Talkback: Rats in the garden - Page 3 - Talkback

21/12/2010 at 14:26

just like to say how much me and my family will miss toby buckland and alice, we are not all fans of monty don. toby has been brilliant and the garden they created is far supoerior to the one monty don did.

Gardeners' World Web User

22/12/2010 at 13:45

We live in the country and our garden backs onto woodland behind which is farmland. Inevitably we get rats in the garden.We have stopped putting bird food on the ground but they still come in. I have seen a rat climb up the 6 foot metal pole on our bird feeding station. I tried a humane trap but even baby rats were smart enough to stay away. I can't put poison down as we have a dog and our neighbours have 2 cats. So what to do? I can't bear the thought of killing a living creature - after all they are simply trying to survive in a very harsh world. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Gardeners' World Web User

23/12/2010 at 19:48

Our little rat lives under our decking, just as your blog warned. During the snow she has created a straight furrow between her burrow and the peanuts put on the snow covered lawn for all the wildlife. She has fought off the squirrels and like another blogger said, wrestled with the robins over territory. We like having her around .... it's blooming cold out there, and every wild thing is just trying to get through the winter. We need to show a little compassion to our fellow beasties and leave them be.

Gardeners' World Web User

26/12/2010 at 10:41

If you encourage rats then you will end up with serious problems. I nursed 2 people over the years, neither of whom had any compassion from rats ,as they both died. Weils disease is an unpleasant way to die. Your rat may just be getting through the winter but just wait until the weather improves and it tries breeding again and putting peoples health at risk. Also you have the benefit of being in a cosy house and extending compassion should go to people as well as animals. I have cared for homeless people who have been bitten by rats as they slept. The only good rat is a dead rat.

Gardeners' World Web User

08/01/2011 at 22:57

I hate rats and agree with Jane . I helped at a homeless unit for a while and the people had to put up with both 4 legged and 2 legged rats. Not sure which were worse but certainly a few got bitten by the vermin. Worse still is that some councils are stopping rat catching. It is up to responsible folks to stop feeding these horrible vermin.

Gardeners' World Web User

14/01/2011 at 01:59

I don't know if anyone else had the same experiance as I have, yes it was a rat and it was living in an old coal bunker that I kept flowerpots in,when I looked in there were loads of crunched up snail shells I think the rat was useing them for food.nasty things rats, only wish there was a nice owl to chase them away, as cat's are useless.

Gardeners' World Web User

15/01/2011 at 16:50

My cat kills rats but leaves the gall bladder and other vile bits on the path for me to clean up. Still bettter killing rats than birds. I must have a crazy cat as it prefers vermin to feathers. I am pleased it does not bring in birds.

Gardeners' World Web User

05/02/2011 at 15:09

Help !!! I have decking in my garden and I've become aware that animals are tunnelling under it in at least three places. Can anyone help me to identify exactly what animal is doing this and what I should do?

Gardeners' World Web User

20/03/2011 at 20:28

hi i have just found we have rats in our rabbits compound i have had rabbits for 16 years and never seen a rat but my next door neighbour and my next door but one neighbour both have now got chickens can the rats harm my rabbits as the rabbits are free to roam the compound which is about 30 foot long

Gardeners' World Web User

04/04/2011 at 11:40

I too have rats in my garden, which are attracted to the food droppings from the bird feeders. My solution to this was to obtain some of the cheap plastic saucer type dishes which are for standing indoor plant pots in.You will need to get ones which are large enough to fix to the bottom of the bird feeders and leave at least 2 inches overhang all round the feeder.I simply drilled some smsll holes in the saucer and tied them to the bottom of the feeder with some garden wire. Make these holes slightly larger than the thickness of the wire which will then allow ony rainwater to drain away. The saucers catch about 99% of the seed thrown out by the birds and can easily be cleaned out each time you refill the feeder.I have also used some cheap plastic picnic dinner plates for the smaller feeders which work just as well as long as there is enough overhang.

Gardeners' World Web User

06/05/2011 at 15:03

I have wood mice, they live under my decking and I love them. I think the winter was too harsh for them as I have not seen ant yet.

Gardeners' World Web User

28/11/2011 at 18:42

we had rats in our attic a couple of years ago. Nightmare - they had been sleeping and breeding under the insulating material. We have a bungalow and they came in from next door's wall. Worse followed when we put down poison - they died behind the boarded up attic bedroom. We then were invaded with bluebottles. ugh.....never again I hope. Do keep an eye open for them in your roof spaces!

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