Arise Sir Tom

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

He deservers nowt 

[Orcs]

Well, what about Phil? By now he's sort of given his life about six times over for all of us!

Yep One cut at a time 

[Techno]

Oi !!!

Three days without drawing blood !
(When you're hot, you're hot  )

Cheers - Cat.

[Orcs]

A Well deserved Knighthood to Sir Tom.  As so many have said, at least he deserved it

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Oi !!!
Three days without drawing blood !
Cheers - Cat.

WE DONT BELIVE YOU 

[Techno]

Absolutely true !!

AND......I haven't broken any fingers playing with the old 'snap type' rat traps, this afto'.....Yet.
These things make me very nervous, 'cos they're somewhat corroded.

....going to pop into the village and get some new ones.

The joys of owning chickens ......Such messy eaters, they just encourage their little furry friends round to supper each evening......Gits !

Cheers - Phil

[flamingpig0]

A Well deserved Knighthood to Sir Tom.  As so many have said, at least he deserved it

Very much so -

[jimduncanuk]

The joys of owning chickens ......Such messy eaters, they just encourage their little furry friends round to supper each evening......Gits !

I recently had rats in my back garden and under my wargames hut.

I sealed off the under-hut with wire mesh and sand and cement and slabs and then picked off the vermin with industrial strength rat poison in otherwise friendly rat traps.

Problem solved.

[Techno]

Can't really use poison with all the other animals around, Jim.

Even the bait trap boxes would be a bit of a no-no, as the rats could come out and die where one of the dogs would go and eat them.
There used to be a poison recommended by the Owl trust, called Eradibait......Only effects rodents and absolutely nothing else.
Can't get that anymore, sadly.

Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Probs an organo-phospahte.

[Techno]

Probs an organo-phospahte.

Don't think so, Ian.

It 'apparently' affected only rodents by stopping their 'gut' from absorbing water....So they basically died from dehydration, and supposedly went back to their nest and 'mummified'.
It DID work !
There was one day I saw a ratty family (or two), lined up scoffing the food that our old chickens had spread around......I counted 15 of the little darlings....This was about 10 (?) years ago when everybody in our little valley wanted to call in the Pied Piper.

Put a load of Eradibait down in the pole barn........After two days they'd all gone....HUZZAH !

Cheers - Phil

[jimduncanuk]

Even the bait trap boxes would be a bit of a no-no, as the rats could come out and die where one of the dogs would go and eat them.

OK, big plastic (dogproof) box with rat sized entry holes, bait and rat sized physical trap. Put a couple of bricks on top to keep it in place.

Failing that get a .22 (licenced).

[mmcv]

Have seen a rat at the bird food a few times, disappears pretty quickly when the dog shoots out the door growling mind you. I suppose rats have to eat too.

[Techno]

I've got a 'pop gun*', Jim.

Trouble is the dogs get over excited if they see me with the 'shooty-bang-stick' and want to join in....Idiots !

I think I've just sorted out exactly what you've suggested  ......Rat 'boxes'....WITHOUT poison....But with enough space to put a snap trap in.
(Got the new ones, now. )

Matthew.....That's one of the only problems in putting out food for wild birds.....They chuck the food about too, and the ratties are only trying to survive, and will take the easiest option if there's some sort of food source.

If you see ONE rat....You've got quite a few more not too far away...Trust me.

What do they say ?...."You're only ever about 10 feet away from a rat."
At least I know where most of the ones around here are, cos they're after the bird or chicken food.

Cheers - Phil.

*It's only a .177....But I used to be able to drill a mouse sized rat between the eyes from 15-20 yards......Bet I couldn't do that now.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

They use the palstic box traps all over the place - Elf and Saftey