A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I
*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor
money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one
(whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.

Cheers
John


[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them].
However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by
killing a couple.

On 09/03/2021 10:26, Another John wrote:
A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I
*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor
money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one
(whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.

Cheers
John

Best solution is not to have a food source.

No matter how many you trap new colonies will move in

Second best alternative is to get a terrier.



[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them].
However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by
killing a couple.



--
"Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They
always run out of other people's money. It's quite a characteristic of them"

Margaret Thatcher

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Best solution is not to have a food source.

No matter how many you trap new colonies will move in

Second best alternative is to get a terrier.

Thanks TNP -- "I knew that". A feline hunter is also good -- just the
knowledge that it's around is enough to keep the rats away. As is, in
my experience, the killing of the odd one in a trap.

See one in the garden in daylight: too many around. Kill a couple:
don't see them again for months. (Leave 'em alone: an invitation for
them to set up a settlement.)

Cheers
John

On 09/03/2021 10:26, Another John wrote:
A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I
*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor
money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one
(whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.

The main thing seems to be having one that is reliable to set and fast
enough to trigger when a rat touches it. Many are a bit too hair trigger
and inclined to give you a nasty nip if you are not careful.

They need to be in something to stop other wildlife from getting at the
bait too. I leave some poison bait in the garage to avoid rodent
trouble. One spring I found a dessicated rat in the lawnmower grass box
when I tipped it out. After that I set traps and poison bait in winter.

[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them].
However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by
killing a couple.

Main problem round here is people who keep chickens badly which provides
the rats with more than ample food.

Worst place for rats I have seen was Wetherby services on the A19 at
dusk. They were scurrying about in the carpark amply provided for by
discarded junk food cartons and part eaten food. Bold as brass!

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 11:37:38 AM UTC, Martin Brown wrote:
On 09/03/2021 10:26, Another John wrote:
A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I
*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor
money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one
(whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.
The main thing seems to be having one that is reliable to set and fast
enough to trigger when a rat touches it. Many are a bit too hair trigger
and inclined to give you a nasty nip if you are not careful.

They need to be in something to stop other wildlife from getting at the
bait too. I leave some poison bait in the garage to avoid rodent
trouble. One spring I found a dessicated rat in the lawnmower grass box
when I tipped it out. After that I set traps and poison bait in winter.
[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them].
However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by
killing a couple.
Main problem round here is people who keep chickens badly which provides
the rats with more than ample food.

Worst place for rats I have seen was Wetherby services on the A19 at
dusk. They were scurrying about in the carpark amply provided for by
discarded junk food cartons and part eaten food. Bold as brass!

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Rats like to move close to walls and fences and seek cover so we find setting poison in traps along the wall covered with a piece of slate effective . That plus the feral cat

On 09/03/2021 11:43, fred wrote:

Rats like to move close to walls and fences and seek cover so we find setting poison in traps along the wall covered with a piece of slate effective . That plus the feral cat


+1. I've used bait boxes effectively; one time they nibbled open the
tupperware type box that the bait came in, and filched the lot. I didn't
have any problem with them for a while after that.

Being typically gadget-minded I tried one of the "electrocuter" type
traps but have never caught anything in that.

Also +1 for visiting cats.

On Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:26:47 +0000, Another John wrote:

A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I
*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor
money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one
(whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.

Cheers John


[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them].
However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by
killing a couple.


I have one I call Roland, down the bottom of the garden. 'He' pops out of
the wall regularly to see what I have left 'him'.....I hate wasting food
so let the rat eat it.

On Tuesday, 9 March 2021 at 13:19:31 UTC, jon wrote:
On Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:26:47 +0000, Another John wrote:

A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I
*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor
money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one
(whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.

Cheers John


[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them].
However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by
killing a couple.
I have one I call Roland, down the bottom of the garden. 'He' pops out of
the wall regularly to see what I have left 'him'.....I hate wasting food
so let the rat eat it.

Not to worry John, I got an email from Sainsburys today confirming there is an ongoing shortage of cat food, see also;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56328860

Once the panic buyers get in and clear what remains on the shelves there is going to be lot of hungry cats looking for more traditional fare, so maybe not so good for the rats and mice over the coming months. Our Tom cat is quite a good hunter but being well fed rarely eats his catch but that might change!

Richard

On 09/03/2021 15:10, Tricky Dicky wrote:
Once the panic buyers get in and clear what remains on the shelves there is going to be lot of hungry cats looking for more traditional fare,

"there ARE going to be a lot of hungry cats" - has someone cancelled
irregular verbs?


--
Future generations will wonder in bemused amazement that the early
twenty-first centurys developed world went into hysterical panic over a
globally average temperature increase of a few tenths of a degree, and,
on the basis of gross exaggerations of highly uncertain computer
projections combined into implausible chains of inference, proceeded to
contemplate a rollback of the industrial age.

Richard Lindzen

Tricky Dicky wrote:

I got an email from Sainsburys today confirming there is an ongoing shortage of cat food, see also;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56328860

Once the panic buyers get in and clear what remains on the shelves
there is going to be lot of hungry cats looking for more traditional
fare, so maybe not so good for the rats and mice

But they say it's only the posh pouches that in short supply, which are
probably eaten by the sort of cats that would turn their noses up at
eating actual wildlife :-P

On 09/03/2021 15:15, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 09/03/2021 15:10, Tricky Dicky wrote:
Once the panic buyers get in and clear what remains on the shelves
there is going to be lot of hungry cats looking for more traditional
fare,

"there ARE going to be a lot of hungry cats" - has someone cancelled
irregular verbs?



it's the noun what dictates it:

singular where it's a single collection - "there is a lot of 100 cats
for auction..."

plural where it's a large number of individual things - "there are a lot
of hungry moggies willing to try long pork...

--
Robin
reply-to address is (intended to be) valid

On 09/03/2021 12:04, newshound wrote:
On 09/03/2021 11:43, fred wrote:

Rats like to move close to walls and fences and seek cover so we find
setting poison in trapsÂ* along the wall covered with a piece of slate
effective . That plus the feral cat


+1. I've used bait boxes effectively; one time they nibbled open the
tupperware type box that the bait came in, and filched the lot. I didn't
have any problem with them for a while after that.

Being typically gadget-minded I tried one of the "electrocuter" type
traps but have never caught anything in that.

Also +1 for visiting cats.

My Grandfather had a cat with 6 toes on each paw on his farm.
Excellent rodent catchers.

On 09/03/2021 10:26, Another John wrote:
A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]


snip

Dunno, but one of the posters here runs this company.

https://www.trapbarn.com/

--
Adrian C

On 09/03/2021 17:56, Andrew wrote:

snip

My Grandfather had a cat with 6 toes on each paw on his farm.

Sounds like the cat had myxomatosis.

--
Cheers
Clive

On 09/03/2021 11:37, Martin Brown wrote:

Main problem round here is people who keep chickens badly which provides
the rats with more than ample food.

It's essential that the hen food is locked away except during the day,
and that it is in a place accessible to a cat or dog.

Bill

Its all down to eliminating food sources on your property and disrupting
their runs if the food source is accessed via your property. The runs they
use they follow by scent, so stopping that can be very effective. Also
anyone around your way got wooden decking, a great place for commuting rats
to use and some even live under them.
Brian

--

This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"fred" wrote in message
...
On Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at 11:37:38 AM UTC, Martin Brown wrote:
On 09/03/2021 10:26, Another John wrote:
A few months ago (or so) there was s discussion here about rats and
getting rid of them.[1]

Someone recommended "the best rat trap" that he'd encountered, and I
*thought* that I kept the note. However I can't find it for love nor
money.

So any opinions? I've used 2 or 3 types over the years, but this one
(whatever it was) seemed to be an improvement.
The main thing seems to be having one that is reliable to set and fast
enough to trigger when a rat touches it. Many are a bit too hair trigger
and inclined to give you a nasty nip if you are not careful.

They need to be in something to stop other wildlife from getting at the
bait too. I leave some poison bait in the garage to avoid rodent
trouble. One spring I found a dessicated rat in the lawnmower grass box
when I tipped it out. After that I set traps and poison bait in winter.
[1] Of course the answer to that is: "you can't" [get rid of them].
However you can deter them [and pass them on to the neighbours], by
killing a couple.
Main problem round here is people who keep chickens badly which provides
the rats with more than ample food.

Worst place for rats I have seen was Wetherby services on the A19 at
dusk. They were scurrying about in the carpark amply provided for by
discarded junk food cartons and part eaten food. Bold as brass!

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Rats like to move close to walls and fences and seek cover so we find
setting poison in traps along the wall covered with a piece of slate
effective . That plus the feral cat

On 09/03/2021 22:16, Clive Arthur wrote:
On 09/03/2021 17:56, Andrew wrote:

snip

My Grandfather had a cat with 6 toes on each paw on his farm.

Sounds like the cat had myxomatosis.

sixomytoesies, surely?


--
If I had all the money I've spent on drink...
...I'd spend it on drink.

Sir Henry (at Rawlinson's End)

On 10/03/2021 00:22, williamwright wrote:
On 09/03/2021 11:37, Martin Brown wrote:

Main problem round here is people who keep chickens badly which
provides the rats with more than ample food.

It's essential that the hen food is locked away except during the day,
and that it is in a place accessible to a cat or dog.

Bill

Parents have similar problems with crisps and chocolate biscuits too.

On 09/03/2021 22:16, Clive Arthur wrote:
On 09/03/2021 17:56, Andrew wrote:

snip

My Grandfather had a cat with 6 toes on each paw on his farm.

Sounds like the cat had myxomatosis.

No, it's genetic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyl_cat

Andy

"Vir Campestris" wrote in message
...
On 09/03/2021 22:16, Clive Arthur wrote:

I use this type but I weld a serrated knife edge around the metal trap wire
rod part other wise the rats can pull themselves out and you need to screw
it down or the Foxes run off with the dead rat and trap


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roshield-...n/133551761464