Removal of Rats in The Garden

ihbh on 19/01/2021 - 11:03

Has anyone successfully dealt with these? I'm sick of them eating my produce and don't have time to put up a polycarbonate or wire greenhouse of some sort yet (they bite through nets).

I've used snap traps successfully on mice, but the rats seem too smart and can remove bait without triggering the trap.

I've made it as hair trigger as possible and tied the bait down with a rubber band or smeared peanut butter/Nutella on the bait area, but still not much luck.

Have you tried the walk the plank traps to drown them in buckets - Shawn Woods rate them highly and is probably my next port of call.

After this might be some form of poison but I want to avoid them dying in roof cavities, etc.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Muzeeb on 19/01/2021 - 11:06
    +3

    I made a drop bucket a few years ago. Worked a treat. Poor little buggers.

  • skid on 19/01/2021 - 11:07

    I tried the bucket trap and they were too smart for those. Your results might differ. I had to block them from the food before they left. I saw where they were coming in from and blocked that too.

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 19/01/2021 - 11:09
    +4

    Snake?

    • Kangal on 19/01/2021 - 11:27
      +5

      Snake?! Snake!!!?
      SSNNAAAAKE!
      < GAME OVER >

  • Hithere on 19/01/2021 - 11:14
    +6

    Get yourself a Jack Russell Terrier.

    They are one of the best ratters and are great pets for families.

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 19/01/2021 - 14:28
      +1

      As long as you have a massive yard or property, like barking at all times of the day and night and like rats and rabbit bodies dumped on your doorstep each day.

      Great breed but definitely one for outside metro!

  • Cheeper on 19/01/2021 - 11:25

    Ratsack works. Had one under the house and could not get it with any traps…

  • Quantumcat on 19/01/2021 - 11:35
    +3

    Get a cat or terrier dog

    • askme69 on 19/01/2021 - 14:39

      Eff the cat, it will kill everything it can.

      • Quantumcat on 19/01/2021 - 19:44
        +1

        Only things in your yard if you install rollers on top of your fence

  • tsunamisurfer on 19/01/2021 - 11:37
    +8

    As a Rat I am offended by this thread.

  • cjbowden on 19/01/2021 - 11:41
    +1

    How big is the area you are trying to 'protect'? We have a raised garden bed protected by an ultrasonic sound device. Works a treat (but just moves them somewhere else of course)

    • Ozbar Gain on 08/02/2024 - 12:46

      Hey, sorry for replying on this old comment, but do you find the untrasonic sound device still works for you? Can you please link me up?
      Having issues with rats in roof cavity

  • raytriplej on 19/01/2021 - 12:08
    +1

    I use the bunnings cage traps quick successfully with peanut butter on the pressure plate

  • AustriaBargain on 19/01/2021 - 12:11
    +3

    What about a cat.

    • askme69 on 19/01/2021 - 14:39

      Eff the cat

      • Techie4066 on 20/01/2021 - 13:31
        +1

        Seems you have an intense hatred for cats. A lot of breeds are very friendly and love human connection.

  • Euphemistic on 19/01/2021 - 12:25

    Trapping them isn’t really going to work if they are coming from a nearby breeding ground. They’ll just keep coming.

  • pharkurnell on 19/01/2021 - 13:09

    12 gauge shotty..

  • djones145 on 19/01/2021 - 13:16
    +2

    i had rat/mice problem
    use rat bait, the new bait makes them thirsty so after they eat it they try to find water, so usually dont get stuck in the roof

    • fenikkusu on 20/01/2021 - 08:39

      Same here. Worked for me, they were in the roof. I smeared peanut butter over it the bait.

  • whooah1979 on 19/01/2021 - 13:51

    Rat glue and 🧀 works every time.

    • mapax on 19/01/2021 - 14:01

      Are they legal in NSW? In Vic only a licensed operator can use rodent glue traps.

      • whooah1979 on 19/01/2021 - 14:10

        Fly paper also works which may be easier to find in produce, dollar and hardware shops.

    • Quantumcat on 19/01/2021 - 19:45
      +5

      Glue traps are horribly inhumane. And can catch native species too.

      • bargainbrats on 20/01/2021 - 10:17
        +1

        Yes i put on out on the fence and it caught the tip of a bird's wing …omg i had to trim the birds feathers to get it off ..never used again

        • mapax on 20/01/2021 - 10:23
          +1

          That’s why they’re meant to be restricted to professionals in Vic. You’re supposed to set them in a manner to minimise impacts to off-target species.

          • bargainbrats on 25/01/2021 - 14:04

            @mapax: Oh really , in nsw you can buy them anywhere and everywhere

  • life is suffering on 19/01/2021 - 14:05
    +14

    flute and a tune

  • jv on 19/01/2021 - 14:30

    Rats in The Garden

    Weren't they are 70's Rock Band?

    • inertia8 on 10/02/2024 - 22:40

      Top notch too

  • Charlie Sierra on 19/01/2021 - 15:41

    I understand that Nathan Lane and Lee Evans were in a comprehensive documentary on this matter and their smaller kin in 1997.

  • Loot N Plunder on 19/01/2021 - 19:03
    +1

    There was no way i was putting up with this after going into the shed to find all my home made beer gone and dung pellets all over the car motor

    You bait outside and trap inside
    Remove all other food sources
    Go to a farm supply outlet to purchase the bait in bulk as its much cheaper Pellets are better because they carry a large bait block away and poison pets
    Make some storm water pipe bait feeders and place them any where outside as they are waterproof just keep them away from inquisitive pets
    Use rolling log/walk the plank traps inside these even get the smart ones, if you must use the snap traps place the peanut butter underneath the trigger or drill out a hard dog biscuit and wire it to the trigger
    Rats can jump high so put enough water in the bucket as for them to not touch the bottom, a wheelie bin works good.

    Bait feeder https://i.pinimg.com/564x/48/c8/d5/48c8d52e460987d4b7ba873c5…

  • SimbaGirl on 20/01/2021 - 07:26

    We live on a small acreage, and rats (which we think were living in the neighbour's hay shed on our boundary) starting climbing into our BBQ in the outdoor area - nothing like opening up the hood of the BBQ and finding rat crap everywhere. I saw one of them strolling across our patio at one point, big bastard of a thing it was. Bought a couple of these traps https://www.bunnings.com.au/ratsak-max-strength-rat-trap_p00… and baited them with peanut butter - caught four rats in 3 days, and haven't seen any since. A couple of people commented in the reviews that the traps didn't kill the rats immediately - not sure how, as they have a hell of a closing mechanism (I'd hate to get my hand caught in it) and they worked fine for us.

    I put Ratsak down as well, pellets and block baits, just in case (all inside our fenced off area around the house so no native wildlife could access ether the traps or the bait), and they ate a fair bit of that as well, so it's possible there were more rats we didn't see who died from the baits.

  • Scrappinnic on 20/01/2021 - 08:10

    We had a huge rat problem in our chookhouse. I bought lockable traps with baits threaded on a skewer inside, as I didnt want the chooks getting to it. Works well. Evidence of rats has depleted over time.I did try the bucket, and walk the plank affair with no success. We have a lazy cat who couldn't catch a cold! Only putting out enough food during the day and removing at dusk, has also helped. You may find that the vege eater could also be possums.

    • ihbh on 20/01/2021 - 08:13

      Yes, both. Definitely possums are there too.

  • OzHunterNSW on 20/01/2021 - 10:34
    +1

    I'm waiting for the movie release, Ratitenni.

    A story of a motel rat that assists a mediocre low ranking tennis player, to miraculously advance through each enthralling finger nail bitting bout, to eventually win the entire tournament.

  • Transient on 20/01/2021 - 14:46

    I have pets so I don't use poison bait. Snap traps did not work - found one that had been triggered about 4 metres away from where it was set without bait or mouse. Bucket trap did not work either. I now use tilt traps for mice (peanut butter as bait) and cage traps for rats (apple core as bait). Been using for at least 3 years when I notice activity. Current tally - 8 with tilt trap and about 7 with the cage trap. Bought the cage trap off Ebay for about $15 including postage. Tilt trap is very sensitive. Also caught several large cockroaches with it. Downside is it is plastic. One large mouse managed to gnaw a hole in it but had not managed to escape.

    • Ozbar Gain on 08/02/2024 - 12:53

      Hey mate, what do you do with the rats cought in the cage trap? Easiest way to kill?

      • raytriplej on 09/02/2024 - 02:26

        I have two methods.

        Trap in a cardboard box, opening at one end. Place opening at exhaust of car. Start car.

        Trap in big bucket of water.

      • Transient on 09/02/2024 - 21:36
        -1

        Easiest is not the most humane way to kill. Quickest I have found is to drop them in a bucket of water. Make sure the bucket is big enough to fully immerse the trap before setting the trap. I found out this the hard way.

        Easiest is to leave them in the trap for two days - shorter if in the sun or very cold overnight. Dispose of body before flies get to it. Afterwards, I like to hose the trap down and spray with disinfectant before leaving in a sheltered spot to dry. Just in case the rat was carrying any diseases.

        Note the wire traps will start to rust a bit in the rain but I think only surface rust as the springs are still strong and I haven't needed to replace after regular use for around 10 years. Some of the big rats may be intimidating as one did manage to force the door open a few centimetres but wasn't strong enough to fully open it and escape. In that case, place the trap with door against a wall or fence and place a brick on it. After noticing a rat and baiting a trap in the spot, sometimes the rat is not caught for a few nights. Could be the human scent lingers on the trap or the rat has a routine and does not come back for about three days. I just leave the trap in the same spot for up to a week. Caught a small mouse in the wire trap last month. Surprised that it could not squeeze through the bars.

  • NevC on 09/02/2024 - 20:52

    Electronic rat trap. They work really well. Here's an example -

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/144357620384?chn=ps&_ul=AU&_trkp…

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