clever rats

[DartmoorEwe]

Just checking my bait station today to discover that the clever rats, knowing the red seed are bad, have taken steps to stop themselves and others succumbing to temptation (smells just like chocolate to me) that they have covered it with rubble. If I had thought sooner I'd have taken a photo before resetting it but no doubt they'll give me another chance.

Any other experiences of clever rats?

 

[Bald Rick]

Any other experiences of clever rats?

Yep ... watching our parliament at work. Snakes there too

 

[Bury the Trash]

 

[Davy_g]

bait shy?

 

[Cowcalf]

stir seed in peanut butter or chocolate first

 

[slackjawedyokel]

That’s just what rats do isn’t it? You sometimes do find that rats have dragged a few dry leaves etc into a bait point and put them on the bait. I just assumed that this was standard rat practice; one ‘clever’ rat warning others of the danger.

 

[DartmoorEwe]

That’s just what rats do isn’t it?

I can't "like" that. ... but I'm going to try to out smart them. I'm not a fan of sticky traps as they are so indiscriminate but this is a bait station suffering from clever rat-itis so if the fresh bait suffers the same fate then a sticky trap will be cut to fit.

 

[Brisel]

Mix sugar or syrup with the bait. It will overcome the bittering agent but will make it more attractive to non target species too.

 

[Brisel]

Yep ... watching our parliament at work. Snakes there too

Off topic, but very true

 

[Cropper]

Just checking my bait station today to discover that the clever rats, knowing the red seed are bad, have taken steps to stop themselves and others succumbing to temptation (smells just like chocolate to me) that they have covered it with rubble. If I had thought sooner I'd have taken a photo before resetting it but no doubt they'll give me another chance.

Any other experiences of clever rats?

When I did my pest control training we were told that this was the behaviour of field voles IIRC which do it to protect the store of food they have found. As field voles are the favoured prey of barn owls and other birds of prey they are not meant to be poisoned, so you should remove the poison ASAP
https://www.thinkwildlife.org/code-of-best-practice/

 

[homefarm]

Our rats have been doing this for a number of years, first at one farm now everywhere. They use rubble first over the poison and then block the access to the bait station. A very clever learned behaviour in my opinion.

Not voles and not a food store as the poison is never touched again. They know it kills or makes them ill, a very clever animal which is why it has adapted so well to live along side us.

 

[Landy Nick]

The buggers will pick up bait blocks and sachets from problem areas and will move away from the area.