I hate rats. They’ve dug runs under the concrete of the outbuildings. They’ve ripped up the corners and back panels so they can run through feed room to storage room to stable. They’ve made beds in the folded rugs and peed all over them necessitating washing each rug at £20 each. They rip open bales of shavings to make their beds. They’ve dug out soil all around the chicken coop. They’ve eaten 5 baby turkeys.
And these are huge brown rats. Way too big for farm cats to handle. They are unusually big and everyone here in the village can’t get rid of them! Why worry? Weil’s disease can spread through broken skin (as is the norm in winter) from rat urine.
I’ve no worries when normal numbers exist. They are part of the countryside. But we have an army of super rats. Council says they’ve had an explosion in call outs.
They’re also smart - they learn that that trap has poison so we need to keep changing bait and traps.
Now here’s the rub…Govn’t has decided to pull the most effective bait from general use. You can still get it if you have an agricultural license but those in towns are no longer allowed to buy it.
Reminds me of: rats the size of cats and cats the size of dogs - this ain’t rock and roll this is genocide. Diamond dogs. Bowie
Contrary to the internet wisdom, the common brown rat doesn't grow much beyond 8 inches (without tail). How big is a typical burrow opening, and is the site near water?
Yeah, probably only a inch or two larger then 8 inches. They are brazen and do not run away unless the dogs are there
Water along ditches when it rains. Overflow from water troughs is common. And we’ve found them in buckets when they drown themselves. Cats just get the babies. Next dog should be a ratter instead of a protection dog!
Well, obviously I have a soft spot for rodents so I'm not entirely neutral on the issue, but I believe killing only works if you're a lighthouse keeper or control the whole area by some other means; otherwise, rats will easily replace their numbers if they can breed somewhere nearby.
Ferrets are said to be quite effective in repelling rodents but probably don't get along well with fowl.
That leaves limiting food availability. Now, if only we could tell chicken not to throw food all around the place...
I hate rats. They’ve dug runs under the concrete of the outbuildings. They’ve ripped up the corners and back panels so they can run through feed room to storage room to stable. They’ve made beds in the folded rugs and peed all over them necessitating washing each rug at £20 each. They rip open bales of shavings to make their beds. They’ve dug out soil all around the chicken coop. They’ve eaten 5 baby turkeys.
And these are huge brown rats. Way too big for farm cats to handle. They are unusually big and everyone here in the village can’t get rid of them! Why worry? Weil’s disease can spread through broken skin (as is the norm in winter) from rat urine.
I’ve no worries when normal numbers exist. They are part of the countryside. But we have an army of super rats. Council says they’ve had an explosion in call outs.
They’re also smart - they learn that that trap has poison so we need to keep changing bait and traps.
Now here’s the rub…Govn’t has decided to pull the most effective bait from general use. You can still get it if you have an agricultural license but those in towns are no longer allowed to buy it.
Reminds me of: rats the size of cats and cats the size of dogs - this ain’t rock and roll this is genocide. Diamond dogs. Bowie
Contrary to the internet wisdom, the common brown rat doesn't grow much beyond 8 inches (without tail). How big is a typical burrow opening, and is the site near water?
It sounds as if American muskrats were making yet another attempt at colonizing the isles. Some historical background: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1093/envhis/emz084
Yeah, probably only a inch or two larger then 8 inches. They are brazen and do not run away unless the dogs are there
Water along ditches when it rains. Overflow from water troughs is common. And we’ve found them in buckets when they drown themselves. Cats just get the babies. Next dog should be a ratter instead of a protection dog!
Well, obviously I have a soft spot for rodents so I'm not entirely neutral on the issue, but I believe killing only works if you're a lighthouse keeper or control the whole area by some other means; otherwise, rats will easily replace their numbers if they can breed somewhere nearby.
Ferrets are said to be quite effective in repelling rodents but probably don't get along well with fowl.
That leaves limiting food availability. Now, if only we could tell chicken not to throw food all around the place...