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 Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
    
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | Ive never had any problems before but I now am dealing with destructive little bastards! Eating my hose although its picked up high, ate a hole in my oxy-gen Mega Oil 5 gallon barrel last night and oil is all over the floor. Bite marks on my saddle I used to keep in the barn.. I have rat traps set all over and every exit they have from the hay pallets and it/ they walk right passed them! I already caught one and I have another to deal with...
What can I do to get these suckers?! I have it baited with peanut butter, ultium pieces and bacon.. No poison... Its too close to the horses and their food source. |
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 Member
Posts: 46
| A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved! |
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Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | Ohhh no... I can NOT handle snakes. My grandma had a black snake she let stay in her barn for years and he scared me once as a kid and I never went back in her barn again lol I know they are great snakes but snakes scare the daylights out of me. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Jo_Cat - 2017-12-02 9:52 AM
A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved!
Now, that sounds like something I'd do!
I like the snakes. The rats, not so much.
To the OP, probably the only other thing you can do is poison. They make enclosed containers for the poison that only the rats can get in. We used them once. It kept the dogs out of the poison, but keep an eye out for dying rats. If you have cats and they eat one, they can get poisoned, too. Rats are very smart. They will get wise to traps and teach each other how to avoid them. But, I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has had any rat eradication success they want to share. |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| My blue heeler is a ratting and catting machine. Anything smaller than him on four legs is in trouble large. |
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 Popped
Posts: 20421
Location: LuluLand~along I64 Indiana | i would suggest a rat terrior or some other dog that might be good for getting them. i would have to veto the snake option too... would rather burn the barn down. haha.
Good luck and keep us posted.
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Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | Nita - 2017-12-02 9:40 AM Jo_Cat - 2017-12-02 9:52 AM A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved! Now, that sounds like something I'd do! I like the snakes. The rats, not so much. To the OP, probably the only other thing you can do is poison. They make enclosed containers for the poison that only the rats can get in. We used them once. It kept the dogs out of the poison, but keep an eye out for dying rats. If you have cats and they eat one, they can get poisoned, too. Rats are very smart. They will get wise to traps and teach each other how to avoid them. But, I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has had any rat eradication success they want to share.
Ill look into them and grab some to put out but they are mostly searching out water not really food. I think they are happy w the food source and I cant do much more to secure whats there. We have two HUGE wild cats around but the arent coming into the barn this year like they did last winter... Im still shocked they ate a hole in the mega oil barrel
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Cats. Some of the animal shelters will give away adult or feral cats for a very small fee. |
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"Heck's Coming With Me"
Posts: 10797
Location: Kansas | I'll trade you my gophers for your rats. Destructive little varmits.
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Dash4KJ - 2017-12-02 11:04 AM
Nita - 2017-12-02 9:40 AM Jo_Cat - 2017-12-02 9:52 AM A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved! Now, that sounds like something I'd do! I like the snakes. The rats, not so much. To the OP, probably the only other thing you can do is poison. They make enclosed containers for the poison that only the rats can get in. We used them once. It kept the dogs out of the poison, but keep an eye out for dying rats. If you have cats and they eat one, they can get poisoned, too. Rats are very smart. They will get wise to traps and teach each other how to avoid them. But, I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has had any rat eradication success they want to share.
You might need to change some things around, put your supplements into something they can't chew through. I keep all of my edibles in a fiberglass dock box. Except for hay, of course. It works great to keep rodents out. I've also seen people using old chest freezers. If you eliminate their food options, they will be forced to eat the poison. If your house is close to the barn, I'd go ahead and put some there, too. Once you put anything they can eat, they will be in search of food anywhere they can find it. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I have 4 barn cats, all free from a clinic, neutered and shots, I never see so much as a dropping. |
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 Saint Stacey
| I had the same problem once. I used to be terrified of mice. After dealing with the rats, mice aren’t much of a problem for me now. We got rid of the ones we had with poison. If you don’t want to do that, buy a couple of Manx cats. They are deadly hunters and rats would be no problem for them. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 555
Location: In the rockies. |
Water!
They can't swim!
5 gallon water buckets filled 3/4 full put a few around they will drown.
Good Luck!
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| GOBABYGO - 2017-12-02 8:16 PM
Water!
They can't swim!
5 gallon water buckets filled 3/4 full put a few around they will drown.
Good Luck!
THIS!!!! We did this and every morning we would have at least 4 or 5 trapped/drowned in the buckets. |
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Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | GOBABYGO - 2017-12-02 7:16 PM
Water!
They can't swim!
5 gallon water buckets filled 3/4 full put a few around they will drown.
Good Luck!
I actually thought about this but figured it wouldn't work. I'm getting all my buckets out tomorrow!! If not, I'll try the rat motels w the poison inside |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| We had to completely take away their food source. It was a pain but we locked up all the grain and supplements and set out traps. Caught two and I think we were lucky enough to only have those two. We did set out poison for a bit but we have outside cats and didn't want anything to happen to them. |
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  Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | Nita - 2017-12-02 10:40 AM Jo_Cat - 2017-12-02 9:52 AM A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved! Now, that sounds like something I'd do! I like the snakes. The rats, not so much. To the OP, probably the only other thing you can do is poison. They make enclosed containers for the poison that only the rats can get in. We used them once. It kept the dogs out of the poison, but keep an eye out for dying rats. If you have cats and they eat one, they can get poisoned, too. Rats are very smart. They will get wise to traps and teach each other how to avoid them. But, I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has had any rat eradication success they want to share.
Be very careful with these containers please!! I have noticed the rats here will take out a chunk of the poison and leave it lying around in front of the container...... Luckily I noticed it before my dog or chickens could get to it but now I monitor it very closely.
I don't like the poison, but the humane traps I put out are being ignored. So I had to do something else.... |
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Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | cranky B4 10am - 2017-12-03 8:22 AM
Nita - 2017-12-02 10:40 AM Jo_Cat - 2017-12-02 9:52 AM A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved! Now, that sounds like something I'd do! I like the snakes. The rats, not so much. To the OP, probably the only other thing you can do is poison. They make enclosed containers for the poison that only the rats can get in. We used them once. It kept the dogs out of the poison, but keep an eye out for dying rats. If you have cats and they eat one, they can get poisoned, too. Rats are very smart. They will get wise to traps and teach each other how to avoid them. But, I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has had any rat eradication success they want to share.
I don't like the poison, but the humane traps I put out are being ignored. So I had to do something else....
same here... I'm getting nowhere with traps.. They just go around them. I don't have anything out and I don't feed supplements. Just had the oil and I haven't fed it in 6-8 months so it's not really a loss. They have chewed everything plastic and my saddle pads and saddle as well. I have taken those out and put them in jn the trailer. Such a pain! Lol |
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Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | Dash4KJ - 2017-12-03 10:00 AM cranky B4 10am - 2017-12-03 8:22 AM Nita - 2017-12-02 10:40 AM Jo_Cat - 2017-12-02 9:52 AM A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved! Now, that sounds like something I'd do! I like the snakes. The rats, not so much. To the OP, probably the only other thing you can do is poison. They make enclosed containers for the poison that only the rats can get in. We used them once. It kept the dogs out of the poison, but keep an eye out for dying rats. If you have cats and they eat one, they can get poisoned, too. Rats are very smart. They will get wise to traps and teach each other how to avoid them. But, I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has had any rat eradication success they want to share.
I don't like the poison, but the humane traps I put out are being ignored. So I had to do something else.... same here... I'm getting nowhere with traps.. They just go around them. I don't have anything out and I don't feed supplements. Just had the oil and I haven't fed it in 6-8 months so it's not really a loss. They have chewed everything plastic and my saddle pads and saddle as well. I have taken those out and put them in jn the trailer. Such a pain! Lol
I hate rats.... So I might end up sitting out there with our .22 to just shoot them....
So far I only caught rabbits with the humane traps.... Even the possum that is living under our shed is too smart to be caught..... ugh.... wish we had a decent barn instead of a run in, so I could have a barn cat or two. But for now I can't or it won't have anywhere to hide from our dog.... |
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Blond Bombshell..
Posts: 6628
Location: Hill Country of TEXAS!! | cranky B4 10am - 2017-12-03 9:46 AM Dash4KJ - 2017-12-03 10:00 AM cranky B4 10am - 2017-12-03 8:22 AM Nita - 2017-12-02 10:40 AM Jo_Cat - 2017-12-02 9:52 AM A few years ago the barn I was at was going through this. We put a request on Craigslist to relocate rat snakes that were caught. Brought out 4 snakes and within 3 months problem solved! Now, that sounds like something I'd do! I like the snakes. The rats, not so much. To the OP, probably the only other thing you can do is poison. They make enclosed containers for the poison that only the rats can get in. We used them once. It kept the dogs out of the poison, but keep an eye out for dying rats. If you have cats and they eat one, they can get poisoned, too. Rats are very smart. They will get wise to traps and teach each other how to avoid them. But, I'll be watching this thread in case anyone else has had any rat eradication success they want to share.
I don't like the poison, but the humane traps I put out are being ignored. So I had to do something else.... same here... I'm getting nowhere with traps.. They just go around them. I don't have anything out and I don't feed supplements. Just had the oil and I haven't fed it in 6-8 months so it's not really a loss. They have chewed everything plastic and my saddle pads and saddle as well. I have taken those out and put them in jn the trailer. Such a pain! Lol
So far I only caught rabbits with the humane traps.... Even the possum that is living under our shed is too smart to be caught..... ugh.... wish we had a decent barn instead of a run in, so I could have a barn cat or two. But for now I can't or it won't have anywhere to hide from our dog....
We have a huge tom cat that winters in my barn and had jack rabbit remains on top of my hay or behind my big saddl rack. I see him around the barn but he hasnt helped w the rats yet.. I did catch a sparrow in one of the traps the other day lol |
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