Bird feeding and rats

[Gildenel]

Hi I'm new to the forum, I'm having a real problem with rats, I love feeding the birds but have had to stop as we are having so much trouble with rats, they've destroyed my pond and eaten half the fish and then ate all the apples of my tree after I stopped feeding the birds and now they're in the house! Just saw one in the kitchen yesterday, walk along the worktop and go behind the washing machine, pest control can't come until next week, and I'm scared of going in the kitchen as I can here it behind the dishwasher, even the cats scared, my oh pulled the dishwasher out and the cat sniffed around but it had gone, yikes.

[Jacksparrow]

Firstly Gildenel Welcome to the Forum
I think most of us have seen a rat in our gardens from time to time and have had a problem with them. One got in my garage once and caused havoc but that's another story. Mostly I rely on my visiting Moggies to maintain control them as I don't have one of my own. Without resorting to too much expense a visit to B&Q (other DIY superstores are available) you can buy a pot of rat bait and little dishes to put it in. Read the instructions carefully and don't put it where more desirable animals can get to it. This is basically what your pest control people will do. If the rats take the bait they will be gone within a week but if there is major infestation in the area your local council may need to get involved.

[Gildenel]

Hi jacksparrow, Im going in the morning to find some bait to put down, I'm so annoyed about not being able to feed the birds, we had so many different birds coming, but now they're going elsewhere, we have a feeding station and tried moving it away from trees but they could still climb up, I saw one sitting on top of it in the middle of the day trying to get to the feeders.

[Jacksparrow]

Hi jacksparrow, Im going in the morning to find some bait to put down, I'm so annoyed about not being able to feed the birds, we had so many different birds coming, but now they're going elsewhere, we have a feeding station and tried moving it away from trees but they could still climb up, I saw one sitting on top of it in the middle of the day trying to get to the feeders.

Try the bait for a while. Make sure there is some water for them to drink at ground level. Remove as much other food as you can so as to limit their choice of what to eat. Removing the bird food at this time of the year causes the least problem to your visiting birds as they will be able to find plenty of wild food. They will return when the weather turns colder.

[Butterfly]

I saw a rat on my garden wall today, during the day. I didn't think rats move around much during the day , so I searched a bit and apparently they will be out and about during the day if their nest has been disturbed or if there is big infestation. I don't think its big infestation since I haven't seen a rat around here for years. Anyway, I'm not impressed , so I will put hot chilly powder in bird food tomorrow just to make sure the bugger doesn't think its welcome to feed here. Its been said on few websites that chilly powder does not affect birds at all, so worth a try

[Willpar]

Good luck with that butterfly. Hope all goes well.

[Butterfly]

Well that didn't work! I sprinkled the food with hot chilly powder and pigeons and robin seem to be ok but starlings wouldn't touch it
I heard them, and usually they are very chatty and cheerful but this morning they sounded confused . I left it for hours and no, they wouldn't touch it. I don't know why, whether its the taste (read that birds don't taste it ) or its maybe the colour, I noticed before that they don't like red food, like they didn't like berry flavour (red colour) suet coconuts . No sign of that damn rat so lets see what happens