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  1. Flatbedford Minister of Fire

    In my case it was the only solution. I could not set enough traps.
    #26

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  2. Ehouse Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jul 22, 2011
    476 posts
    Upstate NY
    Rats will relocate poison to where pets or kids can find it.

    Ehouse
  3. Flatbedford Minister of Fire

    I broke the bars into quarters and clamped the quarters into a spring trap screwed to 8' long lumber that I inserted through a small hole in the lattice around my deck. Once the lumber was in, I closed off the hole. The chunks stayed in the trap as they were eaten. I like to think that I used the poison as safely and thoughtfully as possible.
  4. Eatonpcat Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 24, 2011
    2,039 posts
    Eaton Township, Ohio
    Sounds like you took the precautions necessary...If I had rats, My priority would be getting rid of them using any and all methods I could find (including poison)!
  5. bluedogz Minister of Fire

    joined: Oct 9, 2011
    857 posts
    NE Maryland
  6. Flatbedford Minister of Fire

    Wow!!!
  7. jrendfrey Member

    joined: Jan 15, 2012
    124 posts
    green mtns vt
    sugar makers around here use raw instant potatoes but thats for mice swells there gut and die. maybe you could use more of them? damn mice are chewing everything i got outside. hve you seen the giant rat traps they sell? its a giant mouse trap i figure itll work use peanut butter with marshmellow or dorito works awesome
  8. Flatbedford Minister of Fire

    The giant rats traps are only truly effective if they are tied down to something sturdy.
  9. Eatonpcat Minister of Fire

    joined: Jul 24, 2011
    2,039 posts
    Eaton Township, Ohio
    I am getting a very bad picture in my head of Giant Rats walking around carrying Traps and snorting poison while looking at you and laughing!
  10. Flatbedford Minister of Fire

    Rats are pretty tough! That's not such a stretch. Or at least imagine a rat limping away with one of those giant traps on one leg. I once found only a tail in a mouse trap.
    Eatonpcat likes this.
  11. Ehouse Feeling the Heat

    joined: Jul 22, 2011
    476 posts
    Upstate NY

    You need to use a combination of traps and devices. Snap traps, glue traps, bucket traps, Rat Zapper. move them around. When you think you've killed them all, it's time for the poison. Killed six more with the poison. Nasty, nasty business.

    Ehouse
  12. basod Minister of Fire

    joined: Sep 11, 2009
    765 posts
    Mount Cheaha Alabama
    I found one in my eve space that had been pulled towards the main stack penetration.
    Petrified rat snake attached
    Decidied not to tell the GF about it
    semipro likes this.
  13. bluedogz Minister of Fire

    joined: Oct 9, 2011
    857 posts
    NE Maryland
    Oh, so you've been to New York, then.
    MasterMech and Eatonpcat like this.
  14. save$ Minister of Fire

    joined: Sep 22, 2008
    1,684 posts
    Chelsea Maine
    We had a lab that was the best rat catcher ever! Then we got this big Tom cat that would even bring home rabbits and game birds. Both are gone now. These new labs hunt, but don't have anything to show for it. I have caught mice by using a 5 gallon pail. Put a stick on it so the mice climb up, they jump Ito the pail for the bait, but can't jump out.
    I wonder if you used a big barrel, put a few inches of water in it, then floated some bait on some styrofoam if rats would go for it. Being in water, they shouldn't be able to jump out. I got a skunk that way using a trash barrel.
  15. Realstone Lord of Fire

    joined: Jan 20, 2012
    802 posts
    Southern ON
    Some ferrets make excellent mousers and ratters. Make good pets too if you don't mind the musky smell, which BTW is supposed to terrify rodents.
  16. backpack09 Minister of Fire

    joined: Sep 10, 2007
    550 posts
    Whitman, Mass
    Ha Ha replace the rat problem with furry rats.

    I guess trapping them is my best solution, anyone have luck with have a hearts and rats?... of course they would end up in a 5 gal bucket of water... but how do the traps work on rats?
  17. Realstone Lord of Fire

    joined: Jan 20, 2012
    802 posts
    Southern ON
    Not furry rats, stinkin weasels :)
  18. MasterMech Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 2, 2011
    4,782 posts
    Hudson Valley NY
    Why not use the snap traps? Havahearts are only useful if you really intend to release the varmint later.

    If you have an established family of rats, you'll have a hard time keeping up with them with traps.
  19. begreen Super Moderator

    joined: Nov 18, 2005
    36,118 posts
    South Puget Sound, WA
    True. Many critters feed on rats, most importantly owls. Instead of poison I used Tomcat rat traps with good success. Early on I was catching one a night using peanut butter as bait. One warning, wire the trap to a screw or nearby post. I lost a couple traps when the rats ran off with them. After wiring it down I didn't lose any more.

    http://www.tomcatbrand.com/rat_snap_trap.html
  20. Hearth Mistress Minister of Fire

    joined: Jan 24, 2012
    579 posts
    Point Pleasant, PA (SE PA)
    Those are Jack Russell Terriers and having had many in my years of dog ownership, having 2 now still. They ARE great hunters! I have had to go out and break up a tug o war with a water rat! eWWw!

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