I think I have got a rat or rats in my garden shed?

Question

The shed is full of junk which I am too weak to shift. If they are poisoned how do you know they are dead if you cant see them?

Answer 1

If the shed's full of junk, leave them alone. They'll move on of their own accord eventually. As long as they don't come to the house you needn't fear them. I have one at the bottom of my garden, that comes & goes. Never bothers me, I don't bother him. I had this advice from the environmental health officer.

Answer 2

My cat loves crawling around my junk filled shed, which I can't really get much further into, than the doorway. She sniffs anything out, and has made several catches in a day. Most cats are happy and eager to chase rats, and this is a natural way of deterring or stopping rodents, nicer than poison (until the cat mistreats their catch).

Catching the rat likes curing the symptom and not the cause though. Sounds like you'll need to restructure the shed, clear some clutter and junk and seal any stuff they can feed on. I use plastic waste bins to store edible food that rodents like. This should then stop a recurrence.

So, think about doing this as a priority as well as, or instead of getting a cat around, enlisting clearance help will help with your strength issues.

Good luck! Rob

Answer 3

Rat traps are best. Even if you have only "junk", I don't like the smell of rotting critters myself. Plus, they'll make an unpleasant find later when petrified when somebody cleans out that shed.

Answer 4

O you'll know if there's a Dead Rat if you can breath like the rest of the world, getting a trap witch captures alive is better chuck a sack on it don't put your fingers in, but a safe means of lifting it, and drop it in some water, then you'll know you have it, my brother had problems under his aviary, he shot some with a high power gas powered Air gun with a night vision sight sat in his car pick 't out there eyes witch show up bright, with a night sight, it's instant" then you know your rid, and any one who gunna make out we're cruel how would you like Rats breeding on you land one of the biggest disease carriers known to man

Answer 5

Try putting some moth balls in the shed...toss handfulls in there, and put some around the outside of the shed. If they are alive they should leave and stay away. No animal likes the smell of moth balls. I think if you had some dead rats in your shed you would eventually smell them if you were close enough. Best of luck to you.

Answer 6

A gallon of petrol and a match will cure both your problems. The rats will be killed and the rubbish will be burnt away. Also not having a shed will relieve you of the temptation to fill it with junk again so alleviating the recurring problem of the rats.

Answer 7

Give the poor thing a break! It is looking for food and shelter. If you poison it, then you have the problem of a rotting carcass that you can't get to. This in turn will attract scavengers, which may be poisoned too, and they will smell bad and attract more scavengers which could be poisoned and die and so on... ad infinitum. You could set off a chain of events you are unable to handle, and as long as it is outside and not a threat to you leave it alone.

Answer 8

Please don't kill the poor thing. It won't bother you if you don't bother it. It's only looking for a home. If it really gives you the "willies" use a live trap (available at most stores) and move the critter into the woods or city dump (plenty of food there). If you poison it, you're gonna have a really bad smell for a while. Hey, even rats are one of God's creatures. Believe it or not, they do serve a purpose. Cheers.

Answer 9

Fatten it up for Christmas and have a free range meal, i am told they taste like chicken

Answer 10

mouse traps or a fat cat. lol the mouse traps will catch them to were you see them when they are dead and the cat might show you them once they are dead. if not you just need to pay someone to clean out your shed.