Thread: Help to kill a varmint

'Tis a bit early to ask.. He only posted the question less than 12 hours ago.

i find catching rats in traps extremely difficult.the first thing to do is make sure there is no food around for them for a week or two,no dog food,scraps,etc.if using a break back trap,i find the best is a piece of bacon rind tied on with fishing line.

because of the possums at our place,cant use a break back trap,so we use a small box like trap,called an elliot trap.it is still difficult to catch them,but with these traps you sometimes catch a rat with no bait in the trap at all.

i leave one set near my bird aviary all the time with no bait in it,& have caught numerous rats in it.

i have also changed the feed bowls in the aviary so very little,if any seed falls out of the cage.since doing this,there have been a lot less rats around.

another good way to get rid of them is an air rifle with a telescopic sight,and a spot light....good fun.

Originally Posted by spudboy

Ummmm - some people who live in Australia and are Australians weren't actually born in Australia.......

You are not one of us. Three or four generations later you may be if we decide you are acceptable.

If nothing else seems to work, probably worth looking into using baits with 1080, ie sodium monofluoracetate. They may not be effective if it is an Australian native animal, as it is apparently present in small amounts in some native plants and they have a high tolerance of it. Good for poisoning foxes annd rabbits though. Don't know about rats. You have to be careful about laying baits so that non target species, especially dogs are not poisoned though.

Presumably in SA 1080 is listed as a Schedule 7 poison as in Vic and NSW. This is partly to minimise misuse of it, because some ignorant greenies claim it should be banned because of the possibility of killing non target species, especially small native animals. They don't comprehend that killing as many foxes as possible is the best way to protect them and co-ordinated baiting programmes over large areas with 1080 baits is the most practical first option.

You could get onto someone who has the appropriate chemical users certificate to possess and use 1080 and try Foxoff baits for foxes and /or the 1080 baits for rabbits.

Dont kill it if you dont know what it is.

You should be able to determine if it is rats, and given the size holes and food items chosen that is what it sounds like. Rats will leave wall defined tracks (runs) in the direction of the food source. They will will probably leave faecal pellets as well.
If it turns out to be rats your options for getting rid of them are varied and generally simple, starting with removing the food source and going on to poison/gas etc.

I would never use 1080 , your dogs are likley to die a painfull death and it is not neccessary for eradicating rats. Native wildlife do not have a resistance to it, Tasmanian forestry drop it with fruit and veg on forest tracts from helicopters to kill possums, wallabys etc (plus anything else that happens to find it)

If it turned out to be bandicoots (unlikley) you should concider yourself lucky, put some mesh around the bottom of the tank to exclude them and enjoy the fact that something Native to Australia still survives on your land.

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

I think you should be trying to find out what the animal is before you try killing it

Do bandicoots burrow?*** If it is a bandicoot there should be other shallow diggings in your grass where its been looking for grubs. They prefer soft ground to dig in and can leave quite a mess in the garden....

I have a bandicoot living in my hay shed, behind the hay bales. Last time we emptied the shed we discovered him. I'm sure he's gone back there tho and my back garden is an absolute mess from his digging for worms and grubs...but, I'd rather have the wildlife than a neat garden


*** a little googling says bandicoots do NOT burrow....that is good because the SA bandicoots are threatened, so you wouldn't want to be exterminating any of those

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Nice one NM...just your way of getting out of doing the garden....Isn't it........." Oh Gee Perry! I can't do the garden this week, that cute little omnivore that lives there may get upset" .........Yeah! Sure!

Originally Posted by rangieman

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Oh hang on ill go get the SUV and the good ol boys

You'll find them lot down the diner feedin' on some corn dogs and biscuits.

Hey i love corn dogs and biscuits... oh and chicken and biscuits at the kfc was good too