*sensible answer warning!*

Had the same prob at xmas - in the winter we move the rabbitts hutch into the shed - for the first time in 6 years we had rats go after the straw/rabbitt food. The bastards had burrowed under the shed and knorred their way through a knot hole and were getting in the shed at night.....

Only way to get rid is poison. Any decent garden centre sells plastic bate boxes and bags of poison bait blocks. The plastic boxes are under a tenner and its about ?6 for a box of about 10 bait blocks. These blocks look like 'blu-loo' blocks you put in your toilet system, are a 'waxy' texture and to the rat smell of wheat - too good to ignore! They contain a varient of warfren - people with high blood pressure take this - but this is in high concentrates and basically the rat heamorrages to death..... If you can tuck the bait blocks rigt under the decking so no cats/dogs or children will get hold of them that will suffice. Otherwise for safety use them in the plastic bait boxes that only allow rats and mice access.

Got rid of our rats within a week. Keep them there permantly now.

Posted By: Cheltenham_Canary, Mar 11, 11:44:00