Its people who put out bread etc for the birds that encourage the rats in
the first place
Since it does not assist the birds in finding natural food such people are
thoroughly misguided
Daft thing is you usually find the same people also have 2 or 3 cats that
kill the very birds the owner is feeding


"Mimi De Moratti" wrote in message
. co.uk...
My house is surrounded by livestock and buildings that contain their
straw/hay etc. My house is wooden and I have two sheds in the garden,
which
is part woodland. Rats have come in from the fields and took residence in
the
compost heap. I have cleared it away but they have tunelled under my house
and sheds. I have a few birdfeeders and a huge amount of visitors but have
special 'escaped seed' catchers underneath for minimal spillage. I have
tried
everything to disuade the rats. I don't want to poison them as it is a
slow
and painful death, I imagine (or am I wrong?). And I have shrews and a
badger
who comes every night. I do worry about my birds' health, under the
circumstances, and the security of their nests. Does anyone know of a
humane
way of getting rid of the rats? There are too many now to trap and release
elsewhere. I would really appreciate some help. I've looked at the FAQs
but
it wasn't covered.