Kind of think if you live next to a farm, then it's pretty much a case of
give up, you'll never get them all.

Traps can be quite good, we certainly used to catch a dozen+ some nights in
a single trap, used to use them to train the jack russells.

As for rat poison the most commonly available ones these days all rely on
the fact that rats can't vomit, so things like warferin can kill a rat but
would usually only make higher predators sick.

Having said all that, i'd come back to my first point. I mean we live next
to an open field, and to be honest you can kill a few but where there are
resources for them they will always come back. Living next to a farm you're
in for a very tough time.

My neighbour did make me laugh when he moved in and said, "I don't mind
rats, as long as they respect the boundaries of my garden", images of
small "no rats" signs going up round his fence came to mind.

Oh of course don't forget you can't release them when you catch them, cos
that's illegal.

Duncan

Robbo wrote:

Anyone in URG had any success in eradicating dear old Roland Rat from
their garden *without* resorting to rodenticide?

There are several cats in my area and I *really* don't want a knock on
effect of Rat poison if they get to a carcass etc.
I also have a dog, who's naturally inquisitive about "roadkill" and the
like so I am looking for a more humane way of despatching these little
buggers before the veg patch gets it's first seedlings soon.

I had some success with a squirrel trap, but it had to return to it's
rightful owner. Redistribution of the "I eat anything you leave lying
around" rodents was working quite well..... Until they bred and now we
have a few too many. Shooting them is my neighbours resolution, but I
don't want to sit on a rotating stool doing Japser Carrot impressions late
into the night.

Local council aren't too bothered as we are adjacent to a farm and it's
the "norm" around these parts generally.