Rat problem.

[morqthana]

I wonder what they find so tasty about rats legs?

Good meat:bone ratio (have you ever eaten rabbit?) and no entrails to worry about?

 

[morqthana]

Poison boxes are best to help prevent birds/pets etc eating it.

But how do you prevent birds eating the corpses?

 

[morqthana]

I put my sliders on and ran out to stamp on the *******. Again, Mrs Mottie was screaming - this time at me! "Don't hurt it, don't hurt it" she said. Of course, it legged it across the garden, ran up the fence panel and dropped into next doors garden. Mrs Mottie then had a go at me saying there must be something wrong with a man that would hurt an animal, even a rat!

She can rest easy. The chances of you being quick enough to stamp on a rat are about zero.

Get environmental health round?

Your council may provide a free service, although if you've not got problems with them on/in your property they may not do anything. Worth looking into though, because basically if your neighbour is effectively feeding them then dementia or no, and acrimony with her family or no, she has to stop or be stopped, and an "official" report could be valuable.

I can’t put poison down in case birds, squirrels, hedgehogs, cats etc eat it.

No, but the council or their contractor can.

 

[morqthana]

I understand all that, I just don't understand getting angry with a creature, as if its intrusion into your life is a personal attack on you.

Wait until you hear them under your bedroom floorboards when you're in bed at night.

 

[Deluks]

You so do not want them getting into your house looking for somewhere warm and dry to live.

Where did I say I wanted that?

 

[Deluks]

Wait until you hear them under your bedroom floorboards when you're in bed at night.

Sounds like you have experience of this.

Do you think their is some rat conspiracy where they are all setting out detailed plans to infiltrate your house and annoy you, like some kind of rodent Seal Team Six, because they have a personal vendetta against you?

 

[morqthana]

Where did I say I wanted that?

You didn't, and I never suggested you did.

One so does not want them getting into one's house looking for somewhere warm and dry to live, if you prefer.

 

[morqthana]

Sounds like you have experience of this.

Do you think their is some rat conspiracy where they are all setting out detailed plans to infiltrate your house and annoy you, like some kind of rodent Seal Team Six, because they have a personal vendetta against you?

Not at all, but I do think people shouldn't be nonchalant about rats running around in the garden.

 

[aveatry]

I'd lend you my air rifle, but you're miles away.

Surely one of your shooting pals has one you could borrow?

Failing that, just get one of those spring traps.

But, unless your neighbour stops feeding them, more will be back.

I believe there are laws about discarging an air rifle within so many meters of a public highway

 

[Highway Man]

I believe there are laws about discarging an air rifle within so many meters of a public highway

I would bloody well hope so.