For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
#1845324
I think the 'how can I convince' approach is fundamentally flawed.
What's wrong with the 'I accept that her opinion is as valid as mine, so how can we find a solution together' approach?

Which, as @Rob P says, could simply be to get the professionals in to deal with it. Life's too short to constantly having to go around convincing other people that they are wrong (which is why I hesitated to make this post) ;)
T6Harvard liked this
#1845355
Bill McCarthy wrote:Rats will chew electrical cabling and plastic pipeware so keeping them out of your loft is a top priority. A cat which adopted us, came from a neighbour who’s other menagerie were bullying it, said to be in the order of 18 years old and one eyed, has kept us clear of rats for years now. Another cat which was chucked out when another neighbour moved to Portugal last year has moved in but there has been no takeover bid yet. I’ve inoculated my sheep against toxoplasmosis every year, just in case.


Psst, don’t tell Rob that cats catch rats- that’s a professional’s job. :wink:
#1845368
Morten wrote:I think the 'how can I convince' approach is fundamentally flawed.
What's wrong with the 'I accept that her opinion is as valid as mine, so how can we find a solution together' approach?

Which, as @Rob P says, could simply be to get the professionals in to deal with it. Life's too short to constantly having to go around convincing other people that they are wrong (which is why I hesitated to make this post) ;)


Can we copy and paste this into all the EC threads...
Charles Hunt, kanga liked this
#1845373
seanxair wrote:
Morten wrote:I think the 'how can I convince' approach is fundamentally flawed.
What's wrong with the 'I accept that her opinion is as valid as mine, so how can we find a solution together' approach?

Which, as @Rob P says, could simply be to get the professionals in to deal with it. Life's too short to constantly having to go around convincing other people that they are wrong (which is why I hesitated to make this post) ;)


Can we copy and paste this into all the EC threads...


Well you beat me to it, but I was going to say EXCEPT in the case of EC.....
:)
seanxair liked this
#1845376
seanxair wrote:
Morten wrote:I think the 'how can I convince' approach is fundamentally flawed.
What's wrong with the 'I accept that her opinion is as valid as mine, so how can we find a solution together' approach?

Which, as @Rob P says, could simply be to get the professionals in to deal with it. Life's too short to constantly having to go around convincing other people that they are wrong (which is why I hesitated to make this post) ;)


Can we copy and paste this into all the EC threads...


Damn, I didn't see that one coming...
seanxair, Charles Hunt liked this
#1845387
On the advice of a buddy who is in the arms business (that sounds dodgy I know...) - I am getting one of these:

Image

I have the Victor mole trap - fantastic bit of kit!

I hope their rat trap is as effective. I did watch a few videos on YT for this and similar, and they appear to work...although Ratty McRat Face might take a few weeks before wandering in....

Food for the chickens is in their Iglu enclosure, so should be inaccessible to ratty at night. As we give any edible leftovers to the chickens - we aren't composting anything that would attract vermin.

My Border Collie has done a pretty good job of digging for the rats, and have seen him chasing them - but he isn't going to kill any. The wife's french bulldog could maybe fart into their nest and drive them out I guess....

The rats seem to have evicted mice we had living in the same area - the cats used to bring back their kills quite regularly last year.

As for shooting them - I'd first figure out their habits. I have a few IR triggered Reolink cameras - it was with one of them I was sure it was rats and not mice. Then, having got a rifle properly zero'd in for the target area - I'd spend an hour or so once a week. They seem most active around 1am, which would be fine for me.

The kids cabin/swing thing is ideal -it has a platform 1.7m off the ground and overlooking where the nests are. It's big enough to set up a chair, and a railing which is ideally situated to act as a gun rest. A bit of shade cloth in front of it for a few days...it really is a perfect shooting setup.... :twisted: :oops:
seanxair liked this
#1845399
Morten wrote:
seanxair wrote:
Morten wrote:I think the 'how can I convince' approach is fundamentally flawed.
What's wrong with the 'I accept that her opinion is as valid as mine, so how can we find a solution together' approach?

Which, as @Rob P says, could simply be to get the professionals in to deal with it. Life's too short to constantly having to go around convincing other people that they are wrong (which is why I hesitated to make this post) ;)


Can we copy and paste this into all the EC threads...


Damn, I didn't see that one coming...


Just liked the sentiment :)
#1845424
seanxair wrote:
Morten wrote:
seanxair wrote:Can we copy and paste this into all the EC threads...

Damn, I didn't see that one coming...

Just liked the sentiment :)

I know :) I was attempting a pun. EC - seeing it coming... I've taken my coat ... :oops:
#1845576
Remember, a breeding female rat can have 8 or more litters of up to 10 offspring per litter per year, and will breed year round in favourable conditions.

First and by far the most effective course of action should be to remove food sources and cover that rodents love.
No food, no problem.

However, If ‘encouraging’ them to move on elsewhere is not an option and poisoning is to be employed, be sure your Professional is professional with baiting station security and carcass disposal.

You should also be prepared for some poorly, poisoned rodents to be seen around ( and potential caught/ eaten by domestic animals) - most poorly animals, but by no means all, tend to retreat to their burrows to die. Those that die in proximity to inhabited areas will stink for weeks unless picked up and disposed of promptly.

Best idea all round is not to have any rat friendly habitat in the first place.
#1845582
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
Charliesixtysix wrote:Psst, don’t tell Rob that cats catch rats






That might look amusing but having once been unfortunate enough to see this first hand when I corned a rat whilst clearing out beet clamp - believe me it is terrifying, and a rat just will not give up having committed to the attack.

I was lucky to have a beet knife to hand and managed to deal with the problem before being bitten and needless to say, am much more careful in such situations since that experience.