Pet safe rat repellent for garden?

[mandco]

anyone know of a pet safe rat repellent that you can use outside?
We don't have a problem yet but a couple of times in the last few weeks I've seen a rat in the garden late at night. The dogs been going loopy and when I go out to see what he's barking at I've spotted one hiding from him behind the storage box
Lots of wooded areas near by so the odd one is to be expected and lots of people have been doing garden work so hopefully its just passing though but I don't want it to become a regular thing.
with the dog and lots of cats roaming locally I need something that will get rid of the rat should I come back again but that won't be a problem for them

any suggestions much appreciated

[THE WIZARD]

No such things as far as I'm aware & real high risk to use any form of poison if you have pets or neighbours have pets anyway, plus poison could potentially kill other wildlife such as hedgehogs, field mice etc. Your bound to have rats in the vicinity if you have woods nearby you could try traps or call a specialist who may have suggestions. Make sure you have no reason for them to come into your garden such as feeding the birds.

[inky1]

Sorry to say I don’t think rats live on their own - there won’t be just the odd one or two.
I’d get in touch with the council who may be able to provide safer options .

[mandco]

Originally Posted by inky1

Sorry to say I don’t think rats live on their own - there won’t be just the odd one or two.
I’d get in touch with the council who may be able to provide safer options .

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that's what worries me where there's one there's usually more and I'd like to nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem.
The council won't do anything they say its not their problem

I'll have a look at traps

[Sew109]

I’d look at cairn terriers.

Traps get the iceberg not majority, the terrier comment was Touche in cheek but with rats I would call a pro, not the big nationals that have a set program but a small independent who will do what is best for your situation

[inky1]

Originally Posted by mandco

that's what worries me where there's one there's usually more and I'd like to nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem.
The council won't do anything they say its not their problem

I'll have a look at traps

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We have had problems with rats from time to time - although no doubt they are always around.
We live very near a river as well as the remnants of a canal.
I love animals but rats carry and leave behind nasty diseases ,
What are you going to do with the ones you trap - do you mean a trap they will kill them or one they will catch them ?
I understand they probably have a job to do in the grand scheme of things but this is definitely a case of NIMBY ism lol

[Libby]

Originally Posted by mandco

that's what worries me where there's one there's usually more and I'd like to nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem.
The council won't do anything they say its not their problem

I'll have a look at traps

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Prepandemic my council would come out and lay poisoned traps if they thought it necessary but we had to pay £70 for the service.

[nursetina]

We live out in the country and rats are always about. We use rat bait boxes that you can buy on Amazon and the bait blocks you pop inside. They are secure from the dogs and work well for us. It's the same as a professional pest controller would use.

[Talland 2016]

Our local council recommended a local company
Think it was about £27 ish where they put down a couple of bait boxes and refill them a couple of times

[Sew109]

Originally Posted by nursetina

We live out in the country and rats are always about. We use rat bait boxes that you can buy on Amazon and the bait blocks you pop inside. They are secure from the dogs and work well for us. It's the same as a professional pest controller would use.

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The bait is not the same you need to have "pest control " licence or wherever its called to get the bait that they use which is 100x stronger than the rubbish you get in B&Q.

the pest guy I was speaking to said that the main differnence is that the stuff you buy over the counter will kill a rat (eventually) but the professional stuff will kill the rats in the litter of the one that has eaten it when they eat his body as well.