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Rats
Feb 9, 2005 20:49:59 GMT
Post by onymee on Feb 9, 2005 20:49:59 GMT
I had an interesting tip the other week from a fellow local poultry keeper. The tip isn't any use to me because I keep free range rabbits and guinea pigs but others might find it useful. Apparently, if you don't want to use poison bait or traps, you can put down sugar beet pulp nuts and the rats eat them and die. Apparently this is more or less what that expensive 'eradirat' stuff is like. If I didn't have my nippyjigs and wabbits all running loose I would be looking at this as a safer way to rid the place of rats. They need to be placed somewhere dry though like in part of an old pipe.
Incidentally in the MArch edition of 'smallholder' mag, there is a very interesting bit about rats. And also a good bit about bantams.
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Diane
Junior Member
Posts: 62
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Rats
Feb 10, 2005 15:02:01 GMT
Post by Diane on Feb 10, 2005 15:02:01 GMT
That's really interesting about sugar beet pulp nuts - I'm going to give it a go. I don't like putting poison down either - even in the rat bait trap - in case my cats get hold of a poisoned rat/mouse. The nuts idea sounds much better and a lot cheaper an Eradirat!
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Rats
Feb 10, 2005 18:34:06 GMT
Post by onymee on Feb 10, 2005 18:34:06 GMT
I personally am happy to use poison bait traps and I have 12 cats. I have been reliably informed that there is no secondary poisoning with modern poisons in any case. To date I have never lost a cat from eating a poisoned rat. However I understand some people's worries. I hope the beet pulp nuts do the trick for you. It was a new one on me but once I was told how it worked it seems feasible. Just as long as you have no wabbits or nippyjigs to get hold of the nuts
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Yokel
New Member
Posts: 8
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Rats
May 24, 2005 21:21:38 GMT
Post by Yokel on May 24, 2005 21:21:38 GMT
I realise this is a bit crass but I hate rats. I use three methods, cats are good but won't always take on big ones. Bait boxes or bait in pipes on rat runs (it has to be dry to work). My favourite is a sunny evening, a chair, a cup of tea, some chicken corn 20 feet away on open ground (shut the chickens in for this) and a shotgun. It really makes a mess of them!!
My neighbour keeps a big flock of sheep so at this time of year there is lots of lamb milk powder, hay, feed and other stuff around. Of course there are rats but both of us poison and shoot them and it seems to keep them down.
Get a licence and shotgun and make their day!
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