RATS-Questions

[chickieschicks]

What is the best rodent proof feeder and waterer you can recommend?

Is there a type of rat poison that does not pose a hazard to humans or animals that come in contact with a dead rat that has consumed it?

 

[noregerts]

We bought this not long ago when we realized how much feed we were wasting on RATS. UGH. So far, so good. I'm almost positive we bought it on Amazon since that's where we buy virtually everything. I do not have it attached to a wall, it is free standing and have not had any problem with that. Occasionally I sweep under the tread because dirt gets built up under there and then the pedal won't go down as far as it should. We are going through a lot less feed. It took my girls a few weeks til I felt confident that they had all figured out how to use it though.

 

[Howard E]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/

I understand there are more models now, including a larger one that will hold an entire bag of feed.

On the bait blocks to minimize risk of secondary poisoning......Terad3 from Bell Labs.......except these will likely NOT be found locally. You may have to go online to find them, and in the quantities sold, will probably run about $150.

https://www.belllabs.com/bell-labs/product/us/pest-control/terad-sub-3-sub-ag-blox

You might also consider this.....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/dead-rats-and-secondary-poisoning.1283489/

 

[danceswithronin]

Is there a type of rat poison that does not pose a hazard to humans or animals that come in contact with a dead rat that has consumed it?

Cats. We had a terrible problem with field mice and Norway rats in our auto shop to the point we had to get rid of our lobby vending machine (they were breaking into it to eat the snacks/candy) and were catching several HUGE rats a week in the garage itself. I'm talking about rats the size of large breed puppies, I have never seen rats like that outside of a Stephen King novel.

Adopted two tuxedo strays as organic pest control and haven't seen a single mouse or rat since.

 

[Shezadandy]

There's that Rat X stuff - which dehydrates them if they eat it but won't harm anything else. You're supposed to make sure there's no readily available water source. My coop is next to a POND … so I can't give a thumbs up or down on it.

 

[equine chick]

You could try mint. If you want to try the all natural approach. Rodents hate the smell of mint so place it outside the coop. I saw this in lisa steeles book "fresh eggs daily"

 

[Fairview01]

No better rat trap than the original to prevent unintentional secondary poisoning. Ignoring the rat population is bad. Take away the easy food and they'll start taking eggs, chicks, juveniles and attacking mature ones sleeping on roost. Rats are smart and aggressive.

Solve the problem not the symptom.

 

[Shezadandy]

No better rat trap than the original to prevent unintentional secondary poisoning. Ignoring the rat population is bad. Take away the easy food and they'll start taking eggs, chicks, juveniles and attacking mature ones sleeping on roost. Rats are smart and aggressive.

Solve the problem not the symptom.View attachment 1751415

The problem I've had with the open Victor traps (which are great) is the wild birds are attracted to the bait ... they end up decapitated in the traps while the rats run free. I've had good luck with unbaited black plastic snap traps set at strategic spots, i.e. entrances and exits -- without the heartbreak of seeing a bird dead in there. They're not AS good as the original, but I got so tired of finding dead birds that I couldn't keep using them.

Figuring out you've got rats is the first and most important step. The buggers learn very very fast, especially if they see one of their own dead in the trap. I've come out to find all my traps sprung with zero casualties after the learning curve where I get a bunch. There have been lots of youtube videos on how to improve the fatality rate of the standard Victor trap - everything from raised blocks of wood under the spring and in front of where the bar would break the neck to having nails/screws poking up in that same spot to jigsaw blades around the outer edge of the trap where the bar lands. Not sure of the legality of these methods, and I haven't used them - but I've had way too many untargeted animals and rat escapes- and I haven't found the Victors to be universally fatal- too many caught but not dead. As much as I despise and wish rats dead, having to finish them off manually isn't my cup of tea.

 

[Howard E]

I think the Victor wooden traps will work OK on the smaller Black Rats, but many of the Brown (Norway) rats are too big for it. Some just get boinked on the nose. For those guys, there are some amazing traps that have been devised.....fun stuff, but for rat control, not at all effective.

The problem with trapping rats is they can reproduce a lot faster than you can trap them.....and that applies to just about every trap that has ever been devised. And has been suggested, you might get a few but the rest get wise in a hurry. I think we totally underestimate the ability of these rodents to reason and communicate.......they are a lot smarter than we give them credit for.

Also...shooting them, dogs, trained ferrets, etc all sound like great fun......but won't eliminate the problem. May not even dent the problem if you have a large colony to deal with. Some cats seem to have the right attitude and a knack for killing rats, but not all.

If you really serious about getting control of your rat problem and willing to devote a bit of time towards learning what you are up against, most of what you need to know will be found here......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-101.1283827/

 

[Fairview01]

The problem I've had with the open Victor traps (which are great) is the wild birds are attracted to the bait ... they end up decapitated in the traps while the rats run free. I've had good luck with unbaited black plastic snap traps set at strategic spots, i.e. entrances and exits -- without the heartbreak of seeing a bird dead in there. They're not AS good as the original, but I got so tired of finding dead birds that I couldn't keep using them.

Figuring out you've got rats is the first and most important step. The buggers learn very very fast, especially if they see one of their own dead in the trap. I've come out to find all my traps sprung with zero casualties after the learning curve where I get a bunch. There have been lots of youtube videos on how to improve the fatality rate of the standard Victor trap - everything from raised blocks of wood under the spring and in front of where the bar would break the neck to having nails/screws poking up in that same spot to jigsaw blades around the outer edge of the trap where the bar lands. Not sure of the legality of these methods, and I haven't used them - but I've had way too many untargeted animals and rat escapes- and I haven't found the Victors to be universally fatal- too many caught but not dead. As much as I despise and wish rats dead, having to finish them off manually isn't my cup of tea.

Google weasel traps. Nothing more than a floorless wooden box with a hole at one end. Birds wont go in the box. Either use a rat trap or a #1 coil spring trap will both catch weasels. If just rats then the snap trap would be most effective.