Birdfeeders and rats

Juilet799

I think you should use squirrel-proofing feeders or bird feeder poles and use squirrel baffles that attach to the base or top of a feeder pole so rats cannot continue climbing.

Lorian

+1 for squirrel buster feeders 
leaving food on the floor overnight is definitely going to cause problems.
but be aware rats also need water daily so deny them access to any source of water will help.

bouicca21

There are rats in my garden, and I’m reasonably happy as long as they stay outside.  But I don’t want to encourage them.  In my last house we suddenly found rats regularly visiting when my ex put suet balls on the bird table and the birds kicked bits onto the ground. So I’ve stuck to seed.  There’s plenty of stuff falling to the ground - blue tits seem to be fussy and throw it out.  But the wood pigeons seem entirely capable of hoovering it all up, so I’m not sure anything is left for the rats.

Emmia

CapricornLass said:

My father had this problem - Ratty shinned up the bird pole everytime food was put out.


We solved it with a smearing a good foot of the pole with Vaseline, so Ratty couldn't get any purchase on the pole. Worked a treat, and according to my dad the look on Ratty's face was priceless!

My grandma did that and mixed chilli powder in too to deter the squirrels... The sliding down the pole, followed by the surprised look on its face when it licked it's greasy paw was something to behold.

[Deleted User]

Apodemus said:

bugslet wrote: »

What a good idea, thank you.





Personally I'm not overly fussed about the odd rat, but we have extended families setting up home.

If you can pass the badgers my address:)

While I pride myself on having a wildlife friendly garden, the badgers do the most damage. Every morning the lawn and borders are like the Somme, with the digging and scraping. I think I now have two badgers competing as they have started marking the territory by scooping holes and pooping in them. They seem determined to undermine the central heating oil tank and have killed off the hedgehogs that I used to have. Plus point is a reduction in snail numbers in the garden, but badgers really don’t make good neighbours!

Completely agree, they ruined my front lawn and beds, in the last house 😣