Neighbour Attracting Rats

Wkdwill

Im posting this on behalf of my mum, if it is wrong place please feel free to move it.

Over the last few months my mum has spotted rats in her garden, coming from under her shed, they dont live in the garden, just seem to be passing through.

Now the problem is, a neighbour of my mums (next door but one) had a bird table out back which he was throwing scraps onto and when I say scraps I mean anything left over from his dinner including the chicken carcas. He spotted my mum out in her garden the other day and asked if she had rats living under her shed (the cheek of it) cos he spotted 3 of them in his garden 2 of which were on his bird table (now wouldn't this give you a hint as to why they were about) he said that he had gotten rid of his bird table and stopped throwing scraps out.

Then yesterday my mum spoke to her next door neighbour who lives next to mr scrap thrower and she said that he hadn't gotten rid of the table he simply moved it to the front and still puts scraps out (my mum cant see his front garden as he lives round a corner).

She has had traps put in (by the council) but the rats wised up to it and the trap man said theres nothing more he can do. There have been more neighbours mentioning rats running through their gardens in the last few weeks and the rat trap man has been to most of them but has yet to catch anything.

Ive told my mum that she needs to report this "mr scrap man" now as we believe it is him attracting the rats in the first place, is there anything else she should do or should she just report him to the council?

Thanks and sorry for the long post.

Dave101t

call in environmental health.
rotting carcasses cant be legal even if its in a private back yard

Lotus-eater

Call me old fashioned but is talking with the neighbour that sticks food out, out of the question?

How do you know there aren't rats living under the shed? Sounds to me very likely indeed.
You need poison not traps. You can buy it yourself, it's worth it to get rid of the rats, or you could ask your Mums neighbours if they want to go into it together.

Wkdwill

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Call me old fashioned but is talking with the neighbour that sticks food out, out of the question?

How do you know there aren't rats living under the shed? Sounds to me very likely indeed.
You need poison not traps. You can buy it yourself, it's worth it to get rid of the rats, or you could ask your Mums neighbours if they want to go into it together.

For starters, she has spoken to him, hence the him saying he had removed it and stopped throwing stuff out.

She has had under the shed checked and watched it the neighbours have confirmed that they run a certain way through all the gardens coming from an enbankment next to the train line behind the street and under the shed is very visable from my mums kitchen window, if something was living under there you would know about it.

As for poison it is out of the question as my mum has a dog.

Lotus-eater

Wkdwill wrote: »

For starters, she has spoken to him, hence the him saying he had removed it and stopped throwing stuff out.

I meant why doesn't she talk to him again and ask why he is still doing it?

Wkdwill

Lotus-eater wrote: »

I meant why doesn't she talk to him again and ask why he is still doing it?

I have mentioned it to her but she is one of those people that only likes to say something once.

benjo

If you are going to use poison you can buy blocks of poison for about 50p each, or poison granules in little bags for the same amount, put them under the shed, doesnt matter if they currently live there or not, they are using the shed either to live under, travel across or for shelter after they have grabbed a scooby snack from the neighbours bird table - if they dont live there already, they soon will, dry, dark and sheltered.

If you can get a plastic/pot pipe the diameter of a loo roll insert put the poison in that before putting it under the shed - it avoids the local hedgehogs and moggies helping themselves. Also your mum needs to keep a look out for dead rats and dispose of them as soon as she sees them - again this avoids dogs/cats/wildlife eating them and getting poisoned too.

Perhaps if your mum doesnt want to speak to the neighbour more than once, then you could do that for her, tell the neighbour that you are doing your best to ensure the shed is a rat free zone and would he help by not putting food on the bird table - putting seeds in bird feeders hung up high instead, that way he gets to feed the birds without chucking out half a turkey!

SAMHP_2

Absolutely agree with Benjo - the rat poison needs to be placed in a run of black pipe (like guttering) so that only the rats and not her dogs get access to it. If that fails, do you know anyone who has a terrier? - best rat killers going.
SAM

Karena_3

Wkdwill wrote: »

For starters, she has spoken to him, hence the him saying he had removed it and stopped throwing stuff out.

She has had under the shed checked and watched it the neighbours have confirmed that they run a certain way through all the gardens coming from an enbankment next to the train line behind the street and under the shed is very visable from my mums kitchen window, if something was living under there you would know about it.

As for poison it is out of the question as my mum has a dog.

I am not an expert.However it may be worth investigating whether whichever company is responsible for the train line can put some bait down too.In London rats love embankments,edge of canals etc they are rats home grounds.The neighbour may not be helping but it is worth taking action at the source if possible.Karen.