The Poultry Keeper

Elly · Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 356 Location: Norfolk

The trouble with rats is you dont always know where they have been and where they have urinated. If you have rats you need to be so careful and clean anything that is coming from outdoors, sheds etc in. If having to handle them or anything they have walked over its best to wear gloves, cleaning them when finished.

Personally, I just assume rats have been about even if we dont see any signs of them Wink

They do need killing and everyone has their own way of doing it. However, if you use poison you need to be careful as many of them will kill other animals, including ones that eat rats Exclamation

If anyone has come up with the ideal solution, pass it on Laughing

Keep smilin
Elly

EmmyGrey · Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:03 am Post subject:

Please be careful using poison as if a cat eats something that has been poisoned the risk of death to the cat is high.

Woodburner · Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:31 pm Post subject:

Ye gods! They're far worse than I thought. I knew about Weil's disease but thought that it was only a problem in association with water, and, like Henwife, thought that the main problem for chicken keepers was economic, also danger for chicks.

Maybe I should get a (catch'imalive) trap after all!

Is it only rats, or can other rodents pass on diseases too?
I'm thinking in particular of a woodmouse, that I evicted from my shed some time ago. He? was so adorable :S Embarassed