Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
For your husband to beat the rat to death of course.freemotion said:Oh, we have enough dogs for now!!!Quail_Antwerp said:What is the broom for?
Chickens and rats.
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miss_thenorth
Frugal Homesteader
If you can be sure your bucket will not tip over, and that other critters can not get into it, try antifreeze. When we lived up north and had our camp, we always set up a bucket trap when we left. Obviously, it froze up there (-40), we used antifreeze. Mind you --there wer not other animals in the camp. And soon enough, there wre no mice either.freemotion said:
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Farmfresh
City Biddy
The bucket needs to be TALL (ie barrel) rats can jump amazing heights and climb if there are any rough spots on the inside for them to cling to and should be heavy enough to be stable. You definitely do not want any tipping over.
I would not use the one bite for a couple of reasons. First if they can go in and out at all they can carry the one bite with them and then another animal can get a hold of it. If you want to use poison baits just use them hidden in good spaces or a bait station that prevents them dragging the baits around. The second reason is that poison takes days to actually make the kill. It causes unstoppable internal bleeding in the rodent.
I usually don't have water in it at all UNTIL I am ready for the dispatch mode. That way you don't have to worry about any freezing. I just add the water, drop on the weighted lid and leave for twenty minutes.
I would not use the one bite for a couple of reasons. First if they can go in and out at all they can carry the one bite with them and then another animal can get a hold of it. If you want to use poison baits just use them hidden in good spaces or a bait station that prevents them dragging the baits around. The second reason is that poison takes days to actually make the kill. It causes unstoppable internal bleeding in the rodent.
I usually don't have water in it at all UNTIL I am ready for the dispatch mode. That way you don't have to worry about any freezing. I just add the water, drop on the weighted lid and leave for twenty minutes.
ScottSD
Lovin' The Homestead
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I don't know if this will work with the rats or not......
but a few years ago I had quite a mouse problem in the garage. I tried those ultrasonic mouse repellers....
and the mouse issues pretty much went away. Occasionally I will find evidence of them, but nothing compared to how it used to be.
Might be worth a try. I can't find a link to the ones I have, but this one says it works with rats:
http://www.msglobaldirect.com/html/electronic_pest_control.html
but a few years ago I had quite a mouse problem in the garage. I tried those ultrasonic mouse repellers....
and the mouse issues pretty much went away. Occasionally I will find evidence of them, but nothing compared to how it used to be.
Might be worth a try. I can't find a link to the ones I have, but this one says it works with rats:
http://www.msglobaldirect.com/html/electronic_pest_control.html
Farmfresh
City Biddy
We tried those where I used to work and all they did was make my ears ring. I think they are entirely dependent on your personal mice and what their other options are.
If you are trying to get them to go out into the cold with little food instead of a warm house with plenty they can put up with a LOT of irritation!
If you are trying to get them to go out into the cold with little food instead of a warm house with plenty they can put up with a LOT of irritation!
ScottSD
Lovin' The Homestead
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Well they worked pretty well for me ....and I would venture to guess that the cold in SD is a wee bit colder than the cold in MissouriFarmfresh said:We tried those where I used to work and all they did was make my ears ring. I think they are entirely dependent on your personal mice and what their other options are.
If you are trying to get them to go out into the cold with little food instead of a warm house with plenty they can put up with a LOT of irritation!
Wolf-Kim
Lovin' The Homestead
I would like to ask about the whole using feral cats for rodent control. It is an intriguing idea.
I have to wonder what other problems may arise using this method. I know that cats would probably cause less environmental issue than poison, but wouldn't using cats decimate the local song bird population? I know some people don't care, but just humor me! I know that wild bird enthusiast, trap and turn in feral cats because they supposedly threaten the wild populations.
I wonder, how well would installing owl houses would work?
I know that installing bat houses decimate mosquito populations, but by using a native often displaced predator.
I would imagine that an owl house would work in much the same way.
I say owls, because hawks since they hunt in the morning are much more apt to cause issues with small livestock. I lock my birds up tight at night, but they range during the day. There is only one common owl that preys on poultry, where as there are many others that target almost solely rodent populations.
-Kim
I have to wonder what other problems may arise using this method. I know that cats would probably cause less environmental issue than poison, but wouldn't using cats decimate the local song bird population? I know some people don't care, but just humor me! I know that wild bird enthusiast, trap and turn in feral cats because they supposedly threaten the wild populations.
I wonder, how well would installing owl houses would work?
I know that installing bat houses decimate mosquito populations, but by using a native often displaced predator.
I would imagine that an owl house would work in much the same way.
I say owls, because hawks since they hunt in the morning are much more apt to cause issues with small livestock. I lock my birds up tight at night, but they range during the day. There is only one common owl that preys on poultry, where as there are many others that target almost solely rodent populations.
-Kim
Farmfresh
City Biddy
You would think. This year it has been freaking cold around here!ScottSD said:Well they worked pretty well for me ....and I would venture to guess that the cold in SD is a wee bit colder than the cold in MissouriFarmfresh said:We tried those where I used to work and all they did was make my ears ring. I think they are entirely dependent on your personal mice and what their other options are.
If you are trying to get them to go out into the cold with little food instead of a warm house with plenty they can put up with a LOT of irritation!
But your point IS taken. 
big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
ScottSD, I have something like that in my basement, but they are bigger, not the plug-in version, mine have a cord.
Anyhoo, I think they work great, no mice/rat problems down there or in the house.
(I get a few fat rats in my feed room, but I leave them for my cat or dog to contend with. )
Anyhoo, I think they work great, no mice/rat problems down there or in the house.
(I get a few fat rats in my feed room, but I leave them for my cat or dog to contend with.
)
