Old enough for outside enclosure?

[Ramsey]

Great thread and discussion.

We have one or two resident rats in the backyard. They disappeared last year but seem to have come back this year.

I have also been hesitant to use poison for the reasons stated above and also fear of my torts ingesting it while in the yard.

I'm all open to hearing ideas and success stories from those with experience on ridding.

I love and respect all life, but I'd have no problem trimming my local rat population and would sleep like a baby that night.

 

[daniellenc]

I have not seen a rat in my yard in three years! The ones I buy are the lockable black bait traps that do not allow the rat to bring the bait back out as it is trapped inside. The opening is too small for cats, dogs, or kids to access and is used on the perimeter of the outside of your house. Possibly a small bird could enter as well as chipmunks, mice, and other small rodents. However, in three years I have found 2 mice and countless rats in my bait boxes and zero property damage since using them.

 

[Tom]

I have not seen a rat in my yard in three years! The ones I buy are the lockable black bait traps that do not allow the rat to bring the bait back out as it is trapped inside. The opening is too small for cats, dogs, or kids to access and is used on the perimeter of the outside of your house. Possibly a small bird could enter as well as chipmunks, mice, and other small rodents. However, in three years I have found 2 mice and countless rats in my bait boxes and zero property damage since using them.

I'd like to learn more. What brand and type? Sounds like a great solution for many people.

 

[Bambam1989]

My three dogs take care of any rats or mice that wonder into our yard. Earlier this year, I parked my car closer to the woods next to us. The next day my dogs were circling my car and barking. I lifted the hood just to find a huge rat had started building a nest using my hood liner on top of my engine during the night! I cranked the car and it jumped out- and my dogs said Crunch Crunch. Good dogs.
Ps- they don't eat them, just like to kill them and then hide the bodies so that they can roll in them later. Ewwww

 

[daniellenc]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077G59DMM/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

@Tom this is similar but I use a staking system so bait is trapped.

 

[enchilada]

I use glue traps , but one glue pad ain’t gonna work . Rat can get away easily if only their feet touches the glue .
I typically put 3 glue pads in a corner , make it like a tent structure . Once rat steps on it , it will struggle and triggered other pads to fall on it .

 

[TammyJ]

And here I have them IN my house on purpose... : /
My daughter owns 6 and is babysitting 4 others. Yuk.

Rats are sometimes, NOT rats. Pet rats are awesome. Feeder rats are necessary unless you buy F/T for your snakes, etc. Wild rats are a big NO NO.