[paddyboo]

What can we do? There is a studio there, a ramshackle shed and a slab for a house. No one lives there and we have seen anyone there for well over a year. We eventually got the council to do something and tge grass received a rather pathetic attempt at a cut. DH just saw a rat run down the fence on our side..Ewww! What can we do? The front fence is dilapidated so other animals could get in the yard which means no baits. I hate rats!!! Suggestions please.

[Escapin]

There's rats everywhere. I once read that in suburbia, you're never more than 5 metres from one. So, my (not very useful) advice would be to ignore them!

[wildflowers]

Get a cat, or get some rat/mouse baits, they can be hidden away from children. We had a mouse problem when we moved into our house put down baits and that fixed the problem.

[lozoodle]

I think you will find there are rats everywhere

Seal your property so there are no entry points. In particular behind your oven and dishwasher - there are usually holes in the walls where the wiring goes in and they can get in via that. Rats can fit through the space the size of a 5c piece.

Keep your place clean, and seal up gaps. If there is food, and they can get in they will come.
Also, ratsak is your friend

[la di dah]

I don't think baits are particularly good for anything that might eat the rat, though, falcons and so on. Sort of kills off the rat's natural environmental checks along with the rat.

Cats for me have worked at keeping mice/rats out of the house even when neighbours had them badly... but I don't see how they would sort out rats that stay in the vacant lot next door unless you're letting the cat out to wander? Which is not good for the cat or for any of the other native wildlife they will eat in addition to or instead of the rats.

If they aren't in my house I really don't care much if there are rats off being the base of the food chain in a vacant property that isn't mine.

This post has been edited by la di dah: 11/04/2012, 08:59 PM

[Veryclucky]

What PP said plus some councils have Rodent and Pest control teams that will come out and inspect. I think they will lay traps etc and bill the owners

[blackcat20]

We've got a couple in the roof at the moment, driving me batty at night! I've baited in the roof because I just can't stand it. Lots of my neighbours have chooks so rats are a given.

[gina70]

PP are right, there are rats everywhere. Cats are made for catching rats. Otherwise there are baits that kill the rat but not a secondary animal that might eat the rat.

[Nanaimo Girl]

Gina70 - do you know what brand that would be? I really need to put down some mouse bait but I'm worried about the dog eating the dead mice.

[paddyboo]

We don't live in the city, we live in a rural town. Field mice I am used to, but rats! ewwww! We have a cat. DH says she was sitting there meowing at him and the rat rand down right beside her!! Silly thing. They definitely can't get in the house, but they get in the roof. Unfortunately we can't access the roof because it is an old house and the roof cavity is like 20cm. There are snakes there in the summer too. I hate it! people should have to maintain their blocks!

Might look at the baits PP suggested that don't hurt other animals. Blech!