It’s dark and cold and wet outside, and we’re sick of staring at our walls and wondering if that’s magnolia or nicotine, a rat or a mouse

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By ben_haworth

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Fresh Goods Friday 634: The Home Improvements Edition

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Green in a Kitchen is a big no-no.

Re the rats:

Eww all round

Sorry, but it’s more like wee all round- they’re incontinent so once they’re eradicated give everything a clean

Odd replacement seat clamp choice – they’re not known for their function, nor durability. Stock one is likely better.

Chocolate works on the mouse trap (well it did for me when I had a mouse in my office) traps are quick and more-humane than poisoned bait. They take the bait back to the nest, feed their off-spring and they die a slow death, then they rot and create a bit of a stink which you then have to locate and clear out.

Also if they get eaten after consuming the poison it passes into the food chain.

Yup, I don’t usually use bait, but I thought it was in the cavity walls rather than the loft, and I don’t have access to the cavities to set traps. Bought bait so I could shove it in some holes/cracks, had a spare piece which I left in the loft and it’s been taken. So, not just in the walls. Dammit.

“Charlie says… “What’s better than a Kitkat? Obviously a Kitkat Chunky is way better.”

Norwegian Kit Kats are immense, lots lots betterer!

Advice from RSPCA on rodents suggests that Hannah’s kill trap is more humane than Charlie’s humane trap. Releasing a caught rat or mouse is cruel:

As far as we are aware there has been no study of the outcome of catching rats or mice and releasing them elsewhere. Other rodents show very high mortality rates when translocated to an unfamiliar area. The same is probably likely to be true for many species of rodent: they will be unfamiliar with food sources and places of shelter; they may face aggression and competition from other rodents already occupying territory in the new area and are likely to be more vulnerable to predation.

UFAW guidelines

Release near the point of capture is unlikely to solve the problem as the animals are likely to return unless the premises have been effectively proofed. Release in an unfamiliar environment may have adverse welfare consequences as animals may have trouble finding food and shelter. Also if the area contains suitable habitat it is likely to already be occupied by other members of their species and may not support additional animals.

Sikaguard is much cheaper on Amazon and is only every a temporary fix but it does work but is a mess to apply .wear gloves wait till it’s dry then repeat every 12 months

Archie has those “pleeeeeease feed/tickle/play-with/walk/be-nice-to me” eyes. Bet he gets all these on a regular basis.

Nicotine? You mean fagnolia

Hannah’s kill trap is more humane than Charlie’s humane trap

Idk, I got the impression that the trap was largely functioning as a vector of rodent delivery into the gardens of local old gits. So possibly the humanity or otherwise of the trap is a secondary consideration.