Wildlife & Gardens

Discussion in 'Taylor's Tittle-Tattle - General Banter' started by Sting, May 7, 2019.

  1. Hornpete

    Hornpete Squad Player

    I rarely have enough time to mow the lawn, let alone cut down the weeds, cultivate veg, trim trees and bushes or wash the patio. We have a 100ft plus garden so any job is a big job.

    The pond is ok, built it raised up from sleepers a few years ago and filled in the sunken pond so the kids wouldnt fall in as they got curious (like the dog did, lifting a lurcher out of a pond at 5.30am in winter was a day I wont forget).

    I moved the one fish across into the new pond and bought him couple of mates. Now theres 25 fish in a 2x1m pond, its deep enough as I dug out below ground level as well. They seem happy despite the heron lunching on them occaisionally.. And even though its raised, the frogs still get in. The original fish is still there 8 years later.
     
  2. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    I made the choice to have decking laid a couple of years ago, but had no idea that it was a magnet for rats.

    That, the ubiquitous bird feeders in our area and the fact that the neighbours have chickens, and the fact we back onto fields means that we've a proliferation of the ****ers.

    I've put down bait boxes and noted that the speed at which the bait is taken has slowed down, which suggests I've got the numbers down.

    There is still activity thought. I'm wondering whether to lift the decking and fill the void underneath with some stone chipping or something.
     
  3. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    But as they're cannibalistic I'm certain you're just supplying them with fresh 'food' and something I rapidly learnt with rats in our attic - where exactly do you think they go to once they're baited - ratty knows his/her days are numbered and wants to got out from under the decking and watch one last sunrise as the poison slowly takes effect...

    You've got three choices:
    Pave/brick and pretend you're a northerner with a yard (might give flooding/drainage problems).
    Artificial grass.
    The endless fun of maintaining a lawn.
     
  4. hornmeister

    hornmeister Tired

    Get some ultrasonic scarers.

    I had some cheap solar ones that worked well till they leaked. Going to buy some more but you might want to go for something a bit more industrial

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pest-Contr...lar+repeller&qid=1557762335&s=gateway&sr=8-52
     
  5. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

  6. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    Treat yourself to the Rolls Royce of rat-traps and a lidl/aldi wildlife camera:




    £150 on amazon.
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2019
  7. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    I am sure that the bait boxes are killing enough of them.
     
  8. The Voice of Reason

    The Voice of Reason First Team Captain

    What is killing them, is it an electric shock?
     
  9. UEA_Hornet

    UEA_Hornet First Team Captain

    A shock of sorts. When they stick their head in the tube, there's a picture of Watford lifting the cup after beating City on Saturday.
     
  10. The Voice of Reason

    The Voice of Reason First Team Captain

    Very Amusing UEA; I like it :D
     
  11. hornmeister

    hornmeister Tired

    Decent ones are OK. As soon as the water got in mine, I found a fox turd in the middle of my lawn.HAvign 18 months or so of turd free ownership prior.

    I've found it might take a few days for them to get used to a different route avoiding the scarer but on the whole they seem to work.
     
  12. hornmeister

    hornmeister Tired

  13. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

  14. Diamond

    Diamond First Team

    Get a cat Moog.
     
  15. Hornet4ever

    Hornet4ever WFC Forums Last Man Standing Winner 2018/2019

    Or you can make your own clever rat traps. Something like this.

    (Only problem with this one is you need to constantly play the acoustic guitar next to the trap, like the pied piper)

     
  16. hornmeister

    hornmeister Tired

    Yep squirrel was in the first floor loft. The rest were in a ground floor loft.
     
  17. hornmeister

    hornmeister Tired

    The only issue with that is having to despatch them manually when you empty the trap as you're not allowed to release them live. With an electronic trap it;s clean quick and instant.
     
  18. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    Gas powered bolt to the head.
     
  19. Hornet4ever

    Hornet4ever WFC Forums Last Man Standing Winner 2018/2019

    True. However once you have caught enough with this trap you can cover/seal the vessel so they are starved of oxygen. Then tip them all in a bag & dispose of.
     
  20. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    I suppose the fragrance of the corpses slowly decomposing/putrifying under the decking just adds to the ambience of summer in the garden at chez moog.
     
  21. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    I understand that they're just vermin/rats but tha's f***ing cruel.
     
  22. Keighley

    Keighley First Team

    Wasn’t this thread supposed to be about gardens?
     
  23. Hornet4ever

    Hornet4ever WFC Forums Last Man Standing Winner 2018/2019

    Understand but a bolt to the head isn't that nice either or being killed by a cat etc. Alternatively you can just put rat pellets at the bottom of the vessel amongst the seed bait.

    I'd also smear vegetable oil on the glass ramps inside the vessel for added effect.
     
  24. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    If that was happening then I'd worry about it. I hope/ presume they're living elsewhere and juts use the decking as a sort of hub
     
  25. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    Thread drift.

    Again!

    I see Leach is on before lunch on the first day!
     
  26. The undeniable truth

    The undeniable truth First Team Captain

    A dab of deet and they usually release and you can just flick them off.
    Or as Mr Evans on our WGSFB biology field trip showed, a lighted fag and a steady hand also does the trick !
     
  27. Keighley

    Keighley First Team

    Warm and dry down these parts.

    Looking worrying already.
     
  28. Sting

    Sting Squad Player

    Rats look for food. If you drop food that gets below your decking you will attract vermin.
    Have your BBQ on a paved area where you can get rid of waste.
    We kept chickens and feed birds but do not have a rat problem.

    Back on thread. Mrs S planted our beans out on Sunday and they are looking goooooooood.
     
    hornmeister likes this.
  29. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player



    Somerset's year?
     
  30. Keighley

    Keighley First Team

    I’ll get back to you. Looking like Surrey’s again at the moment.
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2019
  31. RookeryDad

    RookeryDad Squad Player

    They finished bottom of their 50 over group.

    Anyway, mulch.
     
  32. Bwood_Horn

    Bwood_Horn Squad Player

    So I won't be needing my full costume for your summer garden masque?
    [​IMG]
     
  33. wfcmoog

    wfcmoog Tinpot

    I bbq on a piece of hard standing at the side of the house. All bird and pet food is inside a steel dustbin (they gnawed their way into a plastic garden chest). When they are prolific I stop feeding the birds.
     
  34. Sting

    Sting Squad Player

    It's on days like this you are glad you can get out in the garden and attack and kill.
     
  35. nascot

    nascot First Team

    A day of gardening ahead. It will make feel a bit better I hope.
     

Share This Page