How to discourage rodents without poison

[CabritaChicks]

Oh my God! Thanks for the video! That thing looks vicious, def an angry elf! Your place is stunning!

Thanks! I designed the house to blend into the natural landscape—which, of course, means I get a lot of critter visitors. But I think we’ve veered a bit off-topic here!

That said, I did check my night cams, and it looks like the coyote urine really worked (the real stuff—super potent, not the watered-down kind from Amazon). Right now it’s pouring outside—flash floods across the island and possibly the season’s first named storm heading our way. You’d think the animals would take shelter in the coop since it’s mostly covered, but nope—haven’t seen them since the urine went down. Might be worth a try on your end?

 

[Al Gerhart]

I got traps everywhere, it worked some but after after 10 rodents trapped within 7 days, they learned how to by pass it. I don't use poison because it will kill hawks or other in the upper level of the food chain.
BEST THING THAT WE HAVE ARE KING SNAKE (not this color, ) AND RAT SNAKE. They are so happy to "help" me.

They do work, however, even a large snake only eats a couple of times a month, during warm months. They hardly make a dent in a rat colony. The snake's den might remain rat free but unless you have a huge den of large snakes they won't do much for you.

 

[Down Under]

Farmers here swear by these and make them using a 44 gallon drum and multiple coke/beer cans with the peanut butter on the middle can, to deal with the mice plagues:

If it is pouring down then it may need a roof over it which wouldn't be too hard to make.

 

[Al Gerhart]

They might work in crops if the mice have nothing to eat and are starving. These bucket traps have been reported by many here on BYC as working for a few days until the rats or mice figure out they are dangerous.

The only thing that works for sure and long term is to not feed the rats. Sanitation, bulk feed in metal drums with tight lids, a treadle feeder that is actually rat proof and you won't find any on Amazon, and cleaning up the pathways the rodents use between their den and the food so natural predators thin the ranks.