How to stop rats

Dewayne mater · June 1, 2017

In spite of having bait stations that are working (dead rats in the yard that I get to dispose of), I've got some rats that prefer to eat my tomatoes instead of the bait. They seem to be ignoring the rat traps with peanut butter too. I know it is rats because I've caught them scampering away from my beds at night when I put a light on them. Then by the next morning, entire tomatoes are gone and/or large portions of them are eaten. They prefer them starting to ripen, but, will take green if that is what there is. (I pick on blush, so green is what there is).

I would appreciate you responding to this thread with your best techniques for stopping the rats from stealing your months of hard work, just before you get them. Thanks and good luck out there.

Dewayne.

Worth1 · June 1, 2017

Rats are smart.
It may be the ones not messing with your bait and traps can smell you on them.

Worth1 · June 1, 2017

Or they saw their brethren die.

GrowingCoastal · June 1, 2017

Someone mentioned putting water out for critters as they may be eating tomatoes due to thirst. But it's been raining in Texas hasn't it.

Last year I used the mesh netting bags that oranges and other veggies come in to put around my trusses of tomatoes and that worked. They tried to get through, couldn't and stopped trying.
I also used old mesh curtain bits to wrap the figs on the tree in to keep rats out of them. Both seemed to work along with bait stations.

Cole_Robbie · June 1, 2017

Someone on here from San Diego had a rat problem. Their solution was to build a metal lathe screen enclosure to keep them out.

I'd be tempted to fence the area for a small dog that would hunt them. A lot of animal shelters have policies that allow you to "test drive" a shelter pet for a weekend or so. You could hold auditions for the best rat hunter, winner gets adopted.

Dewayne mater · June 1, 2017

Metal screen is interesting. I assume it would have to be a cube with a roof though? Rats can climb for sure.

It has actually been an extremely dry May in DFW (.7 of an inch for the month, normally our wettest month.) I may try putting out water...nothing to lose by that.

G.C. do you mean the plastic or rubber mesh bags? How would that possibly stop razor sharp rat teeth? I would totally do that. If you can, please describe them more and I'll hunt some up!

Keep them coming. Rats out number us, so many tactics will probably be needed in this war!

GrowingCoastal · June 1, 2017

This is what I mean.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=image...w=1138&bih=704

And yes, they actually worked! I have noticed that very few rats will have anything much to do with plastic. At first they tried biting through to the tomatoes but gave up without ever biting through the mesh. A few I doubled but it seemed unnecessary.
A screen house, if affordable, would be fabulous for keeping out bugs etc too.

Some of last year's.

dmforcier · June 1, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dewayne mater

It has actually been an extremely dry May in DFW (.7 of an inch for the month, normally our wettest month.) I may try putting out water...nothing to lose by that.

Be sure you change the water daily. There will shortly be wigglers in it. I found a batch in a watering can with a fertilizer mix in it. I didn't think they'd like the chemicals but

Gardenboy · June 1, 2017

PM Sent.

hill60 · June 1, 2017

As Worth has stated rats are smart. There is no one method that will work all the time. We have used old fashion spring loaded traps with different baits. We have used the battery zap traps, built maize style traps used sticky traps. We frequently change up the placement of the traps. If a trap has caught one or two rats we change the trap and where it is placed. They prefer baits to not sit around long.

When we are having more than the usual issues with rats we will change traps and baits every few days. It becomes a focused mission they don't get to live where we live.

Denice

LDx4 · June 1, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Someone on here from San Diego had a rat problem. Their solution was to build a metal lathe screen enclosure to keep them out.

I'd be tempted to fence the area for a small dog that would hunt them. A lot of animal shelters have policies that allow you to "test drive" a shelter pet for a weekend or so. You could hold auditions for the best rat hunter, winner gets adopted.

We're the ones in San Diego with the rat problem. It's been bad for years and just keeps getting worse. We can't grow anything edible outside any more as the rats just eat everything when green. My husband built some "lath houses" - our name for them, which is like a greenhouse made of rib lath screening with a poly panel roof. Google Lath House Gardens for some pictures of our set up. We started with a Harbor Freight 10x12 greenhouse that my husband modified by taking out the poly sides and replacing with rib lath. It's not the cheapest option, but it definitely keeps the rats out. I'm growing tomatoes, zucchini and cukes inside them this year.

Lyn

MissS · June 1, 2017

Lovely lath houses. You did a great job!

Worth1 · June 1, 2017

I had a big giant rat run up ,my leg and onto my chest looking at me.
My Pit Bull Miss Kitty jumped up grabbed it and swallowed it whole.

Worth

b54red · June 1, 2017

Rats are smart and they will keep coming back until they eat everything so you have to kill them. There is a poison for rats that can be added to water that will work when they are looking for something to drink but it must be under cover and inaccessible to other animals like dogs, cats and birds. I use a bait station with the little green pellets in it and it has worked great just as long as the bait is fresh. I only put it out when I have a problem and in a few days they are all dead. I got the bait station at Tractor Supply and the bait.

A shotgun and flashlight will work but it is frowned upon in my town. You could get a few with a pellet rifle and flashlight but it might take some time and a lot of mosquito bites.

Bill

VC Scott · June 1, 2017

Know your enemy. Rats have a tendency to run in a straight line along the bottom of a house or fence. If you leave a trap in the middle of the yard, you won't catch the rat. He doesn't like to travel in the wide open space. Put the trap next to a fence or wall closest to the garden. If you have a raised bed, put the trap along the wall below the garden.

The bait stations with two holes work great. Position the bait station next to a fence or wall so the rat running along the wall will run straight into the hole in the bait station. Rats love holes. He will find the bait and so long Mr. Rat.

June 1, 2017	#1
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	How to stop rats In spite of having bait stations that are working (dead rats in the yard that I get to dispose of), I've got some rats that prefer to eat my tomatoes instead of the bait. They seem to be ignoring the rat traps with peanut butter too. I know it is rats because I've caught them scampering away from my beds at night when I put a light on them. Then by the next morning, entire tomatoes are gone and/or large portions of them are eaten. They prefer them starting to ripen, but, will take green if that is what there is. (I pick on blush, so green is what there is). I would appreciate you responding to this thread with your best techniques for stopping the rats from stealing your months of hard work, just before you get them. Thanks and good luck out there. Dewayne.

June 1, 2017	#7
GrowingCoastal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Vancouver Island Canada BC Posts: 1,253	This is what I mean. https://www.google.ca/search?q=image...w=1138&bih=704 And yes, they actually worked! I have noticed that very few rats will have anything much to do with plastic. At first they tried biting through to the tomatoes but gave up without ever biting through the mesh. A few I doubled but it seemed unnecessary. A screen house, if affordable, would be fabulous for keeping out bugs etc too. Some of last year's. Last edited by GrowingCoastal; June 1, 2017 at 01:09 PM. Reason: memory - I'm old!

June 1, 2017	#12
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,146	Lovely lath houses. You did a great job! __________________ ~ Patti ~

June 1, 2017	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Rats are smart. It may be the ones not messing with your bait and traps can smell you on them.

June 1, 2017	#5
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Someone on here from San Diego had a rat problem. Their solution was to build a metal lathe screen enclosure to keep them out. I'd be tempted to fence the area for a small dog that would hunt them. A lot of animal shelters have policies that allow you to "test drive" a shelter pet for a weekend or so. You could hold auditions for the best rat hunter, winner gets adopted.

June 1, 2017	#9
Gardenboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 771	PM Sent.

June 1, 2017	#10
hill60 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vancouver Island BC Posts: 122	As Worth has stated rats are smart. There is no one method that will work all the time. We have used old fashion spring loaded traps with different baits. We have used the battery zap traps, built maize style traps used sticky traps. We frequently change up the placement of the traps. If a trap has caught one or two rats we change the trap and where it is placed. They prefer baits to not sit around long. When we are having more than the usual issues with rats we will change traps and baits every few days. It becomes a focused mission they don't get to live where we live. Denice

June 1, 2017	#14
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Rats are smart and they will keep coming back until they eat everything so you have to kill them. There is a poison for rats that can be added to water that will work when they are looking for something to drink but it must be under cover and inaccessible to other animals like dogs, cats and birds. I use a bait station with the little green pellets in it and it has worked great just as long as the bait is fresh. I only put it out when I have a problem and in a few days they are all dead. I got the bait station at Tractor Supply and the bait. A shotgun and flashlight will work but it is frowned upon in my town. You could get a few with a pellet rifle and flashlight but it might take some time and a lot of mosquito bites. Bill

June 1, 2017	#15
VC Scott Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, CA Posts: 352	Know your enemy. Rats have a tendency to run in a straight line along the bottom of a house or fence. If you leave a trap in the middle of the yard, you won't catch the rat. He doesn't like to travel in the wide open space. Put the trap next to a fence or wall closest to the garden. If you have a raised bed, put the trap along the wall below the garden. The bait stations with two holes work great. Position the bait station next to a fence or wall so the rat running along the wall will run straight into the hole in the bait station. Rats love holes. He will find the bait and so long Mr. Rat.