"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
Kay writes:
| In article , Nick Maclaren
| writes
|
| They will go once disturbed, anyway. Temporarily.
|
| Rats are pretty common. There's a saying that you're never more than
| 60ft from a rat. Or 20ft. Or something.

Yes. I think the accurate one says that 99% of the population
is within XXX feet of a rat at any one time. I don't believe
that people swimming 100x offshore are likely to have their toes
nibbled by a passing rat, somehow.

| Call the council rat catcher, or buy some rat traps. But don't over-
| react or feel that you are a public health nuisance - just relax. Rats
| happen.

Equally well, don't treat them as just large mice and ignore them.
They are a significant health hazard, though NOT enough of one to
go into panic mode.


I am not too sure local authorities in Ireland have rat exterminators ready
to pounce at the citizens' request... though of course I might be wrong.
I propose to put rat traps - not poisoned ones, as I wish no harm on the
neighbours' cats - more the larger versions of what you get for mice. I'll
have to check next w/e if my disturbing the heap has actually got rid of
them.
What do people recommend for baiting traps? Am I right in assuming that
bacon works as well on rats as it does on mice?
I am not freaked: I live in the country, and rats are a common enough
occurrence, so long as they don't come into the house, I am happy enough.
However, I have no intention to facilitate them by offering B&B on my
property. So, traps it is then.
Thank you Pam, Nick and Kay for your good advice.


--
Cat(h)
The world swirls...