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Otis

Well-Known Member
I've had a couple of incidents with mice over the last 12 years or so. I believe in giving everything (mostly) a second chance and had spectacular success with humane traps - Quick trip to the woods and job done. But a rat! No second chance. They have to be killed or permanently blocked out. Good luck Otis, sorry to hear about the parrot.
Thanks.

Funnily enough, we had mice previously. My wife without my knowledge put glue traps down. They are so inhumane.

I was really annoyed with her and tried to save the mice, using soap to free them from the cardboard we put down and then I put them in a box and released them into the wild.

Don't think they would have survived though.

Will always try and save an animal if I can, but as you say, rats are a different matter.

Actually asked the council if there was any humane way I could catch the rat and the lady there was horrified and said they have to be destroyed!

After today I totally agree with her.
 

stevefloyd

Well-Known Member
When I was 21 I used to work for pest control in Nuneaton Boro' council, Rats carry disease, leptospirosis for one,it shouldn't really attack unless cornered but I never heard of one taking a domestic parrot before.. We used to use warfarin to kill them but I think they become immune to that so not sure what they use now
 

stevefloyd

Well-Known Member
I would think that the council may well do a sewer test on your house to see if theres a break in the pipes, thats what we always used to do whenever a rat was found in a house
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
How do you know he's killed the Parrot, he might just be holding him hostage?
Because it grabbed the parrot and the parrot was screaming and screaming and the rat disappeared down the back of the cupboards, down a hole with it.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
When I was 21 I used to work for pest control in Nuneaton Boro' council, Rats carry disease, leptospirosis for one,it shouldn't really attack unless cornered but I never heard of one taking a domestic parrot before.. We used to use warfarin to kill them but I think they become immune to that so not sure what they use now
This, in the packs we bought, is Bromadiolone.

We have 4 traps. Obviously the council will bring their own stuff.

We're all really upset over it. It was a beautiful parrot. So friendly and it spoke loads.

My wife is inconsolable.
 

Nick

Administrator
Had you had it long? Losing any pet is bad, some people don't really understand it.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Had you had it long? Losing any pet is bad, some people don't really understand it.
The parrot was just coming up for a year old.

Incredibly friendly little thing it was and though we had a cage for it, it always wanted to be out and on your hand or on top of your head.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
The parrot was just coming up for a year old.

Incredibly friendly little thing it was and though we had a cage for it, it always wanted to be out and on your hand or on top of your head.
 

The Reverend Skyblue

Well-Known Member
Bloody sad that Otis, such a lovely parrot, who is now an ex parrot.
My very first pet was a parrot when I was a very young lad and I was devastated when he died and had to bury it .
He got a proper funeral, in a wooden box.and a marked grave in the back garden.
Bet you can't wait to avenge its death.
 
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Sick Boy

Well-Known Member
This sounds horrific! I had a rat in a flat I rented years ago, they are disgusting and I was never able to relax in that property again.

You probably have more than the one I'm afraid and I think they can get through the tiniest of tiny holes as well.

Good luck and sorry about your parrot, as Nick said, it must be a beast!
 

Steve.B50

Well-Known Member
It does sound terrible and as previously mentioned there will probably be more than one.
just an idea but ask if anyone has a cat, if you left it in the kitchen it will sit for hours waiting for it to come out and in most cases it will eventually get the rat.
the only negative is is that you will hear the rat scream as the cat gets it as the noise is not nice and secondly the mess you will find in the morning, but a good cat will do the job.
 

mrtrench

Well-Known Member
Rats will attack anything smaller than them. We have some hens, which attracts them especially in the winter when we have about 4 or 5 different infestations we have to deal with. They will not attack the hens unless they are ill: once saw a sick hen defending itself from a rat which was trying its luck.

Just covering the hole isn't enough - they will chew through. You have to kill them first. Buy some high strength rat killer - the weak stuff doesn't work. We use Tom Cat and I buy it off Amazon. It will take about a week before they are all dead - then cover the hole.

Many cats are also frightened of rats - you'd need a farm cat. But the poison is faster and unless you plan to keep a farm cat the best long term solution. The poison makes them cold and they go to ground. The biggest rats eat first but when they die in their nests the others eat them - which spreads the poison to the whole nest.
 

Sick Boy

Well-Known Member
It does sound terrible and as previously mentioned there will probably be more than one.
just an idea but ask if anyone has a cat, if you left it in the kitchen it will sit for hours waiting for it to come out and in most cases it will eventually get the rat.
the only negative is is that you will hear the rat scream as the cat gets it as the noise is not nice and secondly the mess you will find in the morning, but a good cat will do the job.

Good advice....when I was a child we put one of our cats in our kitchen to catch a rat...within 30 minutes she has killed 6!!

I expect the noise would be music to the family's ears though. ;)
 

mrtrench

Well-Known Member
* had killed

Not sure you'd need a farm cat...ours was a city cat.

Can't edit on phone...

Then you had a good cat. Our two are frightened of them. :)

EDIT: They will catch the babies (up to 4 inches long) but run from the big ones.
 

olderskyblue

Well-Known Member
It does sound terrible and as previously mentioned there will probably be more than one.
just an idea but ask if anyone has a cat, if you left it in the kitchen it will sit for hours waiting for it to come out and in most cases it will eventually get the rat.
the only negative is is that you will hear the rat scream as the cat gets it as the noise is not nice and secondly the mess you will find in the morning, but a good cat will do the job.

Years ago, my old grandad saw a big rat in his outside toilet (the only toilet he had). His cat was a natural killer, always left the dead on the mat for inspection, so he chucked it in the loo and shut the door. He came back an hour later, cat was fast asleep on the windowsill, rat was still chilling in the corner....
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Years ago, my old grandad saw a big rat in his outside toilet (the only toilet he had). His cat was a natural killer, always left the dead on the mat for inspection, so he chucked it in the loo and shut the door. He came back an hour later, cat was fast asleep on the windowsill, rat was still chilling in the corner....
Not for the squeamish ......

Photo coming .......
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Chopped his tail off with a knife at first, then gave him an almighty whack with a spade.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Torture followed by a swift execution...would never have guessed you had it on you. ;)
Well he was under the cupboard, but suddenly his tail started wagging out of a little gap.

Just couldn't resist!!

First thing I have ever killed apart from flies and humans.
 

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