Thread: Vermin problem

Originally Posted by Woodwould

As an irresponsible child, I used to make pellets by rolling carbide inside soft, fresh bread and throw it to the rats (and equally, up in the air at the seaside for the swooping seagulls to gulp down) and then watch them explode as the carbide became moistened in their gut and gave off rapidly expanding acetylene gas.

Back in the 1930s when crocodiles were considered vermin and their skins were valuable, my father (Petersemple's 2nd cousin twice removed or somesuch) used to get crocs the same way. Set a carcass (usually wild pig) with a parcel of carbide inside. When it went off inside the croc's stomach, it would come out of the water to die, and could be skinned.

Another bit of family history, Peter.

Originally Posted by jimbur

Nay lad, tha doesn't keep beer down thy trousers, does tha?

Ha! I fell into that one! I should have inserted "you've downed" shouldn't I!

Originally Posted by AlexS

Back in the 1930s when crocodiles were considered vermin and their skins were valuable, my father (Petersemple's 2nd cousin twice removed or somesuch) used to get crocs the same way. Set a carcass (usually wild pig) with a parcel of carbide inside. When it went off inside the croc's stomach, it would come out of the water to die, and could be skinned.

Another bit of family history, Peter.

I nearly feel sorry for them.

Originally Posted by mike48

Hi

if the problem is actually mice, I have seen mouse traps at my local Produce Shop designed to be left around grain and feed bags to catch multiple mice.
Most seem to be made from wire mesh with a top trap door, or a constricting conical entry.

You bait it, leave it for a few days, then drown the "catch" in water.

Some traps can take up to 20 or more.

In the mouse plagues of yesteryear, bulk traps for mice were made from a large metal drum with a baited overbalancing strip of wood. Mice just fell into the barrel, and were disposed of by fire or drowning.

Dont let the blighters die inside a wall cavity; the smell is unbelievable.

cheerio, mike

I seem to remember dozens of those platform traps around the place when I was a youth.

Originally Posted by AlexS

Back in the 1930s when crocodiles were considered vermin and their skins were valuable, my father (Petersemple's 2nd cousin twice removed or somesuch) used to get crocs the same way. Set a carcass (usually wild pig) with a parcel of carbide inside. When it went off inside the croc's stomach, it would come out of the water to die, and could be skinned.

Another bit of family history, Peter.

I'd want to see the croc disembowel itself before I'd go within ten yards of the thing.

The Schwarzenegger solution:

My dearly beloved picked up some poison on Sunday and (Sod's Law) we haven't heard a single squeak or scratch since.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

My dearly beloved picked up some poison on Sunday and (Sod's Law) we haven't heard a single squeak or scratch since.

It generally takes a few days for the bodies to start decomposing

One method Ive used for getting rid of rodents is as follows:

1. get a shoe box and build a ramp leading up side of same. Place large piece of Rochfords cheese in the box and leave next to mouse hole.
2. Repeat step 1 for 3-4 nights.
3. glue a razor blade on the top of the box side at the top of the ramp.
4. place the box outside the mousehole as before but this time dont put in any cheese.
5. mouse runs up ramp to top of same. Mouse nods head from side looking for the cheese....razor blade neatly chops off mouses head which then plops into the box.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

It generally takes a few days for the bodies to start decomposing

No, no, no! We haven't even opened the packets of poison. The blighters must have sensed we'd bought poison and just buggered off. If they stay away, herself will likely return the poison for a refund.

From the Backyard Poultry forum, where they're nearly as passionate about their chooks as woodies are about wood:

Originally Posted by Woodwould

No, no, no! We haven't even opened the packets of poison. The blighters must have sensed we'd bought poison and just buggered off. If they stay away, herself will likely return the poison for a refund.

Don't do that!

To quote Arny " They will be back" as soon as you do.

A mate of mine has had success with plugging one o' those ultrasonic doovers into a power-point in his roof.

He reckons it works a treat... as it doesn't kill them, just makes them uncomfortable so they move out and become somebody elses' problem. So no mess to clean up before the maggots move in.

Perhaps you could try stapling a few bats to the rafters for a trial run before investing any pennies in an electronic fake?

There was a hell of a racket this evening and when I investigated, there was a rat scratching inside the wall cavity at about skirting height and a Fox Terrible going demented on the room side of the wall. She could hear and smell the rat and her head was twisting from side to side so rapidly I thought it was going to come off.

I stuffed the Missus up into the roof to distribute the poison and told her not to come down until she had all of the noisey buggers' carcasses.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

I stuffed the Missus up into the roof to distribute the poison and told her not to come down until she had all of the noisey buggers' carcasses.

What all by herself?
Didn't you throw the dog up there as well??