Help with rat problems/infestations in the UK

[firkin ferreter 3]

Hiya again everyone. For anyone who already knows about my previous requests then please skip the next couple of sentences, if not then read on.

A few days ago someone on another forum I go on, a horse related one, the Horse and Hound forum, posted a topic about rats and dealing with them. Ratting was discussed. I also mentioned this too as it would be my first choice of dispatch for them anyway as it is far quicker and humane than any poison in my opinion. Anyway as a result of that post another member on the same forum also asked for help in another area. So I decided to post on here on their behalf to see if anyone who lived in their area could help. You see the way I saw things was that not everyone is au fait with hunting and vermin killing techniques. You could ask around on numerous livery yards I reckon and I bet only a few have even heard of ratting, let alone seen it in action. Most I would guess after consultation with local tack shops/feed merchants would recommend poison, traps or those devices you can get now which act at high frequencies to deter rats and rodents. Also most of the advice I have seen on the forum to date has been to lock feed in rat proof ( ideally metal) bins, and use methods described above. Only once did I see someone suggest an ingenious plan involving straw I think it was and a bin full of water in which the rats drowned. Ingenious yes, but I'm afraid perhaps I am too much of an animal lover and all I saw was a rather slow and painful death for the rat as they are good swimmers.

Myself personally I much prefer using dogs as they are quick and effective killers and the rats do die pretty quickly once caught ( or least any footage I have seen has led me to believe this as I have never seen a 'live' kill).

I also thought that as people are busy, especially horse people ( only spare time I get is at night mostly to sit here and type lol) that they may not have the time to go trying to find out people who will sort out their problem.

Not only that but it is knowing where to look. Some people may know and others may not.

Hence my post on here a few days ago which resulted in some names and contact numbers being given to those needing help which will hopefully result in a nice day's hunting for the people and their dogs and leave some other people happy with the knowledge that the rats ( or at least most of them) are gone.

I then placed another post on the horse and hound to ask that if anyone has a rat problem to get in touch and I would quite happily ask on here and pass on details. Hence the reason I have now asked about help in South Derbyshire.

I would like to take this a step further and set up a database.

I am a member on a couple of horse forums and the people who chat on these not only have equines but in some cases other livestock and as we all know in most cases livestock means rodents and primarily rats.

I have therefore decided to ask people on this forum if they will provide me with contact details and a name and a location(s) to which they will cover to solve rat problems. What methods they use be it dogs, smokers, guns, traps etc and if there is any charges incurred. I don't want to know details of charges, just if you do charge a fee, even if it just to cover fuel expenses if it involves a fair amount of travelling.

I am not in business and nor will I profiteer in anyway or form from asking this. I am not into identity theft or fraud in any shape or form. This is a genuine request to help set up a database to help me, help you and anyone who has a rat problem. I don't expect any reward from this. I won't be charging for this service. What I plan to do is free of charge. Call it an act of goodwill, call it what you like. I just know how hard it can be to promote what you people do. Whether it is a hobby or for a living, with the credit crunch we are having now why should you have to pay to advertise your services, especially if what you do is for free.

I hope you are still with me up to now, sorry for the long post. I just wanted to make myself clear and to say that what I am offering to do is genuine. There are no hidden agendas. Admin/moderators you can pm as much as you like with regard to this. I have nothing to hide. If you have any problem at all or wish to clarify anything Adim/Moderators please get in touch. The same is true of forum members too.

I have just updated my profile page as I have never added to it even though I joined this forum last year lol.

Anyway please feel free to contact me with what I have requested.

many thanks

Caroline

Also posted in the Earthworking dogs? section sorry brain has had short term memory loss after all that typing.

[magus69 0]

I'm from Wakefield West Yorkshire.

I have many methods of controlling rats at my disposal including,Terriers,traps(both catch and kill and live catch),smokers (with 1 that is totally silent),fully moderated shotguns (1 of which is quieter than an air rifle),etc,

I have found that with livery stables noise is the major concern hence the silent kit I have at my disposal.

I would consider travelling to North Yorks' and South Yorks' and no charge would be made.

I am contactable via PM.

Cheers Mike...

[firkin ferreter 3]

I'm from Wakefield West Yorkshire.

I have many methods of controlling rats at my disposal including,Terriers,traps(both catch and kill and live catch),smokers (with 1 that is totally silent),fully moderated shotguns (1 of which is quieter than an air rifle),etc,

I have found that with livery stables noise is the major concern hence the silent kit I have at my disposal.

I would consider travelling to North Yorks' and South Yorks' and no charge would be made.

I am contactable via PM.

Cheers Mike...

 

Hiya Mike thanks very much for your offer Could I ask though, can you please pm me with a contact number that prospective clients with rat problems in your area can reach you on? I have asked this of everyone who has offered help. If I don't have a number then I won't be able to offer the services of people on here to anyone on the horse forums that I go on that need help with clearing rats. The main reason being time as I am acting as an intermediary between the two forums, hence the reason I am setting up a database so if I see anyone needing help or anyone asks me I can give them the details of someone in their area straightaway which is far quicker and easier for me than trying to pm people on here everytime help is needed.

I will not give any details publicly. Contact information will be sent to the people needing help via a private pm and will not be posted openly on a public forum. I can understand that people are taking my word on this but I am genuine and so is my request. I fully understand confidentiality as I trained ( got degree in journalism) and was a practising freelance horse racing journalist a few years ago, so anyone can rest assured that my requests are very much genuine and I have no hidden agenda and nor will I give out anyone's information to anyone ( even privately) unless the information is given freely and permission granted.

I hope that explains everything. If you or anyone else wishes to discuss this further then please contact me via pm.

thanks

Caz

[cantona 310]

hi ime from warwickshire will travell an exeptable distance no charge smokers and terriers used

[rabbit tourmentor 29]

out of interest whats this straw thing you said about

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i think this is a great idea and fair play to you

[firkin ferreter 3]

I can't remember off hand will try and find out for you. Will find for certain and then post what was said on this thread.

Caz

[firkin ferreter 3]

I can't remember off hand will try and find out for you. Will find for certain and then post what was said on this thread.

Caz

I knew straw was involved somewhere in it lol

 

Found it the suggestion was made on a horse forum I go on it said:

 

"Half fill a dustbin of water and sprinkle oats and straw on top - you have to add to it every few days as eventually it sinks.

 

Leave it standing next to your bales of hay.

 

Ratty will jump in thinking 'yum' - 'eek' - plop.....can't get out... and eventually will drown (eeooowww!!)

 

And they sink too, so if you don't look every day you find them piled on the bottom!!

 

First emptying of my butt - thinking the oats were making it pong - tipped the bin out, and out washed 3 smelly bloated HUGE b*ggers."

 

It wasn't me who made the post btw but someone else on the forum.

[muirheadman 0]

[hi there

just reading you letter i have a livery yard with 50 horses and no rats, reason ,metal feed bins and keeping it free of any rubbish ,so the rats cannot hide under i also put poison down to control any mice that might be there, iall livery must keep there place clean and food free all food stored in bins i have seen 1 rat in 8 years so that is not bad hope that this helps

mm

[firkin ferreter 3]

[hi there

just reading you letter i have a livery yard with 50 horses and no rats, reason ,metal feed bins and keeping it free of any rubbish ,so the rats cannot hide under i also put poison down to control any mice that might be there, iall livery must keep there place clean and food free all food stored in bins i have seen 1 rat in 8 years so that is not bad hope that this helps

mm

 

That is very good going MM but sadly not all yards or indeed businesses are as clean as your yard and so they obviously will attract vermin if they can get access to any food. Also my post was not only in reference to horse related establishments as I have read that some people on the horse forums I go on have chickens and other livestock. My request therefore to set up a database of ratters and other forms of vermin killing was to try and assist not only horsey folk but also small holders and other people who keep livestock.