I am still seeing multiple rats in the yard on a daily basis. The population decreased when they were eating the poison, but now it appears to have increased again. Any ideas on how to get them to eat the poison?

 

[Manhen]

Humour always helps:
You could wear a pointy hat and put it on an apple?!

Really a hungry litter of kittens in the area would solve the problem don't you think? I guess I really ask because my coop is large and old. While rats are not around because the building was empty for 25 years, they are due back. I am looking for a pregnant cat. Really. Preferably one that has been friendly with a bobcat.
I avoid chems with a passion.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I am unfortunately still encountering rats.
They haven't eaten much of the poison for months, even though it is still out there, and I am still seeing multiple rats in the yard on a daily basis. The population decreased when they were eating the poison, but now it appears to have increased again. Any ideas on how to get them to eat the poison?

cover them in peanut butter...the bars or poison, not the rats.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Are you moving the rat boxes regularly? Rotating bait types as they stop being interested in one type? Setting snap traps or glue traps to count numbers? Have you considered using tracking powder?

 

[CarpCharacin]

Are you moving the rat boxes regularly? Rotating bait types as they stop being interested in one type? Setting snap traps or glue traps to count numbers? Have you considered using tracking powder?

I haven't moved the boxes a lot, but I don't want to put them in a place where they might be accessible to the chickens or my dog. I have two types of bait out right now, the bromethalin based bait, and the anticoagulant, and they have seemingly lost interest in both types. I'm not familiar with tracking powder, but I am a bit hesitant to use snap or glue traps, as I don't really like having to dispose of dead rats.

 

[BDutch]

Rats are clever and learn when there family gets sick of something. So they stay away from the bait and multiply again. If you have bad luck you even might get rats who are immune for the poison.

Best way to deal with rats is to give the chickens a safe, rat free coop and prevent that the rats have acces to food. Predators (like cats) help to minimise the amount of rats.