Ferrets and rats - what to do?!

[Guest ARTEMIS]

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Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[Ricky-N.p.p 0]

i wouldt use kits for ratting mate, I use my jill's for ratting quite alot !

 

do you ave ferret freindly dogs ??

[Guest ARTEMIS]

d

Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[Guest little_lloyd]

f**k that old council pester Lampo them with an airgun fun fun fun

[gibby 0]

Buy some live catch rat/mink traps. That way if your ferrets escape the traps wont kill them. This will also give you the advantage of owning one of these in case your ferrets ever go missing.

[Madcowz 0]

A couple of Mk4 fenn traps (or live catch) will sort them.

 

I would cancel the pest control and do it yourself. There is loads of advice in the Trapping section of this forum from people who actually do this for a living (unlike that guy who came round to your house).

 

I would also tell your neighbours that it is a problem for all of them and not just you to sort out. Say that while he saw it coming from your garden, it was just returning to its nest in his. Up to him to disprove you!

 

If they moan, just Google for rats and wheelie bins.

 

 

/Mad

Edited August 10, 2007 by Madcowz

[Guest little_lloyd]

Councils are a joke both on thier pest controll and bin collection last week our bin was full to the brim covered in maggots for the fortnight :sick: Rats and crows where getting at the blackbags which could not fit in the bin its self.

Same with most houses in this village and all the surrounding others

[Guest ARTEMIS]

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Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[Guest ARTEMIS]

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Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[Guest ARTEMIS]

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Edited August 18, 2007 by ARTEMIS

[stubby 175]

right,

 

 

either buy, or ask ya council man for RAT BAIT STATIONS, not trays, these are boxes that the poison fits inside, ask for CONTRAC BLOCKS rather than grain bait, that way they consume the poison within the box, rather than grabbing a mouthful of grain and running(risk of dropping grain outside) which may then get eaten my non target species or children

 

but just to assure you, poisons are treated to give a very bitter taste, which rats/mice love but we humans hate,

 

so ya bait stations are in position, ya may even put some break back traps down, if so, place bits of wood/stone around them like tunnels, again to gaurd against non target species,

 

at this point remember that rats suffer from NEOPHOBIA "anything new" so your bait stations and traps may not get visited for 10 days or so, especialy if theres abundant bins/food elsewhere

 

live catch traps can be used, but then your gonna have to shoot them, as DROWNING is illegal as classed as inhumane,

letting them go deep in the country is also illegal, and also inhumane as they would then be outta their terrioty but in some one elses

 

very doubtful ferrets would eat poison, as contrac blocks made with GRAIN, when was the last time ya ferrets asked for weetabix

[Kay 3,709]

Well i wouldnt go near a rat so i would have to get a pest bloke in, let alone my ferrets

[Dowen Pest Control Solutions 0]

Some ones talking sense god knows what the pest controller was on about you whould be better getting a proffesional pest controller i wouldent recommened using poison baits unless properly trained as they want putting in tamper proof boxes and putting in the correct places (runs) and secured to the ground so they cant be picked up or tipped contents out. As for fenn traps they do work for a while but the rats do get wise to them they still have to be put in the correct places and covered with a artificial tunnel to protect from non target spices. Dont worry rats are all over they do feed from food from ferret hutchs and rabbit hutchs ect as there a regular feeding spot but good house keeping will solve that e.g cleaning any spillages from out side of hutch any problems pm me and i will help in any way i can Regards Dowen.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Stubby's talking sense alright Only there's loop holes. I won't bore anyone, more than the following might, with a treatise on " Professional Use Only " status products etc though.

 

Sorry, but your " Council Rat Catcher " was probably a Refuse Collection employee all his life. Now laterally shifted within the employment web of the council, given a pep talk by way of " Training " and sent out to gain " On the Job Experiance ". Sounds like it anyway. " Messer " is probably the term most here would favour.

 

Go to Google and find a copy of a book by Mark Hovell, " Rats and How to Destroy Them ". Ben Read now does it in cheaper, paper back. Why didn't I think of this before? Never mind all the stuff about Squill, Strychnine and Zinc. Just concentrate on what he has to say about Cage Traps and Signals.

 

Get yeself a few damn good Rat Cages and an air pistol suited to despatch. (Search Here) Do as Mark says ~ cover them and add Signals. Then get on with ye life, secure in the knowledge that any rats violating Your property will soon come unstuck. Secure ye own perimeters and live a relatively rat free existance within ye own boundries as those around ye do their own things. And probably get infested!

 

Mheanwhile, I don't know if Mark covers this or not, but strim a two foot exclusion zone round ye entire perimeters. Shift the least bit of shit leaning against any fences or walls. Raze any vegetation within two foot of the same. Leave the rats no where to move without being exposed to natural predators. Keep it that way.

 

Now, that is Not what the manuals tell us pro's to do. But it's what I'd do, if I had rats and was surrounded by people who didn't know or care. I'd look after No. 1 and let them sort their own shit out Next door, with his feeding station, is another scenario entirely. But, for you, taking his overspill? See above.

[Guest JDF]

in addition to what DS has said once you've cleared your exclusion zone get yourself along to a garden centre and purchase some roundup or gallup,if they won't sell which more are reluctant to do these days unless you've a PA1 go to b&q and purchase the same,it'll cost more but worth it,spray off the strip around your boundary twice a year and that'll keep it clear of vegatation.