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#1
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Humane control of rats
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. |
#2
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Humane control of rats
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. |
#3
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Humane control of rats
You're talking about rats. There are more rats than people in this country.
Just kill them and be done with. Mimi De Moratti scribbled: 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. |
#4
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Humane control of rats
On Sun, 20 Apr 2003 23:13:34 +0100, bnd777 wrote
(in message ): 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 What a strange philosophy! I suppose the millions of people who help birds through the winter and the breeding season, when putting food out can mean the difference between life and death for small birds, are all misguided, as are the BTO and the RSPB? I suppose we should just let them all starve when it snows or the ground is frozen for weeks. Birds who use feeders also forrage normally for insects etc., so your argument does not wash. It is a pleasure to feed the birds and have them keep my garden pest free in return. Daft thing is you usually find the same people also have 2 or 3 cats that kill the very birds the owner is feeding I don't like cats and do not tolerate them anywhere near my garden. |
#5
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Humane control of rats
On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 0:06:39 +0100, Essjay001 wrote
(in message ): You're talking about rats. There are more rats than people in this country. Just kill them and be done with. Mimi De Moratti scribbled: 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. Not terribly helpful that. I was asking for advice on the least unpleasant way of doing it. Just because there are a lot of them it doesn't mean they don't feel pain and I don't wish to inflict unecessary suffering on another living creature. |
#6
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Humane control of rats
On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 10:48:06 +0100, Mimi De Moratti wrote:
Not terribly helpful that. I was asking for advice on the least unpleasant way of doing it. Just because there are a lot of them it doesn't mean they don't feel pain and I don't wish to inflict unecessary suffering on another living creature. Ah, I sort of got the impression that you, personally, didn't want to do the killing. I suspect that live capture and a well aimed, good hard whack on the head/neck whilst holding (*) the rat so you don't miss is about as quick as your going to get. The traditional break back trap is also pretty quick but 100% in a kill. Sometimes the rat only gets caught by a leg or tail, it'll then gnaw that bit of its anatomy off to escape. (*) Haven't a clue how one would hold a rat whilst administering the fatal blow. I guess if you have a wire cage type trap you could use sticks to trap it an one end then shoot it with an air pistol at point blank range. -- Cheers Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email. |
#7
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Humane control of rats
Mimi De Moratti scribbled:
On Sun, 20 Apr 2003 23:13:34 +0100, bnd777 wrote (in message ): 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 What a strange philosophy! No it's not continous feeding of wild birds throughout the year is interfereing with nature I suppose the millions of people who help birds through the winter That's different! and the breeding season, Birds begin their breeding season to coincide with times when food is plentyful when putting food out can mean the difference between life and death for small birds, as I said birds normally breed when food is plentyful are all misguided, as are the BTO and the RSPB? I suppose we should just let them all starve when it snows or the ground is frozen for weeks. Did you read this befor you posted it. Birds who use feeders also forrage normally for insects etc., so your argument does not wash. Sorry but there you may be wrong. Birds that frequent bird feeders are seed eaters. Whilst I would not argue that they may from time to time eat insects they do not "normally forage for insects". It is a pleasure to feed the birds and have them keep my garden pest free in return. Surely while you are feeding them they have no inclination to strip your garden. Daft thing is you usually find the same people also have 2 or 3 cats that kill the very birds the owner is feeding I don't like cats and do not tolerate them anywhere near my garden. And you believe that because you don't like them that they don't come near your garden? Steve R |
#8
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Humane control of rats
Mimi De Moratti scribbled:
On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 0:06:39 +0100, Essjay001 wrote (in message ): You're talking about rats. There are more rats than people in this country. Just kill them and be done with. Not terribly helpful that. I was asking for advice on the least unpleasant way of doing it. Just because there are a lot of them it doesn't mean they don't feel pain and I don't wish to inflict unecessary suffering on another living creature. I wouldn't mind betting that if they were nibbling at your toes while you slept you wouldn't be so soft. Maybe you should relocate to another planet! |
#9
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Humane control of rats
"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. You trap them and kill them, if you try to relocate them they will be back in your home before you are, they are vermin and the only way to control them is by killing them. Alan -- Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk |
#10
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Humane control of rats
In article , Essjay001 writes Mimi De Moratti scribbled: On Sun, 20 Apr 2003 23:13:34 +0100, bnd777 wrote (in message ): 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 What a strange philosophy! No it's not continous feeding of wild birds throughout the year is interfereing with nature It is no more interfering with nature to feed them in the summer than it is in the winter. I suppose the millions of people who help birds through the winter That's different! and the breeding season, Birds begin their breeding season to coincide with times when food is plentyful True, but there is absolutely no harm, and potentially a lot of good, in making even more food available. when putting food out can mean the difference between life and death for small birds, as I said birds normally breed when food is plentyful See above. are all misguided, as are the BTO and the RSPB? I suppose we should just let them all starve when it snows or the ground is frozen for weeks. Did you read this befor you posted it. Birds who use feeders also forrage normally for insects etc., so your argument does not wash. Sorry but there you may be wrong. Birds that frequent bird feeders are seed eaters. Whilst I would not argue that they may from time to time eat insects they do not "normally forage for insects". Err, just not true. Indeed, nonsense! Birds which frequent my bird table include Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Blue Tit and Great Tit, all of which "forage for insects". Indeed about the only exception is the Greenfinch and even that takes a few invertebrates. It is a pleasure to feed the birds and have them keep my garden pest free in return. Surely while you are feeding them they have no inclination to strip your garden. You clearly don't understand the point being made :-( -- Malcolm |
#11
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Humane control of rats
"Mimi De Moratti" wrote in message . co.uk... On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 0:06:39 +0100, Essjay001 wrote (in message ): You're talking about rats. There are more rats than people in this country. Just kill them and be done with. Mimi De Moratti scribbled: 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. Not terribly helpful that. I was asking for advice on the least unpleasant way of doing it. Just because there are a lot of them it doesn't mean they don't feel pain and I don't wish to inflict unecessary suffering on another living creature. Drown them, it's quick and because it's quick they only suffer for a few seconds. A lot better than starving them or using warfarin. You should treat vermin as vermin. Alan -- Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk |
#12
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Humane control of rats
Alan Holmes scribbled:
Drown them, it's quick and because it's quick they only suffer for a few seconds. A lot better than starving them or using warfarin. You should treat vermin as vermin. Right on the button! |
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