This year, not content with stripping our hazel tree before the nuts have
even began to form, the squirrels are now eating all our proto pears and
apples when they are no bigger than marbles!

Last time I broached this subject a device called the 'Rat Zapper' was
suggested, but I never got around to buying one, as last year, the squirrels
seemed less troublesome (except they only left us one apple...).

Looking again, I see mixed reviews of the ratzapper, with a lot of would-be
users describing it as useless, and often arriving badly wired. Also, I
did, last time I looked, find a site where someone was offering models
adapted for mains use rather than battery, but I can't find this now.

Has anyone here actually tried one of the ratzappers, or perhaps even come
up with their own successful design?

(I'm not in the market for cage traps, as I have modified the one I have so
many times already, I don't think there is any design I would trust to catch
these particular beasties!)

Cheers,

S

spamlet wrote:


Has anyone here actually tried one of the ratzappers, or perhaps even come
up with their own successful design?

(I'm not in the market for cage traps, as I have modified the one I have
so many times already, I don't think there is any design I would trust to
catch these particular beasties!)


All you need is a good trap
http://www.kania.net/
they are 100% effective and unlikely to catch/harm any other wildlife.

-

"Mark" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:


Has anyone here actually tried one of the ratzappers, or perhaps even
come
up with their own successful design?

(I'm not in the market for cage traps, as I have modified the one I have
so many times already, I don't think there is any design I would trust to
catch these particular beasties!)


All you need is a good trap
http://www.kania.net/
they are 100% effective and unlikely to catch/harm any other wildlife.


Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been able
to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself the trigger,
so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on what may end up yet
another rusting failure. They can get bait out of traps that I can hardly
breathe on without setting them off. (I did buy another spring trap -
without the box - which was 'forestry commission recommended'. I did catch
one squirrel, but the rest just used it as a snack bar.

Cheers for the extra tip though.

S

spamlet wrote:

Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been able
to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself the trigger,
so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on what may end up yet
another rusting failure. They can get bait out of traps that I can hardly
breathe on without setting them off. (I did buy another spring trap -
without the box - which was 'forestry commission recommended'. I did catch
one squirrel, but the rest just used it as a snack bar.

In the past I've had my mind boggled at the ability of rats to avoid getting
caught. In our last house rats would periodically take up residence in the
basement and attic (impossible to keep them out, they'd get onto our roof from
the neighbour's, then go in under the edge of the tiles). I had quite good
success with the old standard spring trap, but at one point for several nights
the rat or rats won - taking the bait and leaving the trap either sprung or not.
Eventually I got the culprit, a big one. He/she wasn't in the trap, but the
trail of blood led me to the corpse, with its head smashed. That time the
little bugger wasn't quite fast enough. It was horrible, and I felt like a real
*******, but my wife is ratophobic and it had to be done.

"Gib Bogle" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:

Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been
able to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself the
trigger, so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on what may
end up yet another rusting failure. They can get bait out of traps that
I can hardly breathe on without setting them off. (I did buy another
spring trap - without the box - which was 'forestry commission
recommended'. I did catch one squirrel, but the rest just used it as a
snack bar.

In the past I've had my mind boggled at the ability of rats to avoid
getting caught. In our last house rats would periodically take up
residence in the basement and attic (impossible to keep them out, they'd
get onto our roof from the neighbour's, then go in under the edge of the
tiles). I had quite good success with the old standard spring trap, but
at one point for several nights the rat or rats won - taking the bait and
leaving the trap either sprung or not. Eventually I got the culprit, a big
one. He/she wasn't in the trap, but the trail of blood led me to the
corpse, with its head smashed. That time the little bugger wasn't quite
fast enough. It was horrible, and I felt like a real *******, but my wife
is ratophobic and it had to be done.


I had them in the loft once. Local council couldn't work out how they got
in, and even did underground camera surveys and smoke bombs in the bog. The
rats really enjoyed the bags of poison bait and even stacked up the empties
neatly. I did catch one or two, and like you, heard a trap go and went up
to see injured rat just disappearing over the eaves. I raced down and
outside with a piece of fence post, just in time to clobber it after it
landed. A couple more clouts, before I dumped it in the wheelie bin
thinking it dead. Then the whole bin started shaking as it still struggled
and refused to die!

And, incidentally, what you don't want is for a poisoned rat to die in the
wall space: you never smelt anything so awful! I tracked a terrible rotting
cabbage smell, to air that was coming up from under a kitchen windowframe.
Managed so squirt a bottle of bleach through into the cavity, but it still
took ages for the smell to decline!

Anyway: squirrels are much cleverer...

S

spamlet wrote:
"Mark" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:


Has anyone here actually tried one of the ratzappers, or perhaps
even come
up with their own successful design?

(I'm not in the market for cage traps, as I have modified the one I
have so many times already, I don't think there is any design I
would trust to catch these particular beasties!)


All you need is a good trap
http://www.kania.net/
they are 100% effective and unlikely to catch/harm any other
wildlife.

Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been
able to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself
the trigger, so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on
what may end up yet another rusting failure. They can get bait out
of traps that I can hardly breathe on without setting them off. (I
did buy another spring trap - without the box - which was 'forestry
commission recommended'. I did catch one squirrel, but the rest just
used it as a snack bar.
Cheers for the extra tip though.

Sorry, but it reminded me of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fePU5CIHpas

I'll get my hat..

"spamlet" wrote in message
news:VeXMn.5748$QF7.4433@hurricane...

"Mark" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:


Has anyone here actually tried one of the ratzappers, or perhaps even
come
up with their own successful design?

(I'm not in the market for cage traps, as I have modified the one I have
so many times already, I don't think there is any design I would trust
to
catch these particular beasties!)


All you need is a good trap
http://www.kania.net/
they are 100% effective and unlikely to catch/harm any other wildlife.


Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been able
to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself the
trigger, so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on what may
end up yet another rusting failure. They can get bait out of traps that I
can hardly breathe on without setting them off. (I did buy another spring
trap - without the box - which was 'forestry commission recommended'. I
did catch one squirrel, but the rest just used it as a snack bar.


Even if you do trap them you still have the problem of killing them humanely
because it is illegal to release them.


Peter Crosland

"Peter Crosland" wrote in message
o.uk...
"spamlet" wrote in message
news:VeXMn.5748$QF7.4433@hurricane...

"Mark" wrote in message
...
spamlet wrote:


Has anyone here actually tried one of the ratzappers, or perhaps even
come
up with their own successful design?

(I'm not in the market for cage traps, as I have modified the one I
have
so many times already, I don't think there is any design I would trust
to
catch these particular beasties!)


All you need is a good trap
http://www.kania.net/
they are 100% effective and unlikely to catch/harm any other wildlife.


Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been
able to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself the
trigger, so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on what may
end up yet another rusting failure. They can get bait out of traps that
I can hardly breathe on without setting them off. (I did buy another
spring trap - without the box - which was 'forestry commission
recommended'. I did catch one squirrel, but the rest just used it as a
snack bar.


Even if you do trap them you still have the problem of killing them
humanely because it is illegal to release them.

Peter Crosland

It made me feel pretty awful, but seeing the damage they do, helps: I just
fill a dustbin with water and dump the whole trap and contents in - if I
catch any that is.

S

spamlet wrote:




All you need is a good trap
http://www.kania.net/
they are 100% effective and unlikely to catch/harm any other wildlife.


Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been able
to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself the
trigger, so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on what may
end up yet
another rusting failure. They can get bait out of traps that I can hardly
breathe on without setting them off. (I did buy another spring trap -
without the box - which was 'forestry commission recommended'. I did
catch one squirrel, but the rest just used it as a snack bar.

Cheers for the extra tip though.

S

it's imposable with the Kania trap, you ideally fit it upright on a tree the
squirrel has to trip the trap before it has chance to get to the bait.
http://www.magnumtrap.com/kania.html
I have 4 of these traps in my woodland, they are the only trap that is 100%
effective, and they are also the weapon of choice by professional
exterminators.

-

"Mark" wrote in message
news:l1fNn.44162$bb1.5092@hurricane...
spamlet wrote:




All you need is a good trap
http://www.kania.net/
they are 100% effective and unlikely to catch/harm any other wildlife.


Hmm,

Not a design I've seen before, but the squirrels round here have been
able
to get bait out of traps, even when I have made the nut itself the
trigger, so I am not convinced enough to spend so much money on what may
end up yet
another rusting failure. They can get bait out of traps that I can
hardly
breathe on without setting them off. (I did buy another spring trap -
without the box - which was 'forestry commission recommended'. I did
catch one squirrel, but the rest just used it as a snack bar.

Cheers for the extra tip though.

S

it's imposable with the Kania trap, you ideally fit it upright on a tree
the
squirrel has to trip the trap before it has chance to get to the bait.
http://www.magnumtrap.com/kania.html
I have 4 of these traps in my woodland, they are the only trap that is
100%
effective, and they are also the weapon of choice by professional
exterminators.



Well it is good to hear that you have been so successful, but I have heard
similar accounts from woodland managers about the cage trap I have been
using. They all think squirrels easy to trap, but the same trap in my
garden is just a squirrel feeder. However, I have to say you are tempting
me and - as 'the other half' just spent £70 on the ironing (more than I paid
for two hard drives!) - perhaps it is worth a try.

Still like to hear from anyone with experience of electrical techniques
though. I think neighbourhood squirrels are a heap more canny than their
pals in the wood. (Squirrels from the hood!).

Cheers,

S

On 31 May, 20:22, "spamlet" wrote:
This year, not content with stripping our hazel tree before the nuts have
even began to form, the squirrels are now eating all our proto pears and
apples when they are no bigger than marbles!

Last time I broached this subject a device called the 'Rat Zapper' was
suggested, but I never got around to buying one, as last year, the squirrels
seemed less troublesome (except they only left us one apple...).

Looking again, I see mixed reviews of the ratzapper, with a lot of would-be
users describing it as useless, and often arriving badly wired. �Also, I
did, last time I looked, find a site where someone was offering models
adapted for mains use rather than battery, but I can't find this now.

Has anyone here actually tried one of the ratzappers, or perhaps even come
up with their own successful design?

(I'm not in the market for cage traps, as I have modified the one I have so
many times already, I don't think there is any design I would trust to catch
these particular beasties!)

Cheers,

S

Poison. If you can get hold of it. They only dole it out to official
pest removers
It's the same stuff as rat poison ust a different bait. Nuts or
something I suppose. Setting traps is a highly skilled busines,
though it looks simple. That's how these guys make a living.

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "spamlet"
saying something like:

This year, not content with stripping our hazel tree before the nuts have
even began to form, the squirrels are now eating all our proto pears and
apples when they are no bigger than marbles!

..22 air rifle.

"Grimly Curmudgeon" wrote in message
...
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "spamlet"
saying something like:

This year, not content with stripping our hazel tree before the nuts have
even began to form, the squirrels are now eating all our proto pears and
apples when they are no bigger than marbles!

.22 air rifle.


Neighbourhood too crowded or I would have done so before now, sadly.

S

"spamlet" wrote in message
news:ntdNn.44153$bb1.29874@hurricane...

"Grimly Curmudgeon" wrote in message
...
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "spamlet"
saying something like:

This year, not content with stripping our hazel tree before the nuts have
even began to form, the squirrels are now eating all our proto pears and
apples when they are no bigger than marbles!

.22 air rifle.


Neighbourhood too crowded or I would have done so before now, sadly.

S
set some bait near the ground

open upstairs window

stand far enough back so whole of gun is within the room

a decent silencer helps

I think we used logun penetrator ar similar style pellet

Regards

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "TMC" saying
something like:

.22 air rifle.


Neighbourhood too crowded or I would have done so before now, sadly.

S
set some bait near the ground

open upstairs window

stand far enough back so whole of gun is within the room

a decent silencer helps

I think we used logun penetrator ar similar style pellet

I wonder if those who desire an air rifle might be as well to get one
now before the hysteria starts after Cumbria.
I did hear one particularly ill-informed reporter describe air rifles as
licenced firearms, but the thought might occur to the nanny-staters
still out there to tighten gun controls up even further, in spite of an
air rifle not being used in the recent carnage.

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "TMC" saying
something like:

.22 air rifle.

Neighbourhood too crowded or I would have done so before now, sadly.

S
set some bait near the ground
open upstairs window

stand far enough back so whole of gun is within the room

a decent silencer helps

I think we used logun penetrator ar similar style pellet

I wonder if those who desire an air rifle might be as well to get one
now before the hysteria starts after Cumbria.
I did hear one particularly ill-informed reporter describe air rifles as
licenced firearms, but the thought might occur to the nanny-staters
still out there to tighten gun controls up even further, in spite of an
air rifle not being used in the recent carnage.

Different government.

He could equally ell have driven hi scar into a bus stop full of people.

Its easy enough for anyone in a really outre state of mind to kill lots
of people one way or another.

Look at Tony Blair...

"Grimly Curmudgeon" wrote in message
news
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "TMC" saying
something like:

.22 air rifle.


Neighbourhood too crowded or I would have done so before now, sadly.

S
set some bait near the ground

open upstairs window

stand far enough back so whole of gun is within the room

a decent silencer helps

I think we used logun penetrator ar similar style pellet

I wonder if those who desire an air rifle might be as well to get one
now before the hysteria starts after Cumbria.
I did hear one particularly ill-informed reporter describe air rifles as
licenced firearms, but the thought might occur to the nanny-staters
still out there to tighten gun controls up even further, in spite of an
air rifle not being used in the recent carnage.


I did actually look into getting an air pistol for this purpose once, but
the rules and regs to me looked as if I would not be able to use it legally
at all: certainly not in my garden (which is small).

S