Rat in the loft space

[mike strand2]

I've had my suspicions that we have a lodger in the loft space, & today there it was staring at me. A beautiful silver grey furry Tree rat.

I really don't want to put down poison, but want it to find another home before it starts a family. Any suggestions on how to send it on it's way would be appreciated.

Tree_Rat.jpg (179.83 KiB) Viewed 5078 times

[WHL]

Ive got a cage trap a bit smaller then a shoe box, put a bit of food in it, then take it outside, most hardware shops sell them.

[mike strand2]

Homemarket just wanted to sell me poison, so I'll try Superhome DIY.

[trevnhil]

I too have a rat cage that I have used in the past, with great success.. But I have to admit I did kill those that I caught.
It is better than having to pay for new wiring in the engine compartment of the car..

[Ams]

That's by far the cutest rat I've ever seen!

Hope you manage to relocate it without harming it.

[Maggie B]

That's by far the cutest rat I've ever seen too Ams.

I wouldn't choose to harm the Wee toot either . . . . . . .But, blue bottles, wasps, rat's, hairy legged spiders (the ones with knobbly knees), who are NOT, and have not been politely invited into my house are on a hiding to nothing.

I'm glad to say, most of the beasties get the message. . . . . . .after a wee while.

I shoosh them, brush them, set the noise of the Hoover on them. But, if they don't get the hint. It's Good Night Vienna!!!

[mike strand2]

Photo from internet, but looks so like the one who stared me in the face before I shouted "get out"

[bromerzz]

Glue traps are effective- they will probably still be alive once caught. Smack on the head with a piece of wood or to avoid messiness, dunk them in a bucket of water to finish them off and bury the remains. Make sure you stay away from any urine they leave you as a present. If you use poison do NOT dump the body in a field so that other wildlife will eat them and then poison themselves.

[trevnhil]

I used the tub of water to finally dispatch them.. Regarding burying them.. Other animals can dig them up again, and presumable eat them.

[WHL]

Rats carry many diseases, google to find out why you should terminate them.

[trevnhil]

I would terminate them for the damage they do as well as the diseases they carry.. They will chew on almost anything..

[WHL]

I live next to a large field and often get rats in the garden, I used to catch them and set them free back into the field,I now use rat poison that comes in small waxy blue cubes, which I put into a length of drain pipe which I place along the wall, my wife was always against this as she said it was cruel etc etc, her opinion changed one night , while we were around the garden table having drinks with friends, a rat the size of a kitten, jumped off the over head trellis and landed smack on the table in front of us, a change of underwear soon changed her views.

[Firefly]

We had a rat in our loft once, in an old cottage we had, OH put a rat trap up there with a chocolate biscuit in it, rat caught first night, they love chocolate seemingly.

Jackie

[brengreen]

Apparently they also like peanut butter so a farmer friend told me.

[PhotoLady]

Bless it.... I have great respect for rats. They're very intelligent indeed.

[trevnhil]

But they still carry diseases, and are destructive..

[Dominic]

Am I the only one who sees the title of this thread and thinks it might be about a new single by UB40?

[WHL]

Am I the only one who sees the title of this thread and thinks it might be about a new single by UB40?

Too young , were they some sort of pop group back in the day

[Dominic]

My arse.

[WHL]

My arse.

Cheeky