We had a problem with some rats being seen in the townhouse community
where I live, and some residents blaming the birdfeeders, so a group of
us did research, and learned that while some exterminators are inclined to
blame feeders, others don't. The one that made the most sense to me was
the man who told me that rats are not that crazy about seed; they prefer
garbage, and are attracted by the scent of food. However, if seed is
available, they will eat it. He assured me it is very unlikely that the
seed is the reason they are on the property in the first place however, and
that getting rid of it will not get rid of the rats, therefore.
We were inspected by two different branches of Montgomery County govt that
deal with pests--and both those gentlemen said that you can have feeders
with no rat problems if you just keep from having a lot of spillage on the
ground. Even they don't say to get rid of the feeders.
We also checked websites for info, and I think one of them (Cornell, I
think) suggested for a bad problem you might take down the feeders for a
couple of weeks only, just to break the pattern.
Personally, what I have found works is to have a feeder that rats can't get
into and to use HULLED sunflower seed--it costs more but has 4 times the
nutrition value per pound, so it's worth it. With this, you have no messy
hulls (which can kill plants, by the way) and you don't have the little
bits of food that cling inside the hulls. Any hulled sunflower seed that
hits the ground is quickly eaten by doves, squirrels, sparrows--nothing is
left for a rat.
Since Fran mentioned road construction, my guess it that these are
displaced rats from the construction. Like her, I'm too tenderhearted to
set a trap, so when during the days long past when I put out extra food on
the ground for the squirrels, and did attract a rat, I caught him in a
Havahart trap and released him in a park 5 miles away. After that, no more
squirrel feeding! They can't even get into my feeder.
Patricia Wood
Silver Spring MD |