Oh No!!!!! Wolf Rat on the loose!

[MatthewsHomestead]

So.... We saw our first wolf rat in the fall. Shot it. Thought yay, we nipped this in the bud. Until we saw two more about a month ago. Trapped two with those big rat traps. Thought yay again. Tonight I go to our basement to do my night time check on our new babies (7ducklings and 10chicks) . ..... Another one. In our house! Near my babies! How the heck do we get rid of them once and for all????

 

[drumstick diva]

I've never heard of wolf rats. Can you borrow someone's Jack Russell Terrier, they are very rough on rats and love doing it.

 

[3riverschick]

Seriously,
They have been in business for over 30 years
www.predatorpee.com
Not making this up. The Pee Man can advise correct pee to solve your problem. Make sure explain they are wolf rats to him before just ordering coyote urine. Might need different type of urine for huge wolf rats.
Sincerely,
Karen in western Pennsylvania USA

 

[nminusyplusm]

I googled it. It's just a regular Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus aka brown rat. They don't get as big as cats. I know, I used to breed them. They're also found all over the NYC subway system. "Wolf rat" must be some colloquial term I've never heard before.

 

[Howard E]

To the OP, you have a serious problem. If you are looking for a serious solution, go to this thread.....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rats-when-the-army-went-to-war-on-them.1216226/

Spend the time to go through the whole thing, including the CDC / Army videos. Do that so you know what you are up against.

A lot of folks report on BYC that none of this works. I would submit that a lot of folks who believe that have not taken the steps required to solve the problem. No half measures, half hearted attempts. You must do it all.

1. Rat proof the structure.....ALL traffic in and out has to stop. Easier said than done. DO watch the video on that so you know the extent you have to resort to and how. Its old, but still very much valid.
2. Eliminate all sources of food, water and places to live and hide.
3. If that does not move them on and out, then poison baits are used to snuff the colony. Poison baits alone will not be effective until steps 1 and 2 have been implemented. If that didn't cause an "aha moment" then read that again.
4. Single kill methods or nibbling around the edges is futile. No amount of trapping, shooting, dogs, cats, ferrets, snakes or any other method that attempts to pick off a few of them is going to work. Won't even dent the surface. Then can reproduce in far greater numbers than you can eliminate one or two at a time.

Hope this helps!!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Oh my, I just googled them. You may have to resort to arson or move!

Ugh

Gary

 

[pennyJo1960]

these are crawling in his house not his pets

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

Actually, my 80 year old grandpa is who grew up calling them wolf rats. Thank you very much.
To everyone who had USEFUL information, Thank You! We are implementing as much as we can!
Rats, no matter what kind they are, ARE scary when their in your home or ripping apart your baby chickens. And yes I know it was the rat who did it because we keep deer cams on all our coops to keep an eye on predators such as snakes and rats. They are NOT pets. They are pests. They carry diseases. And in our parts they are significantly large. The smallest one we have killed so far was about 10" in body length, not including tail.
Upside, talked my hunny into a temporary block on the garage door. He's working on it now.
Again, thank you for all the ideas and info we hadn't thought about!

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

All I know is these things are huge! Almost the size of a cat!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Ya maybe a 22 would be called for Gary I googled them also Annie get your gun