Hi there

I noticed a blackbird making a nest in our hedge so we carefully put the CCTV camera on it. Today she was sat on the nest for parts of the day but we could not see if she had laid any eggs.

I turned the CCTV on again about an hour ago (10.00pm) but there was no blackbird. Instead there were 4 rats! All in and around the nest. I was not sure if they had eaten the eggs which I am assuming they will. What is the best way to get rid of them without harming the other animals? I saw my first hedgehog of the year today as well and don't want to harm it.

I don't really want to stop feeding the birds as I fear they are reliant upon me.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Rowena

You could buy a humane trap to catch the rats. It catches the rats alive so you can dispose or relase them however you want, and it won't harm any other critters like poison or rat traps could.

Humane traps are definitely the way to go, you can get some very effective ones and as The Stoop says they don't pose a risk to any other wildlife that might be around.

Sorry everyone, I have had to opt for very enclosed snapper traps and poison boxes. We have a serious investation and live in an estate with 20 ajoining gardens. We do not have a car at the moment so if we were to use humane traps we would have to walk 4 miles with one rat at a time to let it free. Horrible I know but if the neighbours see it might be the end of me and my chicken keeping / bird / hedgehog / feeding. They are all very strategically placed with rom only for a rat to get in and the poison has been going so hopefully Mrs Blackbird will have a chance at rearing her family soon.

The blackbird definitely had her egg eaten by a rat in the hedge last night. Heartbreaking to see when she spent all day sat on it. She has been sat on her nest today as well - maybe she has laid another egg that will get eaten tonight. She is completely unaware but I really do feel for the poor little thing...

I feel for them as well. I think it was a good idea you took drastic measures, but, that really was the very last thing to do. I think you done the right thing

Good luck with the traps, and let us know how the blackbirds do. If humane traps aren't really an option then that's the only way. It's another example of making a decision between one animal or another.

I can associate with this having had two rats in my garden recently. My concern was the diseases they carry and spread around the areas where my 2 yr old plays. No traps for me. Air rifle did the trick. Sorry rat fans!

This post was last modified: 22-04-2008 10:19 AM by Cornwall Birder.