RATS

Had this problem myself last year. Totally overrun with the horrible things. I kept onto the council, who eventually brought experts out. Not only was it local businesses leaving rubbish and food out, but they found a cracked sewer, which was hugely contributing to the problem, and has now been repaired.
Pester the council constantly. Take photos of any rubbish left dumped, as the council can service the offenders with penalty notices.
Stop feeding the birds if you do.
I was if you remove food and shelter they will go, but unfortunately they love nesting in huts, under huts, under decking and under any rubbish or debris.
Good luck.

You need to get a professional agency in. My son did so and has had no trouble since.

I don't know about the garden but someone told my son to use a block of good old fashioned carbolic soap. He has a combine and they got in it one winter and chewed all the wiring. Might help in the summer house.

I believe that they are almost immune to some of the poison. New rules make it that only farmers can buy the really strong stuff. The only thing is a trap that is like a cage.

Hope you manage to get rid.

I would never cope with the thought of rats being anywhere near my home. I'd have to either have a gun or a flame-thrower to hand. My mind would be tipped" over the edge ".

I had a rat in my roof space. Just above my bed.

Told the landlord's agent who took some convincing but eventually (with many sighs) sent a dolt of a handyman.

He said, "It's just mice, everyone has mice, rats won't get into the ceiling".
At my insistence he put bait down between the insulation.
The rat died and began to smell.

I called the handyman back, he told me he could smell nothing and said I was imagining things (goodness knows how I kept my hands off him at that point).

"It's probably something outside that's died." (poor, confused old thing that I am).

The smell was so bad I had to move out of my bedroom and keep that door tightly shut with a towel across the bottom to prevent the whole house being uninhabitable from stench. I did not dare have guests.

It was then I by-passed the manager and the dolt and went straight to the woman who manages all the elderly units in NZ for this charity.

Literally within the hour of my call, the dolt was back with instructions to find the rat and dispose of it....and to send her proof he'd done so.

A rather chastened handyman took this photo of the decomposed, 'imaginary' rat which couldn't possibly get into my ceiling.

Callgirll, that's very racist ....

If it wasnt for the fact that they spread disease and are full of fleas (with their own health hazard) I would have to respect the little blighters.

Rats are survivors. They live were they find a source of food. And then they make themselves a home in a dark undisturbed ‘hole’. Hence your summerhouse, decking is another favourite. The longer they remain undisturbed and they have located a food source the faster they will breed. They are a problem for backyard chicken keepers. The rats live under the chicken house were nobody can get at them and they eat the chicken’s corn and even their eggs.
Weils Desease is not uncommon in rural areas and it often goes undetected in the early stages.

I've had a very similar problem with rats in my potting shed. Rats had made a nest under the floor of the shed, which was slightly raised up off the ground and they were very difficult to get rid of. It took several visits from Pest Control at the council to finally kill them off. I stopped putting out bird feeders because the rats were feeding from the seeds that fell to the ground.
Clearing up the aftermath of the rat massacre wasn't pleasant at all. shudders at the memory of it^

Sounds like you’ve made every effort to get rid of them, I don’t see you can do a lot more, it has to be a job for pest control

Sounds so awful for you

Ah that'll be it.

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I can't understand how this has happened? How can a summer house be overrun and " new " families don't know how to use bins?

Lily, I am clean as possible, clean to the point of almost ocd, I am uspet to think that after all my diligence with cleaning etc that you could imply it is somehow my own fault.

Lily, that's not nice....

Rats spread diseases such as Weil's Disease (Leptospirosis) . Be very careful when cleaning or handling anything that has come into contact with rats. As others suggest keep on top of it and listen to whatever the Pest Control Officer tells you. Remember that pets will also eat rat poison so be very very careful. There is a lot of info online. Jack Russells are brilliant ratters. Good luck

Maybe try to be cleaner ? Just a thought.

I think there are lots of fairy stories with rats in them.

thank you I have a couple of bait boxes and as fast as I am filling them the rats are taking the bait.
The council only put the same stuff as I am using and only call once a fortnight.
I dread to think how many babies are born in a fortnight.

Also the council are trying to educate several 'new' families on how to use bins!!!! Seems they dont use them where they come from!

We just bought some bait boxes, which appeared to have worked, but yes, I’m sure the council will persevere with your problem, keep on at them

You need to get several poison bait feeders and fill them up at least weekly, eventually you will win and then keep it up, once rats start to breed it’s easy to get overrun. A farmer friend actually gets a guy with an infrared sight on his air rifle to shoot them.
I just pay the rodent control contractor

Get the rat people from the council out again. Loathsome things rats. I love all creatures great and small, except rats. The council rat people seem the most effective. Don't give up! Neighbours who throw food out need a good talking to - by the council rat people not you!

Oh that sounds like a horror film!

I saw one in my garden last year, I thought it was a rabbit till I approached it and saw that long tail!!!

I know a man who works in pest control, and he said it was my own fault for feeding the birds, so sadly I’ve stopped that, but you’d situation sounds desperate

no crazyH I live on the outskirts of a town

I have 2 chihuahuas already otherwise I would, but the rat I saw was as big as my dogs!

Get a Jack Russell they are excellent ratters. It's horrible having them in your garden isn't it, I sympathise.