Rats In Barns.

[scubadog 6]

Today I decided to knock on a farm to ask for permission to shoot some rabbits.

To my surprise the response was - yes, providing you can clear some rats at the same time.

 

The farm is a smallish farm with a few cows some pigs and chickens. The rats are apparently in the barns.

Poison is not an option according to the farmer as it is in close proximity to houses and cats.

 

What is the best way to start getting into the rats?

I have rifle, silenced .410 and air rifle though I guess that traps are likely to be the best bet?

 

If so what sort of traps would I use and how are they best set?

I have used a cage trap to catch mink on a river. This was placed in a wooden tunnel. is this necessary for rats?

 

Do I need to bait traps for rats?

I am happy to catch live and then dispatch or to use a trap to kill.

 

Thanks In advanced.

 

 

[Tom Crichton 21]

The best thing to do would be to get some fenn mk4s and put them in wooden tunnels along walls.Then find a spot somewhere with a good back stop and bait an area for a little bit and after a bit, get setup with either your 410 or air rifle.which ever one you would rather use and lamp them at night.i would rather use a 410 because if they run you can still shoot them.All the best Tom.Crichton

[scubadog 6]

Thanks tom.

[Tom Crichton 21]

Nightvision would be a good combo with the air rifle if you have it

[the big chief 3,099]

i would start with cage traps bait the traps for a few days but don't set the traps till a few days after they will just think its a place to feed then wham you have one or two in the traps then i would go with the airgun and lamp with a red filter bait small areas with good back stops or airgun and nightvision would be a good option shame ya dont live near me i could have come with my nv set up to help ya out

[scubadog 6]

Sounds like it could be good fun.

[Guest edrd]

all depends on the infestation fenn traps ect ony catch so many good airgun systems at night under very low filtered light are good a little whirrier also and a small pack of terriers can put a dent in them you wont need bait they will eat each other

[ChrisJones 7,975]

If there is a lot of rats trapping will be very labour intensive. It really is a shame you can't bait, because you could become very popular, very quickly!

 

Might be worth trying to source some of the tamper-proof plastic bait boxes. They'll hold the Kness, break back, rat traps. It'll be a lot cheaper than loading up on Fenns and you won't be as pissed when they go walkabout!

[Deker 3,478]

I'm not following the bait business, there are plenty of species specific tamper proof bait boxes available. Bait boxes are good if used correctly and provide an ongoing 24/7 opportunity of rat removal. Traps must be totally enclosed if used, so harm/danger to non target species should be as close to zero as possible, but traps are labour intensive.

 

VERY few rat infestations will be cleared by shooting or traps alone.

 

Commonly a combined approach is required, dogs perhaps, maybe even glueboards and gas sometimes.

[scubadog 6]

From my personal experience one of the trouble with bait boxes is the trouble of where the rat dies.

if you are feeding animals hay or moving straw bales nothing is worse then when a rat has crawled on top of stack and dies. You then taint the hay or even worse when you pull a bale down end up covered in rotten rat!

 

Also the issue this particular farmer has is when the local cats catch poisoned rats and eat them.

 

So as much as I would like too use poison it is unfortunately not going to happen.

[nod 285]

Poisoned rat won't kill the cat. It would need to eat loads to affect it

[Deker 3,478]

Rats tend to feel ill with the likes of Difenacoum, Bromadiolone, Brodificoum, Coumatetrayl etc etc and become lethargic, they then do what most of us do when we feel ill, they go home and go to bed. In many cases that means they go home to a hole in the ground where they die, no body and no smell. Obviously in the Hay Barn they may be living snug and warm in a bale/stack which may at times be a problem.

 

 

DIFENACOUM

Toxicity
Oral doses in mg/kg:

LD50 rats 1.8 mice 0.8 rabbits 2 hens 100 dogs 50 cats 100 pigs -100

 

 

Kindly note the difference required to kill a rat and a cat, then try and equate that into how many rats a cat would need to eat to sustain ANY effect from secondary poisoning.

 

It is a JOKE in the VAST majority of cases to suggest the cat is under any threat whatsoever. BUT.,. even if the cat became ill a dose of Vitamin K would restore it to health in a matter of hours!

Edited September 15, 2013 by Deker

[ChrisJones 7,975]

As above... Understandable that they don't want you to use bait but you won't be able to get quick control, without it. Good luck though!

[Westy76 546]

Terriers all they way great day out to