A few days ago I spotted a few rats in the garden, near to the house. When you see them out in the daylight, there are a lot more of them hidden somewhere near. Some rodents are inevitable, living in the countryside and having animals ourselves. I'm not scared of them, and actually think rats are cute and intelligent critters, but not when they come in abundance.
But when they get too many (often after a few soft winters like we had now) and they don't react to the usual precautions (stop feeding the wild birds/cleaning up/working energetically to restore balance/cleaning up nestingplaces like firewoodstacks) I harden my heart and either kill-trap or shoot them. I have a .22 CO2-powered rifle (about the most powerful that's legal without a lot of paperwork hereabouts) and am quite a good shot, so when I have time I put down some grain, wait a few meters back quietly and take them out with a single shot to the head. They rarely know what hits them. Also with traps: check them often, taking a big hammer to put any still alive rats out of their missery.
It breaks my heart to see a smaller babyrat running up to dead mom or dad to see what's going on. It happens. It reminds you how very sentient they are. It also reminds you that all life lives due to the taking of other lives, and that we are all vying for space and resources in this world. Many rats also means many birds of prey growing up, meaning less rats in the end. The shot and/or trapped rats I leave out, and the crows are never far away, enjoying this offering. It's part of connection, but that doesn't mean I enjoy killing anything.
Notes:
Trapping and releasing them is essentially transfering the problem to other people and farms around here so that's not a valid option or true sollution to the problem unless you have vast acres of untamed nature where they can be put out.
I never ever use poison due to the danger that poses to foxes, pets and raptors.
Most online recommended "deterrents" like mint, cinnamon etcetc don't work in my experience. If you can get your hands on it, snakepoo does work. But I wouldn't use it in the home anymore than I'd want ratpoo in my home. But to line perimeters, it can and will work. Or get a good cat or a strong small terriers, they are great ratters.
There was a nice story about rats and balance in an Eisteddfod a while back: read it if you have the time. It's here:
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