There's a rat in my compost. What am I gonna do?

[Dave1970]

Like the title says, we have suspected a rat stealing from the compost bin for a while.
Today the bugger was sat there looking at me when I lifted the lid.
I'd like to get rid before it finds its way into the garage, short of putting one of the cats into the compost can anyone recommend a poison that'll do the job? Don't want to end up with poisoned compost

 

[fermentall]

shoot the ba==ard :thumb:

 

[Sean_Mc]

Big traps

 

[bobsbeer]

You need one of these:

:grin:

 

[tbert33]

Wouldnt bother with the rat poisons sold in shops. They are becoming used to the strain of the poison so it may or may not kill it.

Your local council could sort it out for you as its the only statutory pest control service they NEED to provide. My council do it for free and they use some powerful stuff. Its worth a try and might cost you nowt.

The other ways are shoot the little sod. Get a can of body spray/hairspray and a lighter to make your own make shift flame thrower or take your spade to the compost heap.

 

[Baz Chaz]

Make sure you don't put anything other than vegetable matter in your compost heap, any household food waste will attract rats I'm afraid.

 

[fermentall]

they dig the veg up in our garden & eat it, never managed to get them to dig the garden & plant it though lol.

 

[Wol]

+1 for the air rifle! Just dont have to many :drink: before taking aim

 

[abeyptfc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-nj_iOBDqA

:lol:

 

[Wol]

^^ Thats another option i suppose :shock:

 

[Abiruth]

It's no rat it's hamster!

 

[fermentall]

9MM garden gun or .410 is the best bet, they don't run away from those!!

 

[PD]

if you have only seen one rat, then because its winter time and er times are hard for the vermin they move closer to humans. I would suggest if you left it alone and took precautions with your waste, given time the rat will move on.
However if you see 2 or more then its obviously time to take action. Your council is your first point of call, their services are free.
Next port of call is the private pest control companies that will charge.

If your not squeemish get a good air rifle

 

[Dave1970]

Sounds like the council is the way to go....SWMBO isn't keen on me blasting it with an air rifle

 

[DeanoD]

shame your not closer to me i could of lent you my jack russel :thumb:
he chases and kills everything else he sees in the woods near work he even chases deer :shock:

 

[WelshPaul]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-nj_iOBDqA

:lol:

No. I just can't watch a nature documentary that doesn't have David Attenborough narrating. Even watching that video, my brain was trying to translate the American into Attenborough!

 

[jonewer]

Have had some rats about for ages.

Bloody menace! They have eaten my seed stocks and some of my brewing grains in the past. They regularly eat my compost which means no matter how full my compost bin, by a couple of days later theres more space left. Oh and they lurrrve spent grain!

Mango the Brew Cat has claimed quite a few of them but there's still more of the buggers around. And theres a fox that keeps leaving big poos on my strawberries! :evil:

I dont want to put poison down for fear of poisoning the cat.

 

[screamlead]

Leave an opening in the compost bin - local cats will get it!. Do not use poison! we have lost 4 cats so far down to neighbours laying down poison, then the cats catching a groggy rat and eating it. Trust me you never want to watch a cat die thats eaten a poisoned rat!.
I have 6 cats at the mo' 3 are young uns but the three adults have brought home over 150 rats n mice in the last year that we know of. All the locals here have small holdings and store all their feed/hay/seeds in open spaces so we tend to get over run. Never had a problem with my grain as i store in a barrel. :thumb:

 

[Dave1970]

You must be psychic Screamlead. While pondering over rats in bed this morning I'd thought of that, I was just wondering if I might end up poisoning our cats with an easy to catch rat if either I or the council poison.
Think I'll just get an old fashioned snappy rat trap, bait it with some peanut butter (works great for mice so I presume it will for rats) and stick it on top of the compost

 

[BigYin]

The big rat taps are impressive, just don't get your fingers caught in it!