Rats in the Garden

Sorry Merlot. I stand corrected!

So scared now just will not go out into my garden so upset by all of this thinking of moving now.

Weil's Disease (Leptospirosis) Weil's disease is a form of a bacterial infection also known as Leptospirosis that is carried by animals, most commonly in rats and cattle. It can be caught by humans through contact with rat or cattle urine, most commonly occurring through contaminated fresh water.

They or rather their fleas do still carry the germ that causes bubonic plague! Not likely in our part of the world I admit, but still a good reason for exterminating rats.

Lockjaw is Tetanus. Weil's disease is Leptospirosis.

Yes, they carry Weil’s disease (Lockjaw). Their bladder apparently has no sphincter muscle so they can dribble pee at any time. Hence why dogs shouldn’t drink out of puddles - according to my mum.

Is Rats wee dangerous?

We had rats, as did several neighbours. They came through the sewers. The branch off the main sewer leading to our houses had a broken cover. Thames Water repaired that at the Council rat man's suggestion. He was very helpful. He put poison in the cellar which was where they got into the house. My son blocked up all the holes he could find in the cellar. The poison outside was in a box that other animals such as cats could not get into. We did get rid of the rats thank goodness.

Cindy8 I had to buy a cat because I lived opposite a bakery and it worked very quickly. I wish I'd had one in previous places I'd lived in. There really is nothing that works as well. He would bring me presents though (usually 1 for me and 1 for the dog) but better dead mice than living ones.

they do say that you're never more than a few feet (can't remember exactly ) from a rat. We just don't always see them!

As OPs have said, don't put food on the ground for the birds, keep bins firmly shut and so on to discourage them from returning. The council aren't useless, just fighting a losing battle!

Our old rescue dog (rip) was a proper mongrel b ut with many terrier features. One was his ability to sniff out rodents. We have always had dogs and only once had a rat (no doubt with friends nearby) in our garden, after the drains overflowed on our road. I do wonder if the dogs are a deterrent. The squirrel sits on the wall, waving to them, then scampers off when they race up barking.

Sparkly1000..... Jack Russells nesting haha. I know you mean rats, but the wording is funny and I had to laugh.

Wigan Pest Control here, Nfk! I don’t even live in Wigan.

As I just scrolled back up this thread an advert for Norfolk Pest Control appeared at the top - and I hadn’t even posted anything!

When i lived at my old house there were about 10 or 11 houses on are row and i was the only one who never had a problem with rats or mice i think it had something to do with iv got 2 big house cats and i also fed 2 big ferrel cats in my garden and they were always there so thankfully i didnt have a problem but my freind/nieghbour had a terrible time with them, she was having to chase them out of her kids bedroom on a daily bases and the council was absolutely hopeless, it got so bad the kitchen ceiling caved in from there chewing so she was rehomed.

When i lived at my old house i was on like a row of houses about 10 or 11 houses and mine was the only house that didnt have mice or rats, i think it was because i have 2 very big house cats and i use to feed 2 big ferrel cats outside in the garden and they were always there so thankfully i didnt have a problem but my friend/ nieghbour had a terrible time with them and the blood council were hopeless at helping her.

Grannygranby and quizqueen = nice to hear someone speaking up for the poor old rats. They are just trying to live their lives, like we all do. Yes I know, they can carry diseases.

They have a really hard time of it, what with being poisoned and used so much in lab experiments. I wish at the very least, the poisons could be humane.

The biggest rats on this planet are called human beings. When rats rule the world, I hope they remember where the poison is kept!!

MOTHBALLS! Bought cheaply on Ebay and sprinkled on floor of shed (we'd seen Roland Rat peeking round the old net curtain at the shed window!) This was weeks ago, and not seen him or any offspring since.

When we had a rat in our kitchen the council rodent man who put down poison (which it never came back and ate, so it must have been an itinerant visitor) said not to worry if the cats caught and ate a poisoned rat because the concentration of poison in it would be so low that it wouldn't affect them.

Not that our cats do eat them, they just leave the trophy for me to dispose of...

I know we have them outside because I do occasionally see one but we make sure all the horse feed is kept in covered containers so they can't contaminate it.

Beware of secondary poisoning if you use rat poison. Our barn owls and other birds of prey have a hard enough time as it is
www.barnowltrust.org.uk/hazards-solutions/rodenticides/background-rat-poison-problem/

Moneyboss shame to fill in a pond, provides a good habitat for a wide variety of wildlife.

Can't think that just a water source would be the only attraction for the rat?

Serkeen the best tip is to avoid all food and water sources. Make sure your bin lids are well secured. If you have any fruit trees or bushes make sure you collect all the windfalls throughout the summer and autumn. they love apples!!

We live in Spain and 3 summers in a row we had problems with the electrics in the car necessitating expensive repairs. On the third summer DH complained he kept finding almond shells on top of the engine, I didn't look and assumed they were thrown up by the wheels until I looked one day and saw a neat pile of shells on top of the car battery!! It was so obviously made by an animal and my DH had never twigged, he just kept knocking them off! On that occasion they had chewed the tube to the rear window washer, more expense. Poison slotted into the engine cavity got rid of them but I really don't like using it as other animals like cats might eat the dying rats. Prevention is the best solution.

Now we are scrupulous about not leaving any food or water source outside and the car is parked inside the garage overnight. Fingers crossed this summer.

Good luck getting rid of them.

There are rats everywhere. We had them in the garage a few years ago (the garage is an Aladdin's cave so plenty of places for them to nest) so I put poison on potato peelings on the floor, they ate them and when I spring cleaned the garage no sign of them. Last year there was a hole in one of the compost heaps - when the heap was dug out for spreading I found an empty nest deep down. I think there's been another nest this year in another compost heap. They gnawed into the plastic compost bin but no sign of them in it. We don't seem to have suffered from them. I wouldn't put poison in the garden because of hedgehogs and cats eating it.

I have read, but don't know if it is correct, that rats hate the smell of mothballs. Maybe that solution would be more effective if you have and indoor rat problem (shudder) but might be something worth considering.

We had a mouse problem in the house a few months ago, which traumatised me. I don't mind mice, as long as they are in their own environment - and that is NOT inside my house.

We used a combination of poison and sonic deterrents and they soon went. But of course we don't know which of the two was the most effective at getting rid!