Rats.

[carrust]

I've got rats again in my back garden :-(. Is it legal to shoot them with an air rifle from a bedroom window?

[ummmm]

How about poison?

[carrust]

Don't like using poisons..they can kill other animals, if they eat the dead rat.

[LoftyLottie]

Don't know, but we do. We haven't any neighbours to worry about though in the area we shoot - we are surrounded by farmland and have to keep the rats down. I am sure there must be laws in built up areas though.

[ummmm]

Baseball bat?

[LoftyLottie]

You try catching a rat ummmm ;o). They are super intelligent.

[craft1948]

You can try carrust............one of my neighbours was arrested for shooting rabbits from his bedroom window..........

[carrust]

I'll hit it with a baseball bat if you pitch the rat, ummm:-)

[craft1948]

Mind you I don't suppose it helped that a policewoman lived in the house behind his..

[ummmm]

I know Lottie...one got in the house. Gosh can they move.

[ummmm]

Far too squeamish Carrust....

[LoftyLottie]

http://www.youngmans.com/acatalog/law.html

[Barmaid]

Try the info on here carrust. Tells you what you can and can't do. Make sure you have decent pellets though - pellets for target practice are no good because they have a rounded end.

http://www.basc.org.u...actice/air-rifles.cfm

[Barmaid]

And seeing as you want to eradicate the blighters (and they are horrid) - is there any reason they are attracted to your back garden? Ie, nice piles of wood to nest in, vegetables growing, ready supply of food, a pond?

[carrust]

Don't have much luck with rodents barmaid. I have an allotment, & I store my spuds in a shed at the bottom of my garden..I got an infestation a couple of years ago. I got rid of them by setting traps. Last year I got squirrels nesting under my bath. They cost me £90-00 to get rid of. I'm a keen birdwatcher, & I've got loads of feeders scattered round the garden...that's whats attracted them this time.
BTW, thanks for the links.

[LoftyLottie]

Like you carrust, I am a keen bird watcher and have bird feeders which attract the rats, so we are always going to have problems. As I said before we are surrounded by farmland and the farm buildings with their barns and grain stores are very near. We also have land drainage ditches front at back. We don't stand a chance. We get rats in our roof from time to time as well because they climb brick and flint buildings very well!!

It is a constant battle!

[LoftyLottie]

and what's more the rabbits have eaten the tops of all my emerging crocuses between yesterday afternoon and lunch time today when I went on my tour of inspection!!!

[carrust]

Seems like my problem is small-fry compared to yours lottie.....(repeat 10 times) I must stop being such a wimp!

[dondons]

Do you know anyone with a Jack Russell terrier? They are excellent ratters and can really do a quick and efficient job.

[LoftyLottie]

I've got one!!! See my posts above ;o). She does her bit, I must admit, but in the process she has had some nasty bites.

[carmalee]

Cat, Jack Russell Terrier, contact local authority opr police for advice re shooting