Rats - worth getting terriers?

[MattR]

We haven't got a bad rat problem, but there always seem to be some around and never quite get on top of them. This spring some have found their way into a grain store and caused a nuisance. Been wondering whether it would be worth getting a couple terriers (we haven't had any dogs for a few years) - as pets of course but wondering how effective they really would be at keeping rat numbers at bay. For instance would a couple good ratting dogs left to their own devices around the yard find burrows etc that I hadn't noticed? And would the presence of a couple active dogs around the yard deter rats from moving in to the yard/buildings area in the winter in the first place?

 

[Bald Rick]

Better with feral cats but best with poison.

Mind you terriers are ace but independent

 

[teslacoils]

Three calls and I can have as many terriers, ferrets, chaps with guns and nightscopes.

Wouldn't own any of them in my own right.

 

[teslacoils]

My feral cats do most of the work.

 

[TechWise]

We had a rat issue for years here. We've three collies that were all keen on killing them but it was just a hobby to them so they were never going to get on top of the problem. I also used to pop away at them with the airgun but they were so well fed that one twang from the gun and they would scarper for half an hour. I didn't have the patience to sit out all night to shoot a dozen rats.

We got in a professional pest controllor who completely and utterly wiped them out in three months. We haven't seen one single rat anywhere on the farm for about three years now. He comes out quarterly to check and refill bait boxes, even though none appears to be taken.

If there's a lot about, it may be worth paying someone to do the job professionally at least until you get on top of them.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Three calls and I can have as many terriers, ferrets, chaps with guns and nightscopes.

Wouldn't own any of them in my own right.

These guys will only want to come in when you've got enough rats for them to go at, they will always leave a few ,however efficient . Owning your own terriers will keep constantly clearing them out .
Found that cats only want to eat birds and often won't take the rats on.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

We had a rat issue for years here. We've three collies that were all keen on killing them but it was just a hobby to them so they were never going to get on top of the problem. I also used to pop away at them with the airgun but they were so well fed that one twang from the gun and they would scarper for half an hour. I didn't have the patience to sit out all night to shoot a dozen rats.

We got in a professional pest controllor who completely and utterly wiped them out in three months. We haven't seen one single rat anywhere on the farm for about three years now. He comes out quarterly to check and refill bait boxes, even though none appears to be taken.

If there's a lot about, it may be worth paying someone to do the job professionally at least until you get on top of them.

Are you on a stock farm ? and was the pest control man expensive.

 

[DrWazzock]

 

[SRRC]

Cleaning the place up helps too, rats hate moving across open ground.

 

[TechWise]

Are you on a stock farm ? and was the pest control man expensive.

Yes we're on a stock farm with quite a bit of feeding around in various places. Also the earth bank silage pit with piles of tyres was a haven for them. I don't think it was terribly expensive or @sheepwise wouldn't have been so pleased with it

 

[deleted user 837354]

On this forum it is often inundated with people asking for permission to shoot, rat and trap rabbits etc. Why not take someone up on the offer?

 

[flowerpot]

We had a very bad rat problem once, and did our own clear out with poison and traps. They got so bold, I saw one in daylight in the middle of the yard eating a bean. It meant buying traps and really keeping the bait points topped up.
We have a terrier and she does catch and kill them when she can, but I wouldn't say that she keeps them down to the extent that we can stop putting down poison. The baits are designed so that pet animals can't get at the poison and the dog never, ever tries to eat a dead rat, just kills it.

 

[deleted user 837354]

The first thing to do is clear the place up. If there is junk or old tyres about, get rid of them. No cover and no shelter. Eliminate all sources of food and water, so old troughs, buckets, container, tyres again- get rid or store undercover stacked up.

Traps and dogs and ferrets work well but you can't beat air guns with night sights. A determined pair of shooters will kill dozens in a night.

I don't like glue traps or poison, it would have to be bad before I used those.

 

[jed]

This bad boy is a mean mother fker when ratting ?
Probably the most talented guy to work here job roles include ratting,guard dog,head sheep catcher /sheep dog,part time gun dog .He’s currently learning to drive the tractor.
Oh and next doors bitches reckon he’s a hell of a good shag?

 

[Ashtree]

Owl box on your barn end. Of course you need one to take up residence.

 

[Man_in_black]

AirGunForum

Shooting Community

www.airgunforum.co.uk

 

[Mur Huwcun]

Make some bait stations out of licks buckets, screw a 2x1 batton on edge lengthways to halve the bucket, drill two 70ishmm holes either end as a tunnel and either fill other side of batton with loose bait or stick a fencing wire through to hold the blocks type. Place them along walls that the rats run along with a brick on the lid. Write POISON on the side with yellow or white marker pens aswell!!!

 

[robs1]

Previous didnt see one, this had a lot as had some feed about, had a blitz the last couple of weeks with blocks, I find the rats dont like them until I put some jam on them then they love it, not seen one for a week and blocks not going

 

[Y Fan Wen]

Owl box on your barn end. Of course you need one to take up residence.

Yes, on one farm we have a pair living in the haybarn. Never any trouble with rats, so the problem is grey squirrels instead. I don't have plastic petrol cans, metal instead!

 

[wullbr]

Make some bait stations out of licks buckets, screw a 2x1 batton on edge lengthways to halve the bucket, drill two 70ishmm holes either end as a tunnel and either fill other side of batton with loose bait or stick a fencing wire through to hold the blocks type. Place them along walls that the rats run along with a brick on the lid. Write POISON on the side with yellow or white marker pens aswell!!!

The rats wont go near it if you have POISON scribbled across the outside