RATS are not only a pest but also a health hazard, carrying a number of diseases. Rat-proofing feeders work. Stop feeding birds or hedgehogs if you suspect an infestation, and secure chicken runs. Rat Proof Bird Feeders. They have however told me to remove all of my bird feeders as the rats are obviously coming into the garden for the food that may have dropped on the floor. Think before feeding the birds. Help and advice to keep your garden rat free. Meanwhile it gets slower and more lethargic, and becomes and even easier to catch meal for hawks, owls or neighborhood cat. Rats often pass through gardens when they are on the hunt for food. 6. The rats are feeding during the day as well as the night here - probably because of the extremely cold weather we're having and they are even chasing the birds around the garden! After the mouse or rat eats the poison, it can take days to die. After feeding the birds throughout the winter, many people take down their feeders in the spring. Unfortunately, having a bird feeder will attract rats and other rodents. We look at your options for getting rid of rats, and explain why it is important that you take action as soon as rats move in. Seeds and nuts are eaten by rodents and Birds. If the attraction of seeing birds feeding in your yard is too great for you, the only thing you can do is take down the bird feeder during the night, when the rats are most active. Relocating your feeders farther away from your home will decrease the opportunity for the rats to discover your home. Some of you may enjoy providing food for the birds in your garden. To reiterate, if you or your neighbour are leaving food for birds and squirrels it is very likely that some rats … Keep rats from reaching your bird feeders by installing baffles as a good measure to employ for rodent control of rats. We used to feed the birds but stopped that when I heard sounds in the garden at night, turned on a light and discovered a large Norway rat hanging on our bird feeder enjoying a meal. Many rats are attracted by fallen food from bird feeders and will climb up feeding stations – squirrel proof feeders may help. Seeds and nuts are eaten by rodents and Birds. I have so many birds in my garden that I have been feeding for years now and at this time of year when the weather is getting colder I dont want to remove the feeders. In this article we discuss a common cause of rats in the garden. If you only notice one rat in the garden of your neighbour then there’s no need to panic. Rodenticides have become a huge problem for predatory birds, and if they are feeing their young a whole family can be wiped out. Store bird and animal food in secure containers. If you live in an area that has a high risk of a rodent infestation, or if you’ve noticed signs of mice or rats, one of the simplest ways to practice rodent pest control is get rid of the bird feeder in your yard.This is not because rats and mice are particularly attracted to the seeds in your bird feeder (although they can scale vertical walls and jump up to 12 inches.)
will rats leave garden after stopping bird feeding