A day in the life...

[Mendip]

^ Nice one Shutree, I'll give it a try. It seems a bit more plausible than OhOh's piper method.

Although now of course I have that uneasy feeling of having had rat warning excreta chemicals on my hands for the past day.

[Iceman123]

^^
Ditto I have heard the same.

[malmomike77]

Any lethal but humane ideas?

[DrWilly]

This look humane

https://shopee.com.my/Mouse-Trap-Ste...saAvz_EALw_wcB

[David48atTD]

Mendip, one thing you also need to do is to cut off the Rat's access to other food sources.

Meaning they can't access the grain in the chook pen.

If not ...

[Mendip]

^ Impossible unfortunately as the rat is living in the roof of the chicken run. All of the chicken food is stored in plastic bins but once in the chicken feeders it's open seaaon for all.

^^ Very good, DW.

So, I have 3 days to finish my project and catch the rat. I'm now going to give the trap a good clean to get rid of the rat warning excreta chemicals, and rebait with salami, peanut butter and, thanks to James Bond, some coconut. I think this rat has met it's match.

[Joe 90]

Any lethal but humane ideas?

Have considered a stun gun or electrocution.

If you can see it and get that close.

Tazer it then relocate it .

[malmomike77]

^ Have you heard the expression about a handful of rice and an elephants arse

[Neverna]

I have found that the sticky-mat rat traps to be easy and effective. Fifty baht for two in my local shop, fifty five baht on Lazada. Just place them near where you think the rat is, leave overnight and pick up your dead rat in the morning. In your case, Mendip, don't put them on the floor in case your dogs stand on them and get stuck to them.

[armstrong]

The sticky ones you get in big C don't kill them
They just get stuck and then rip their tails and feet off trying to get off until eventually I pop in and drown them like a good Christian.

[Mendip]

^ A good Christian, indeed.

Maybe I'm soft, but I can't bring myself to use this sticky rat trap stuff... it seems pretty horrific to me. I do appreciate your input Nev but despite being rats I find this stuff very cruel. Maybe I would change my mind if we had rats in the house, or I had a commercial enterprise, however.

Also, this rat lives in the chicken run and I think sticky paper traps could be catastrophic to the chickens... I need another method.

Joe, I think a rat taser may be a niche product. I can't find any on Lazada but I must admit I'm leaning towards a quick shot with an air rifle, and then replace any broken roof tiles.

This is where she lives... right under the ridge tiles of the chicken run. She's in that pic I took this morning, looking down at me.



Closer...



Anyway, I still have 3 days before I have to go to Bangkok, so I'm still gonna explore humane methods before resorting to any special operations.

First up... I soaked the rat trap in a bowl of floor cleaner to rid it of Shutree's rat warning chemical excreta... now it smells of 'Alpine Meadows' with a hint of DW40... as I also oiled up the spring mechanism.



After drying in the baking sun I baited it up. Yogi is right into this hunting shit and loves being involved. This is great as sometimes it feels as though I'm always doing everything on my own in this God forsaken place.



And I've relocated the trap... I've brought it inside the chicken run, up on a feeding table I put high up, near the roof.



Italian salami, lashings of creamy peanut butter topped off with flakes of coconut. The result is a formality.



I just checked... tonight it will happen!

[DrWilly]

good luck...

The most humane method is to shoot it.

[Topper]

now it smells of 'Alpine Meadows' with a hint of WD40...

That would make a great cologne!

[armstrong]

good luck...

The most humane method is to shoot it.

Can tell you live in Malaysia.

[naptownmike]

Another option is electricity. If it lives up on the metal rafters just cut the end off an electric cord wrap it around the metal roof support and the when you see the rat sitting up there showing off it’s tail plug in the electric cord. Quick and easy with no roof repair needed.

[Joe 90]

That would make a great cologne!

Don't be giving him ideas, Mendys got an innement trip to Bangkok.
He'll be fighting them off with a stick

[Neverna]

Another option is electricity. If it lives up on the metal rafters just cut the end off an electric cord wrap it around the metal roof support and the when you see the rat sitting up there showing off it’s tail plug in the electric cord. Quick and easy with no roof repair needed.

I'm not a gambling man but I'd bet money that that would not kill the rat. But anyway, Mendip does not want to kill the rat. He wants to keep it alive for as long as he can before he conjures up some culinary delight with his gardener. Or something like that.

[DrWilly]

Can tell you live in Malaysia.

Buzz off tiresome stalker

[DrWilly]

I'm not a gambling man but I'd bet money that that would not kill the rat. But anyway, Mendip does not want to kill the rat. He wants to keep it alive for as long as he can before he conjures up some culinary delight with his gardener. Or something like that.

On the contrary, mains power supply… he might try all his chickens and himself too!

[Loy Toy]

I have a huge problem with pigeons (filthy flying rats) shitting everywhere and I am talking about 100's of the fuckers.

I've blocked off all the potential roosting areas and purchased a pellet gun to scare them off but they just keep on coming.

I need to at least cull this lot so will take a big square Masonite board, cover the board with industrial strength glue with the bait in the middle.

I hope I can catch at least 20 during their next meal.

[Joe 90]

I hope I can catch at least 20 during their next meal.

That's some haul!!

Pigeon pies?

[DrWilly]

Come on Mendy, almost 08:00 .. what's the news.

[Shutree]

Come on Mendy, almost 08:00 .. what's the news.

Indeed. This is my sole reason for logging on. Waiting with bated (not baited) breath.

[Mendip]

It's almost as though you think I have nothing better to do up here than catch this bloody rat and report back on TeakDoor?

Anyway, I must admit I was quite excited this morning so headed straight down to the chicken run before the school run to see what's what.

Sadly...



But, there was no tell-tale tail hanging down from the roof tiles so I figured that the rat knows she's met her match and so scarpered off.

Then I saw this... she was still asleep.



I made my rat noise and she woke up and looked down at me. I can't help thinking she is well in control at the moment.



I am starting to think a well-aimed air rifle pellet may be the answer. These GRP roof panels are pretty cheap anyway.

I'm very cautious with electricity and wonder how safe it would be to try and electrify the metal roof frame with mains electricity? Also, as you can see the rat seems to live in the gap between the roof GRP panels and the overlying ridge panels. I don't think she makes contact with the metal beams at all.

But... in case I can co-opt the wife to help... what would be the safest method? I was thinking to thoroughly soak the ground until there is standing water and then find her a pair of steel-soled flip-flops to wear?

[DrWilly]

But... in case I can co-opt the wife to help... what would be the safest method? I was thinking to thoroughly soak the ground until there is standing water and then find her a pair of steel-soled flip-flops to wear?