Rats Not Mice
 

I live near the largest ship yard in the world. I have a problem with rats (big rats) not mice. My wife feeds the wild birds and the seeds have enticed the rats to feed. The rats live under my storage shed and not in my attached house garage. Poison is not feasible. Rifles and BB guns are not allowed in this city (they will get you fined big time, ask me how I know). I have tried the water bucket thing and the birds eat the bait. I have purchased a small animal trap and used different baits but the rats do not go near it.

Help! What do you suggest?

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Get a large Maine Coon cat.....16-20 lbs; that might work....

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Wow, you seem to be running out of things to try. I would suggest moving .
Just kidding. Could you possibly cover your rotating bait pail trap with an overhead screen to keeps the birds off? What were you using for bait. Peanut butter?

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Mothballs. Use them liberally. They also drive off skunks.
And get a cat ;-)

Fearless

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Uhhh, quit feeding the dang birds!
Quite an undertaking but bait some small animal traps and trap them (could be many!). A tarp and a metal hose from a running car exhaust while in the trap will send them to rat heaven in about 15 minutes.........or wherever.

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

bttt

I used peanut butter on my water pail trap. I used 2 different kinds of cheese, scorched bacon and table scraps on different days in the animal trap but nothing seems to attract them. Maybe they smell human odor near the traps? I'll keep on trying.

Thanks for the info and advice.

Bill Lee/Virginia Peninsula

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

with coons old catfood/dogfood or applecores bannana peels attract them in our live trap. Im at war with chipmunks at the moment. Be so much easier if pellet guns were allowed in the city....

They used to sell like posionus smoke bombs you shove down critter holes then plug it with something sturdy. Actually if you still have a bunch of leftover smokeballs or mammoth smoke things from 4th of july light one and throw it in the rat hole and quickly block it with a board or something. Should suffocate them.

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Wash trap in hot water (cage type) prior to setting out. peanut butter with bird seed worked for me then I shoot with pellet gun and throw in neighbors woods. Wash trap and reset.

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

GET A RAT TERRIER!!
Bill W. & Buster T.

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

I think rats are much smarter than mice. My friend uses the bucket trap at his beach house, and there will be several of them in the bucket. Rats seem to change behavior when they see one of their own die.

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Rifles and BB guns are not allowed in this city.....Wow, glad I don't live there!

Mothballs work great for me on keeping rodents away....

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

most places your allowed to own them but discharging them in city limits causes issues just like real guns:p

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Rat Zapper does the job for me. Clean and reliable. Tractor Supply has a $40 Victor version and the batteries last all season.

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Why not rat poison? That worked for me. I used to feed the birds, too. Between squirrels and rats, I was a neighborhood nuisance. Rat traps do work, too.

I was told about putting dry ice down the holes. CO2 supposedly will displace the oxygen in their nest and suffocate them.

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Dennis used DE-CON around his place, then would find DEAD RATS, floatin' in his swimming pool (YUK!)
Bill Ratfree

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Baby food jar, small rag inside. Pour some ammonia in. Pre-drill small holes in the lid.
Put some under the shed, near the entries and exits.
One smell of this will burn their lungs and they will move on. Works for skunks and raccoons as well. Good luck.
Jeff

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

Quit feeding the birds for a few days and they will get the hint. Then sprinkle peppermint oil around the shed. I love my ruger 177 air rifle. I take their little bodies to a certain spot in the front yard and feed the possum. they eat ALL of the little bastards so there is no evidence. Win win. LOL

Re: Rats Not Mice
 

rats, squirrels and gophers. simple solution gunpowder.

I have all the poisons, traps, widgets etc. Nothing works like old surplus rifle powder.

It doesn't take much and it works very quickly, have a garden hose handy.

J