Rats - AAaaaRGH!

[mackstaa]

Phew, well done Sam!
Sorry to hear he did so much damage

[SamDavis]

Great to hear,bet the concrete took a damn hiding,just a thought ,check to the end of the hole in case the he was a she,good luck,garyh.

The concrete has pretty much been destroyed so no chance of any hiding spot left. I think I'll leave it messed up for now as I was intending to do major extensions on this aviary at some stage this year. And at least with a dirt floor it's easy to see any holes.

[SamDavis]

Here's the first chicks to fledge from this aviary since the rat attack. Yesterday I thought there were 4 but this morning there's 6

SixOB.jpg

Happy ending! And thanks to mattyM as the parents are some of his OBs.

[garyh]

Great out come ,glad to see things are on the improve garyh.

[finchbreeder]

And the wheel turns. Always feels better when the good side of things happens.
LML

[E Orix]

My problem seems to be on going. I had a feeling that after finding a fully grown dead rat in my large flight that there may be more.
Very few birds seemed to be missing but it is near impossible to do a proper count anyway I decided to do a major baiting program.
Numerous bait choices were used and set up under my main outside feed station. Today 2 very dead juvinile rats so it looks like I am in the right
area.The main reason for so few losses is that the aviary is so big they have trouble catching any birds and it is easier to scrounge at night under the feed station. Tonight on their menu as an extra Bromokil flavoured peanut butter and Bromokil flavoured bird seed.Also available TomCat red cubes,Tallon green cubes and poisoned cake. Now how could I miss( I hope and pray)

[garyh]

Good luck,hope the diet is right and a successful out come ,garyh

[E Orix]

Found another young rat this morning but there could be more that have died and hidden away.
The current flavour of favour is Bromokil(& water) poured over Pound Cake
Luckily the birds are flying about and seem unpreturb.The size of the aviary gives them space to move away when
threatened,also there are night lights through out the aviary(3 to 8 watt new style fluo globes)very cheap to run.

[ColouredFeathers]

Good luck E orix one buy one goodbuy rats

[BluJay]

Hope you get rid of the problem E Orix, your aviary is beautiful. Glad to see you are pulling no punches with them. It is my understanding (from back home), rats and mice, return to where they are born, and for every one that you see, there are ten more. I have always been very aggressive at the sight of only one. Now, it seems back home, the coyotes are getting out of hand. Same thing will cure them, as the ratcoons, fly bait. Sis, worried about the cats, said this is cat season, if they get into it, so be it, there will be plenty more thrown at the end of the road. Funny, thing is here they harrass everyones birds, whereas ones on the farm, don't bother them at all, just the rodents, and tree frogs!