rats and Arundo

[Jonah]

Afternoon
Can anyone tell me if Arundo Donax is particularly favoured as a rat fodder? It's just that my neighbour had the man from the council round this morning regarding visiting rats. He asked what the plant was, and was mistakenly told it was likely a bamboo, his words were 'well whatever it is it is rat heaven'!
I did mention they would eat anything, and thought it strange if he didn't actually know what it was, how could he say that
I've also never seen any evidence of rat nibbling?

[4pygmies]

I've never heard of rats having such exotic tastes Jonah. They tend to eat the sweetcorn and other succulent veggies or the bird food. They certainly don't eat any other sorts of plants in my garden. I think the council was bulls****g your neighbour! They might well use it for cover but unless they're building some sort of summer pavilion etc (and I wouldn't put it past them), it's just another plant as far as they're concerned. Have you found out where the rats are coming from? Your neighbourhood seems to have developed a rat problem recently. Is there a food place or something opened up nearby? It would be handy to know why they have started to come into your area.

[Jonah]

Hi 4P
Well there is a block of 20 flats being built just up the other side of our main road, I guess 500 yds away, I must say I hadn't noticed them before that. I guess they have always been around as there is still a reasonable amount of woodland around the village, [well more of an estate!] And also they have been chopping a heck of a lot of trees down along the road too a couple of hundred yards away, maybe that has dislodged a fair few? Do they live in the woods? There is a house across from me that has been empty for about 25 years, even though it was only built about 40 years ago. There are birds in the roof, I dread to think how many rats may have got in there! Actually, that's a thought, I wonder if they are in there.

I did post on the beeb as well, and Loopyloo has suggested he may have meant to nest in, as they like long grassy clumps, but I really don't think mine are big enough, or cosy enough for that.
I also have a sneaking suspicion that tall plants poking over the fence aren't particularly welcome.

[4pygmies]

It may well be that chopping down a lot of trees has allowed the rats easier access and you're now on a rat run route . In my garden there are obvious runs which the rats use - they generally use the same access/exit places. You may be right about the empty house - is it possible to have a poke about the garden perimeter and see if you can see any holes that look well used? Erm, or your OH could have a nose round! If there is a building site near you then that may have disturbed a rat city too. There are always rats about everywhere though. I can't remember if you have a dog or not - if you have, does it sniff about in one place in particular? My Spaniel cross, Toby, is too silly and soft to kill a rat but he often goes on the hunt so my OH knows where they have been in the garden. The only real solution is to keep putting poison down where you know they are.....sorry! I detest rats.....did I mention that??

[Jonah]

4pygmies said:

The only real solution is to keep putting poison down where you know they are.....sorry! I detest rats.....did I mention that??

I think I sort of got that impression!!! ;D
Basically it could be one or all the above contributing I suppose then. I've noticed the old peoples home opposite the flat building has fairly recently had green plastic traps placed around the perimeter, I've seen 3 along the wall, no doubt there are more. I'm going to get OH to talk to the next door neighbour of the empty house - the man there often tidies the garden etc, I'm sure he wouldn't want them to be in there.

I'm the one with only a budgie allowed - allergic OH. Maybe he'd let me get one of those bald cats! ;D
I think I will also get an outdoor sonic repellent, anything to try and keep them out.
Thanks 4P

[Deleted]

Over here, we have to put up with a super-athletic rat/squirrel called l\'oise, which get into lofts and any other space floor/wall/ceiling (found a dead one in the airing cupboard once) and they chew everything - even the thin copper water pipe. They cause an enormous amount of damage - though 4 pygmy\'s poison route is shunned because of the smell of the dead ones in the house. We have a local trapper who will come with an assortment of wire cages and giant mousetraps - he charges 10 euros (£7) per victim. Sometimes, I think he brings victims with him.

[Chuckles]

I had a live one come out from a pile of towels in the airing cupboard one morning, it gave me a look and went back into the towels lower down . Also had one take it's last breath in the roof space above the bathroom after it had been eating some nice food we put out for it ;D. Didn't get a smell but we did have flies around for a while