Rats on board

Capn Pugwash

Capn Pugwash

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27 Jun 2006
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602
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On Kite - Greece
www.boatbabysitters.com
Friend of ours discovered what look like mouse droppings on his yacht last week. Judging by the size it could even be rats!

Any ideas of the best way to get rid of the buggers before they chew through all the wiring etc? They have put a few traps down with chocolate in them but no "kills" yet!

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remove all sources of food. bait traps, or lay rodenticide. Remember, some rodenticides may not act immediately.

I'd isolate the elec circuits when asleep or not aboard until you've succeeded
 
Use traps, not poison.
when the rats start to feel unwell from the poison, they go and find a quiet place to die, and that will be somewhere inaccessible if my experience is anything to go by...and you will only find them by the smell of rotting corpses...use traps only!
 
I read that it's a good idea to leave the traps unset for a couple of days so that they get used to taking the bait - they can be canny. Then spring them. Heard that corn on the cob in a deep bucket works too, but it must be deep...
 
If the rats are just visiting for food, then using something like an ultrasonic pest deterrer, combined with good housekeeping and trying to restict access may do the trick. If they're resident you really need to find out where and have a good clean-out - follow your nose!. We had an outbreak of rats in our back yard last year, eventualy tracked the nest down to next-doors shed. I really wanted to get one of these hi-tech humane rat-killer booby-trap things, but in the end went for the cheap (but not cheerful /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif) option of traps AND poison, which was really effective over a period of about 2 weeks and got rid of the lot. Poison does take a while to work, but as the rats become affected they're more likely to fall for the traps. The last few were so out of it I just walked up to them and hit them with a stick. Trapping - try not to handle the traps too much, so you don't leave scent on them; experiment with baits - we found soggy dogfood worked well; try and place the traps close to known rat pathways or pooing places. Do wear gloves for cleaning up - and a mask if working in a resticted area.
 
We had an outbreak last winter- they go after the neighbours chicken feed and eggs and the shoot's corn store. Old fashioned spring neckbreaker trap is best- bait that works round here is peanut butter and an olive (poisoned!)wedged firmly on the trigger- smell helps to mask yours on the trap too- but gloves definately- if near water risk of Weils disease.Peg trap down firmly or second rat gets the bait and the others the corpses- they will drag trap n corpses off if not pegged down.You get at least two rats a go with this combination.Old orange smoke flares are a good way of spotting the nest exits- poke down a hole you've found and trigger- useful if nest in hedge or bank. Have a few terriers handy mind, for when/if they run.Then pour diesel down all the holes and use old red hand flares to ignite to clear nurseries and skulkers out. Terriers again. Oh and remember to tie your trousers at the ankles or wear puttees- one pal of mine didn't /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Yes traps baited with peanut butter is what has always worked best for me with mice and rats. Other than shooting the buggers, which is very effective, but you wouldn't want to do that on a yacht!
 
We live by a river bank and had to tackle the little buggers in our outhouse and sheds at home and found that traps are the most effective and fastest way to manage the problem.
Peanut butter and Chicken sandwhich paste baited cage trap worked consitantly well as did the sticky pads which although are a pain to put down did the trick quickly.
If infestation is getting out of hand would also consider poison - go for the one that have wholegrain ( the healthy option for their last supper) the little beggers loved it !
Get them before they get your wiring !

Good luck
 
Following on from all the other replies, don't even think about going the supposedly humane route of trap and release. When you try to pick up the trap with a rat inside, your favour will be returned by a bite and they hurt. Had one on my other boat a couple of years back and tried to be 'nice'. Poison the bait and make sure it's dead, then dispose of the body on a good fire. I know it doesn't sound nice, but it took months to clear the smell of the fish and other stuff it had caught and hidden in the bilges. So check them too.
 
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