Non-motoring > Rats	Legal Questions
Thread Author: sherlock47	Replies: 60

New Thu 2 Apr 20 09:29   Rats - sherlock47

Over the last week a local rat has taken up on the home isolation message. Trouble is, it has chosen my home. I have a serious allergy to a protein found in male rats urine - (dont ask it is a very long story), and would like to rid asap. The only local source of water is the pit - even if I pump regularly I cannot keep it dry, as the sump will always contain a few litres anyway. Anybody got experience or advice on the most potent raticide? I have no pets so a non selective killer would be acceptable. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 10:07   Rats - smokie

My next door neighbour once tried unsuccessfully using a spade but in the end it was the cat that caught it. Since then (many years) I do have a rat box which I occasionally remember to put some Big Cheese blocks into, and they get eaten, but I don't really know if I have a rat problem. (Every time I refresh the blocks I am reminded of a smell from when I was young (pre-6 maybe) but I can't put my finger on what it was!) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 10:16   Rats - legacylad

Pet shops are open. They should sell both rat traps ( galvanised & wooden varieties) and bait ( sorexa) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 10:26   Rats - Zero

>> The only local source of water is the pit - even if I pump regularly >> I cannot keep it dry, as the sump will always contain a few litres anyway. The Pit? blimey, do you still have the Cage winding tower, and the rail head? (sorry couldn't resist) Your local hardware store should be open (essential business) and a trip to get a trap and bait/poison is legal (public health issue) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 11:27   Rats - Dog

I use this for rats - gets 'em every time: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rodex-25-Rat-Poison-Mouse-Killer-Strong-Whole-Wheat-Bait/401022431537?hash=item5d5eccb131:m:mbZSvW0kfNq44yNDG3YssIg Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 12:15   Rats - Duncan

>> I use this for rats - gets 'em every time: >> >> www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rodex-25-Rat-Poison-Mouse-Killer-Strong-Whole-Wheat-Bait/401022431537?hash=item5d5eccb131:m:mbZSvW0kfNq44yNDG3YssIg >> Does it do meeces as well? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 13:07   Rats - Dog

>>Does it do meeces as well? It does indeed but, I find peanut butter-baited traps best for Mickey. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 14:12   Rats - devonite

A good ole fenn mk4 on his run (lightly disguised) will soon sort im out cleanly - no escaping - an no creeping off somewhere to stink like they do with poisoning them! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 17:08   Rats - Duncan

What about some sort of trap? Then drop the trap in the water butt for ten minutes? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 17:26   Rats - Robin O'Reliant

If the rat shows itself rather than just leaving evidence of his presence an air rifle would be my choice. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 17:38   Rats - No FM2R

Right, a wounded and pee'd off rat is just what I'd want in the house. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 18:42   Rats - Robin O'Reliant

A clean head shot from what would be close range would be enough for an instant kill. I've despatched loads from about twelve yards in the garden like that. Funny enough, just after reading the OP I looked out the kitchen window and there was a large one at the bottom of the bird feeder, first one I've seen since October. The Weihrauch has come out of it's case and the pellets are ready. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 18:44   Rats - VxFan

>> If the rat shows itself rather than just leaving evidence of his presence an air >> rifle would be my choice. A friend lost his eye doing that. The pellet ricocheted off the tin shed wall he was in and went straight into his eye. Only approx. 12 yrs old at the time too. He has had a glass eye ever since. He does have a laugh with it though. When no one is looking, he'll drop it in someone's pint. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 18:50   Rats - No FM2R

Gosh how I would laugh at anybody dropping anything in my pint. I'd be getting a new pint while they were wearing the previous one. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 19:14   Rats - VxFan

He only does it to people he knows, then buys them another one. He generally steers clear of grumpy people ;) He mainly does it to gauge a reaction from other unsuspecting people nearby, in a sort of you've been framed sort of way. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Apr 20 19:27   Rats - Crankcase

How does he know they're going to be grumpy? Keeps an eye out for them I suppose. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 02:29   Rats - VxFan

badum tish Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 08:46   Rats - helicopter

Or... Eye Eye thats your lot... Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 09:12   Rats - tyrednemotional

"I'll see the night out with this pint" Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 10:09   Rats - smokie

There won't be a dry eye in the house.. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 10:25   Rats - Crankcase

At least he'll find home schooling easy. He's only got one pupil. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Fri 3 Apr 20 10:38   Rats - smokie

These just get cornea and cornea.... Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 12:32   Rats - VxFan

They just like to make a spectacle of themselves. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 12:54   Rats - Bromptonaut

Any more of this and somebody's for the lash. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 13:50   Rats - tyrednemotional

...no, I said "I'm going to the toilet, will somebody please keep an eye on my beer". Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 14:08   Rats - Runfer D'Hills

Reminds me of the story about the guy in a queue at a bus stop. Bus arrives and he takes his glass eye out and starts bouncing it as he shuffles towards the bus. As he gets nearer to his turn to board, he bounces it harder and harder, higher and higher. Just as he gets to the head of the queue, he puts the eye back in its socket. The chap next to him can’t contain his curiosity and asks him why he was bouncing his eye. “Oh I was just checking if there were any seats upstairs” he says... Look, I know, but I’m bored ok? ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 14:10   Rats - helicopter

So I knew this chap who only had one eye and was very self concious because he could not afford a glass eye and could not face going to a dance and meeting girls... Suddenly he had an idea and carved himself an eye from a block of wood and painted it , not very well but it gave him the confidence to go to the local dance on Saturday. He waited all night to pluck up the courage to ask a girl to dance and as the last waltz struck up he made his move to a girl who he noticed had not danced all night , a wallflower.. So he walked over and said ' Would you like to dance'? To which she replied ... Wait for it 'Cor wouldn' I' I would get my coat but I can' t go out again today.... Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 14:03   Rats - Zero

Damn, I just swallowed it, you can have it back after its rite of passage..... Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Apr 20 20:02   Rats - VxFan

That's fine, just leave it on the stool. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 1 May 20 21:43   Rats - Bobby

Well it’s a probability that we have rats. And two of the neighbours. No idea why us! I got an extension built a few years ago and we finished it off with a full width decking. But I think this hid a multitude of sins not least the fact that the builder maybe didn’t seal up every hole! Son thinks he can hear noises in wall cavity in his room and maybe loft also. Got the rat catcher man out. He put down two traps under the decking as well as some placed monkey nuts but none of them have been taken. Which suggests they are not coming out to play! He is back tomorrow and think I’ll get him to put traps in loft. It’s totally freaking me out. But I can’t tell the missus anymore than we might have some wee field mice or she would be absolutely hysterical. Guy says he obviously wants to catch and kill them all before blocking up any entrances as we do not want the smell of dead rats behind a wall! If only we had read the dog’s behaviour earlier as being due to this rather than just the separation anxiety we thought it was! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 08:43   Rats - Lygonos

The in-laws thought they had rats in their extension due to scurrying noises, but ultimately turned out to be a grey squirrel. Made an epic mess of the insulation having rippes it up to make a nest. One airgun later, no more squirrel... Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 09:08   Rats - tyrednemotional

...at one of my houses in the past, suspected rats turned out to be starlings nesting in the top of the cavity. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 09:27   Rats - Bromptonaut

>> Well it’s a probability that we have rats. And two of the neighbours. No idea >> why us! Have you seen a rat or evidence of one - droppings, stuff being gnawed etc? We shared one with a neighbour a few years ago, it was nesting under his shed but had tunnelled under the fence into our garden. It was back and forth through the tunnel day and night, seemed to find some source of food on our side. They're not particularly shy!!! As mentioned by another poster nesting Starlings are very active now with nestlings to feed. They're in my neighbour's eaves which is in my field of view while working from home. Like the rat they're back and forth, I can hear the chicks calling when a parent enters the nest. We had them in the past under the edge of the dormer in what was then my daughter's bedroom Rustling and running around was pretty regular. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 10:14   Rats - CGNorwich

Tend to agree. If you have rats there will be signs of them in the form of droppings. They will be after a source of food. No food no rats. They tend to use regular runs so you can normally see where they are getting in. I have a wildlife camera trap which I set in the garden from time to time. It’s quite interesting to see what’s roaming around out there at night. They are quite cheap to buy now. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 10:47   Rats - Duncan

>> I have a wildlife camera trap which I set in the garden from time to >> time. It’s quite interesting to see what’s roaming around out there at night. They are >> quite cheap to buy now. >> Any recommendations? Links? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 11:07   Rats - Lemma

Decking is notorious for attracting rats. Food etc tends to get dropped between the slats and of course it is a nice, sheltered dark place for them to hide. I have known people before now to rip up the decking entirely as the only way to truly resolve the problem. Otherwise traps and baiting as well as caution about food hygiene when barbecuing etc. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 11:54   Rats - sherlock47

Following on from my original post, I have deployed a couple of Rosshield Bait Boxes with their own rat killer. Time will tell if sucessful! Roshield 1kg Whole Wheat Bait Rat & Mouse Poison Killer Sachet Kit ASIN: B07DPNBDV6 Roshield 2 Tamper Proof Rat Poison Box good prices available on EBay. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 13:00   Rats - smokie

After seeing a rat in broad daylight a couple of weeks ago feeding from the waste fallen from the bird feeder I got a couple of those Roshield boxes, but with the giant mousetrap instead of the poison (though I did use some poison blocks as bait, along with peanut butter). Score so far two mice and no rats - but something keeps eating the peanut butter in one of them!!! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 11:54   Rats - CGNorwich

The one I have is now quite old and unavailable but a basic model like this should be fine www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PVP3NHP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SbvREbVJ8DSJD Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 12:42   Rats - Manatee

>> No food no rats. And conversely if you keep chickens there will be rats. Round here any scratching above the ceilings is most likely to be mice as elsewhere, but residents are also alert to the possibility of glis glis, the edible dormouse. These can be mistaken for squirrels, being little grey jobs with bushy tails. I don't know anybody who has eaten one, but I know several who have suffered an infestation. Very destructive they are too and a few years ago there was a house fire two streets away from my temporary accommodation here that was attributed to them. They are 'protected' and must be dealt with by a licensed pest controller. Generally they catch them in traps and then shoot them, if I were a glis I'd be complaining about the protection. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 13:24   Rats - CGNorwich

Just read an article on them in the Evening Standard “We had a lovely dinner party ruined because around midnight people kept asking what the heck was that noise coming from the roof. They keep us awake at night but if we hurt them we could be fined." I’m quite warming to the glis glis :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 13:42   Rats - Bobby

Rat man been. So under my decking there is gaps around the area under the patio doors. So he has blocked that all up. There is also digging next to the gutter down pipe which goes thru the decking and down through the foundations. He thinks this is main entrance so has set traps around it. Also have gaps around my front steps which he has now filled in but there wasn’t any evidence of disturbance. Neighbour has gaps under his decking at other his back foot and patio door. Again same principle being applied. But since the guy was last out on Wed a hole about 6 inches in diameter has appeared at side of his front steps. So this has been squared off with a trap set to see if it is entry or exit point. Guy is very reluctant to set traps in loft. Certainly at this stage he is very much preferring to attract them out the house. Didn’t sleep a wink last night after my son said he had heard noises in the wall upstairs. Then my mind starting going berserk as it tends to do at night and all sorts of irrational thoughts come into my head. For those of you who have read The Chimp Paradox, that’s me down to a T! Can fight some of the feelings daytime but at night if I’m awake the Chimp wins!! What better thing to have in lockdown than some rats for company! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 13:50   Rats - Manatee

When I was a child we had one presumed to have died in the wall cavity - poison was being put down for them but you really don't want them to snuff it in the house in an inaccessible place. The smell persisted for quite a while, it must have been a big 'un. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 13:54   Rats - CGNorwich

I guess we have a sort of irrational fear of rats. They are a nuisance and you don’t want them in your house but they are pretty harmless really. I used to have a couple of white rats as a pet when I was young. They really are quite intelligent creatures. Up there with a dog in the intelligence league I would say. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 14:06   Rats - Manatee

The plague association will never leave them, and more currently there's Weil's disease. And they breed at a phenomenal rate. I can't see them being rehabilitated. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 14:18   Rats - CGNorwich

No, they really do need a good PR team. The poor old Black Rat which was the vector for Bubonic Plague in Europe is nearly extinct in the UK, usurped by the newcomer the Brown or Norway Rat Rattus Norvegicus. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 13:55   Rats - smokie

My daughter has foxes. I did mention that it's really undesirable, but she thought it was quite cute last year to see the foxes sunbathing on the top of the man-cave at the end of their garden. This year the foxes have been much closer to the house and one actually came really close to her and frightened her in the garden (and she's not easily scared!) She's had the foxman out and the ma-cave has burrows all under it. Probably in surrounding gardens too. Anyway he is proposing to use video down the holes to see what's there, flush them out and remove them (not kill!) and fill all the holes, all for £600. Not sure if that's cheap but given the probably scale of the problem she doesn't have a lot of choice. At least they aren't going up her cavity, so to speak... :-) Last edited by: smokie on Sat 2 May 20 at 13:56 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 14:24   Rats - bathtub tom

>>a few years ago there was a house fire two streets away Not a pair of semis was it? I know someone who had to move out for months because of smoke damage caused when his neighbours roof caught fire. Glis glis were blamed. Tring way. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 17:54   Rats - Manatee

>> >>a few years ago there was a house fire two streets away >> >> Not a pair of semis was it? I know someone who had to move out >> for months because of smoke damage caused when his neighbours roof caught fire. Glis glis >> were blamed. Tring way. Yes, Highfield Road. www.lutontoday.co.uk/news/infamous-glis-glis-blamed-house-blaze-2486133 I've probably mentioned it before, but the forensic investigator who looked into our roof fire on behalf of the insurers was very sceptical about rodents causing electrical fires. He thought it much more likely to have been resistive heating caused by a loose connection in a junction box. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 19:43   Rats - bathtub tom

>>a few years ago there was a house fire two streets away >> Not a pair of semis was it? I know someone who had to move out >> for months because of smoke damage caused when his neighbours roof caught fire. Glis >> glis were blamed. Tring way. >> Yes, Highfield Road. That's the one. Garden may have looked like a (ahem) scrap yard as he was into car repairs. It induced him into completing a Marlin he bought as a part finished kit. I can thoroughly recommend him if you want any welding done to that old MX5 of yours, or other work. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 19:58   Rats - Manatee

>>that old MX5 of yours, or other work. I decided to buy a better one. When I realised how many 12+ year olds I would have to look at to find a non-rusty one, the project got a bit out of hand and I bought a 6 month old 1.5 in Sept 2017. I reckon it should see me out, hopefully without welding as the first thing I did was to get some rust protection applied. I don't know the chap but I'll note your recommendation! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 2 May 20 14:47   Rats - Bromptonaut

>> Round here any scratching above the ceilings is most likely to be mice as elsewhere, >> but residents are also alert to the possibility of glis glis, the edible dormouse. These >> can be mistaken for squirrels, being little grey jobs with bushy tails. We've had a few re-unions for the YHA group that united me with Mrs B and facilitated many other couples too at Jordans Youth Hostel. There are apparently glis glis in the Warden's Manager's cottage and the current incumbent is non too keen on them. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 3 May 20 11:54   Rats - MD

Search automatic trapping. Look for the term Goodnature. I think it is American or perhaps NZ and I've no idea if it is available here, but it looks brilliant. Best, MD. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Sun 3 May 20 14:42   Rats - Manatee

Took me a while to find out how they work - appears they use CO2 cartridges to power a striker to smash them on the bonce. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 3 May 20 15:23   Rats - MD

Correct. Rather nifty I think and 'clean'. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 3 May 20 18:01   Rats - Bobby

I do like the look of them! Watched a video and assumed it was an electric shock it was giving them but then saw the "how it works"! Quite satisfying seeing them pile up - next please! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 14 May 20 22:18   Rats - Bobby

Body count now at 6. Last one got caught in the trap in the loft. Took off a bit of its face but legs were still working. Lay in my bed for an hour listening to this trap being dragged all around the loft until I plucked up the courage, and the process, and went up into the loft myself, located it, and whacked it with my big 4 batteried torch! I’m now officially a killer! Two days now without any sounds or any bodies. Hopefully we are nearing the end of this hell! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 14 May 20 23:00   Rats - legacylad

Sounds awful. Despite living semi rural I’ve only ever seen pheasant, squirrel in my garden. Until a few weeks ago when a rat ran behind my next door neighbour as we were chatting over the fence ( drinking beer in the evening sun to be precise). Walking through the village tonight a big fat one popped out of the dry stone wall in front of me, crossed the road,, then stopped and gave me the evil eye. We stared at one another for a minute before it scuttled off. I hate rats. Give me the heeby jeebies. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 14 May 20 23:04   Rats - Bobby

I echo that last thought! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 14 May 20 23:25   Rats - No FM2R

>> I hate rats. Give me the heeby jeebies. Me too, though not for any logical reason. I'm sure I read a statistic many years ago which said something like in England you were no further than 10ft from the nearest rat. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 15 May 20 03:09   Rats - VxFan

>> Lay in my bed for an hour listening to this trap being dragged all around the loft After loosing a trap or two, I now tether them down, so they can't run off with them if they're only winged. Reply to this message | Report message