Rats, mice, control

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board' started by fired, May 28, 2020.

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  1. SuperTyke

    SuperTyke Well-Known Member

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    Are you friendly with the neighbour in general? If you are then suggest to them that they buy some traps from Poundland. They will have a LOT more luck with traps than they would with poison anyway and it's less risk for your cat.
    Use the humane issue with them and explain that poison slowly kills the rat or mouse causing suffering while the trap is instant death and no suffering. Or panic them by saying that a poisoned rat will look for somewhere safe to die so may find a way into their home where they will die and smell and while in there will be desperate for food so could chew through things. A trap outside means it does outside. A few stretches of the truth there but would hopefully get you the results.

    If they've had an expert round then they will have told them to remove the bird food anyway
     
    SuperTyke, May 29, 2020
    #21
  2. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Good terms generally. The poison has been down over a day now, so I don't think they will be changing their minds.
    Aside from anything to do with our cat it's a fairly horrific death for the mice/ rats.
     
    fired, May 29, 2020
    #22
  3. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    fired, Jun 2, 2020
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  4. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Well, this situation has escalated somewhat.
    A heated discussion with neighbour on Saturday where she refused to acknowledge any remote possibility of secondary poisoning (even though the retired pest controller has admitted there is a chance). The bait boxes are due to be removed tomorrow. He used Bromadiolone. As far as we know he is retired and therefore unlicensed and uninsured. We are now concerned that he will suggest putting down a second lot.

    The affect on our house has been horrible. We've had to spend the hottest week of the year, with all doors and windows closed downstairs. We have a cat that is depressed, and won't play, crying to go outside.

    I'm amazed that there aren't any proper rules. My question to you @Donny Red is - if next door insist on putting down another set of bait, do we have any course of action to prevent it? We believe that these rats are living beneath a disused shed away from the houses, not even on my neigbours property - they just visit because she puts food down. Also are there any rules around people putting poison down themselves? It transpires that my neighbour put her own trap down last summer, and didn't even bother to tell us, even though she knows our cat is around.
     
    fired, Jun 2, 2020
    #24
  5. TitusMagee

    TitusMagee Well-Known Member

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    Is it worth seeking advice from environmental health, Fi? They might be able to assist?
     
    TitusMagee, Jun 2, 2020
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  6. Donny Red

    Donny Red Well-Known Member

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    Exactly what I was going to say Fired. Talk to the Public Health Officer for responsibility in your area.
    I don't personally know of any " rules" regarding members of the public baiting for vermin but no doubt
    there will be H&S guidelines as to what can/cannot be used. Good luck. Hope you get it resolved.
     
    Donny Red, Jun 2, 2020
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  7. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Depending on how things go tomorrow, I think we'll have to. Having looked into the whole thing online, the ethics and safety of using this type of poison are questionable to say the least. The worry for us, is that usually the council is being asked to exterminate rats, we're saying the opposite - don't kill them particularly in this way). Ironically, the bird feeding on the ground has led to an invasion of pigeons - far more problematic to us than any rat.
     
    fired, Jun 2, 2020
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  8. Donny Red

    Donny Red Well-Known Member

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    Donny Red, Jun 2, 2020
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  9. dek

    dekparker Well-Known Member

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    be careful of your cat eating rats because if the rats have eaten rat poison your cat will be poisoned

    best bet with rats is get some terriers on the job,try and find out where the rats are living and let the dogs at 'em..If you dont know anyone with terriers then contact local farmers,they'll know someone.
     
    dekparker, Jun 2, 2020
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  10. dek

    dekparker Well-Known Member

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    ps,if you want shut of pigeons get a plastic bird scarer (a hawk)
     
    dekparker, Jun 2, 2020
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  11. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Yes that’s why we’re on day 5 of lockdown with her - she’d previously brought home rats from the nest area. My neighbour was aware if this but still felt it appropriate to put poison down in the area.
     
    fired, Jun 2, 2020
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  12. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Thanks alot for the info. The thought of them leaving the bait down any longer is really worrying. If they do so, I will definitely be seeking further advice.
     
    fired, Jun 2, 2020
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  13. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Further development. The bait boxes have been removed, and replaced with plastic bags (similar to dog poo bags), and located openly in the garden, and over a fence.
    When challenge the pest controller said he hadn't put any more down, but when we asked further he said, that it was wheat bait. We suggested any animal could now easily tear open the bag and the possibility of secondary poisoning is even higher. He said we were going too far. Presumably this is not best practice?
    At no time was he wearing protective wear, but he did say he was a professional with 32 years and a degree in Biology.
     
    fired, Jun 3, 2020
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  14. Red

    Red-Taff. Well-Known Member

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    so next door neighbour puts bread etc on the ground for the hedgehogs and birds - it attracts rats so he/she then decides to lay down rat poison to kill the rats.
    something a tad illogical in that behaviour!
    The real problem is however bonkers all this is there isn't much you can do because the neighbour is doing it on their land and they'd probably argue that your cat has no right being on their land.
    I know of neighbours who fell out - out of spite one lot would put bread down to attract rats from the nearby beck. The other neighbours were terrified of rats and they sought advice from Environmental Health/Solicitors and found there was nothing they could do.
    This is not being very helpful to resolve your problem - do you know where these rats are coming from - is there a colony - would it be possible to get Environmental Health to come along to sort the problem out - surely the neighbour would see this as a good idea ??
     
    Red-Taff., Jun 3, 2020
    #34
  15. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Yep, you've pretty much summed it up. Except for the fact that they have dropped two bags of poison over the fence into an accompanying garden, (which she claims a small bit of that land is theirs) - but is nevertheless accessed by the other garden's dog.

    We believe the rats are underneath a shed - either her shed or the one in the neighbour's garden. Our cat does visit her garden, and I take your point. We've been in touch with RSPCA . As it stands they won't intervene unless there is a death of a domestic animal. So "P" in RSPCA doesn't really stand for "Prevention"
     
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2020
    fired, Jun 3, 2020
    #35
  16. Burgundy Red

    Burgundy Red Well-Known Member

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    Even then I wouldn't fancy your chances. My former neighbour shot one of my cats with an air rifle a few years back and I couldn't get anything done about it.
     
    Burgundy Red, Jun 3, 2020
    #36
  17. Donny Red

    Donny Red Well-Known Member

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    It's a massive worry for us pet lovers. We are told, that in everyday life, they are so common, we are only yards away from Rats running free on our property. What we don't know, is what " everyone" is doing to try to sort the problem out and so the danger of our pets being poisoned, is a constant worry. Near us, a neighbour lost two dogs to poison. That's why we never let our dog out without his collar and lead on. It must be doubly difficult for cat lovers as their cats usually like to run free.
     
    Donny Red, Jun 3, 2020
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  18. fir

    fired Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Have reported to local neighbours as my neighbour evidently didn't consult them.
     
    fired, Jun 3, 2020
    #38
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  19. Don

    Donks Well-Known Member

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    Your cat sounds like a right dirty get
     
    Donks, Jun 3, 2020
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  20. old

    oldschooltyke Well-Known Member

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    Wish that all the cats around us would be placed in lock down. So fooked off with getting up in the morning to see they've caused a load of damage in our boards again. It's even more frustrating because of covid 19 we've grown all our own bedding plants this year. We've tried a number of different things that's said to keep them away and they don't work. I don't think it's just one cat more like 3 or 4 as it seems every other house has got a cat. Never ever would we hurt a living animal but they do have me so fooked off at the moments ARRRRRR.
     
    oldschooltyke, Jun 4, 2020
    #40
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