Rats have over-wintered in the shed

Mr ACA popped into the shed to get something and saw compost strewn all over the floor, after giving out (quite a bit) about the state that other people have left 'his' shed in, I noticed that on the the opposite side of the shed there was grass seed everywhere. Then I spotted all the droppings.... and beat a hasty retreat into the house

Turns out that Mr & Mrs Rat (probably along with quite a few relatives) had eaten their way into the compost bag so they had somewhere nice to sleep and have been having a whale of a time munching on grass seed during the recent minus temperatures.

Query - how do we get shot of them? No sign of entry as yet so not even sure how they got in.

Rat poison .... I'd get the granular stuff, not the blocks as they'd carry to blocks.

They'll have to eat the granular stuff in situ.

Any hardware store should stock it.

Thanks Paddy, I'm assuming that the best thing to do with the grass seed and the compost is throw them away?

Absolutely ....

Compost and grass seed are ok to use but be aware that rats are incontinent and can spread disease through their urine so whatever you do with them wear plastic gloves and wash up properly afterwards.

As far as getting rid of them... I'd recommend a trap (rat one's are bigger than mouse traps) rather than poison but it's up to you really. Peanut butter is a good bait if you do use traps.

Hi ACA,
check page 3 on homes and gardens, I got some good advice from other members and my problem now seems to be solved, so far..
Wino

Woodies have wooden rat traps. Buy 2 or 3. Bait them with small bit of cooked sausage smeared in nutella or peanut butter.
I'D prefer to see evidence their dead

wino said:

Hi ACA,
check page 3 on homes and gardens, I got some good advice from other members and my problem now seems to be solved, so far..
Wino

Click to expand...

Good news wino, do you mind me asking how you resolved your infestation?

Hi Birroc,
Rentokil have visited 5 times now with the traps still down. There are no signs of rats now since mid January. Under their advice I reluctantly left the access hole from my garden to the sewer open. The poison they put down was in a gel base block which I guess meant that the rats had to eat it straight away as oppossed to bringing it back to their nests. After no signs of rats in three weeks I sealed up the hole with a mixture of glass, chicken wire and cement. I also jammed a metal cake tin down the sewer inspecton hole without blocking the actual drains and put poison on top and below this. If they come back I may sell up!!. I'm hoping that these rats are now dead and that any new ones will not realise this route ever existed.
I have no association with Rentokil.