Ratting Basics

[Gaz_1989 9,539]

I am thinking about doing a bit of ratting when I get a terrier and I have got permission on a 3 acre farm with approx 20 out buildings, ranging from small disused bull pens, disused horse stables, old scrap metal garages, garages storing furniture etc.

 

What is the best way to go about it? I know there are rats around as I've seen them scurrying around the yard both day and night.

 

Will a decent ratting terrier find them and route them out himself? Do you need to lay bait or do some Preparation?

 

Any tips appreciated,

 

Gaz

[AndrewEdwardDennis 9]

a decent terrier will find them out mate you can help things along to up your bag by the end of the day by shifting bales and shit heaps where rats are likely to be

[sull85 36]

did you get a terrier gaz ?

[hogdog 61]

I'm not a ratter but I'm surprised no-one else has chimed in so the basics are fence off the area/block escape routes so they don't all escape once disturbed and start digging and turning stuff over to disturb the nests - hay, straw, compost heaps, feed piles etc.

 

Equipment - Terriers (lots of them preferably), a few rolls of chicken wire or some board to fence off the area, a shovel, a fork, a smoker for flushing them out of inaccessible places, a bucket to collect them in so the dogs don't keep picking them up/eating them when they're dead, disinfectant/first aid kit for the dogs and some decent gloves.

[Cleanspade 3,322]

the first thing is to do is a reccy. make sure that there are no open. pump holes into slatted pitts. check that there isnt an open cover at the effulent tank at the silage pit. as if a rat drops down one of these your terrier will more than likely follow. ask the farmer if there are any other unseen dangers. then let the dog do its stuff