Rat in my bird feeder😖 - Page 4

CJC · ‎03-11-2010

I was so used to feeding the birds in our former Ohio and S. Carolina yards, but can't do it at all down here in Florida. Rats everywhere, the large NY subway type rats. Yuk. I've tried hanging hummingbird feeders, but very few hummers down here compared to SC. I don't think the birds like congested FL any more than I do.

Dazlin · ‎03-14-2010

@CJC , surprised to hear this...I also live in Florida. I get lots of hummingbirds, and a nice variety of birds year long. I offer a good mix of seeds and add pumpkin seeds, mealworms and berry and nut,, and suets. As for the rat, this was a first for me. The horrible cowbirds are truly a nuisance. I use metal shepherd hooks to hang my feeders. I don't think a rat can climb up the smooth metal. Others here have mentioned greasing the poles, but haven't had to do that. I have one near a tree, and ill move it if necessary. Sorry it's not working for you, seeing the beautiful birds is so nice!

Wobin · ‎03-18-2010

@walkingal wrote:
I don't feed anything in my yard. Wildlife can take care of themselves. Our community has a major rodent problem, mostly rats. I have a pest control company coming to my house on a monthly basis. Neighbors on both sides of me feed birds, squirrels, and who knows what else. Squirrels are a nuisance. They come into my yard with their peanut shells that my neighbors feed them, and that attracts even more rodents!

Walkingal, Are we neighbors? Everytime I plant something I find peanut shells! And we have squirrels. When we took our car for service this week the technician warned us about rodents getting in the engine compartment to get warm and to chew on the wiring insulation which is now made from soy. Who knew? There are traps in the garage but so far haven't caught anything.

Shaunac · ‎09-22-2010

As long as you are feeding the birds, you are feeding the rats, too. Rats multiply quickly and can get into your home and cause serious damage. They also spread disease. Time to make a decision on whether feeding the birds is worth having rats around (and possibly in) your home. I stopped when I realized birdfood also attracts rats. I now only feed hummers.

Shaunac · ‎09-22-2010

@NeNe1010 wrote:
They make Bluebird feeders. The feeders have a 1 1/2 entrance hole on each side & we put dried mealworms in them. Larger birds cannot enter. I don't know about rats, It took the bluebirds on,y a few days to learn to use them we have two & generally have 5 to 6 bluebirds at a time. I got ours on Amazon.

Rats don't need to enter the feeder to eat. They enjoy whatever falls on the ground.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

Around here, rats also eat rose bushes, have killed several. I put wire over the tops and have planted society garlic in the pots and around the roses. I watched a juvenile, very cute, in broad daylight pluck a rose stem or two and carry them off. When I used to have cats, I would find headless large rats in the garden, but only see the juveniles in recent years.

One night, decades ago, my then Huskey/Black Lab mix took out an entire rat family within minutes, traumatized me so much, I was young and new this country life, but as years went on, I saw the damage the rats do to people's property, always have to lock cars if left outside, or they will move in.

I say live and let live, but not in my house. I am an animal lover, but rats can invade at an alarming rate, so we now have to keep packages of bait in the storeroom and garage. They can slip through the tiniest of cracks, no backbones, I believe.

Lilysmom1 · ‎11-08-2020

It is wise to consider your neighbours. My neighbour feeds the squirrels shell on peanuts. They are all over my yard. They also attract raccoons and other rodents. I have never said anything but I wish she would stop. If there was a rat issue, I think I would have to mention it.

While it's nice to see the birds, they can survive without your offerings. Locally scientists and natural resources people advocating against feeding the birds and animals as it creates a dependence on this source of food and the infestation problem eventually happens along with the need for rodent control measures.

silkyk · ‎03-03-2011

@Wobin wrote:
@walkingal wrote:
I don't feed anything in my yard. Wildlife can take care of themselves. Our community has a major rodent problem, mostly rats. I have a pest control company coming to my house on a monthly basis. Neighbors on both sides of me feed birds, squirrels, and who knows what else. Squirrels are a nuisance. They come into my yard with their peanut shells that my neighbors feed them, and that attracts even more rodents!
Walkingal, Are we neighbors? Everytime I plant something I find peanut shells! And we have squirrels. When we took our car for service this week the technician warned us about rodents getting in the engine compartment to get warm and to chew on the wiring insulation which is now made from soy. Who knew? There are traps in the garage but so far haven't caught anything.

YES! THIS! Our Ford Pickup was destroyed by rats chewing up the wiring. The mechanic said it was certain years that Ford switched to soy insulation so made it food for rats! Brilliant! Didn't any big brains at Ford kinda figure out this would happen to trucks...used on farms, ranches etc with RATS etc around. I think they did it on purpose! Very mad at Ford.

Another new name Sue · ‎03-11-2010

Rats chewed our car's wires. Repair was $500 but auto insurance helped some.

After that, I started putting out traps and caught 11 rats last summer. I use Authenzo traps from Amazon. I don't have the strength or courage to set the old fashioned wooden traps. I put the trap out for a few nights, unset, and put sunflower seeds around and in it. They become comfortable with the trap, then I set it and bingo.

GeorgiaJanet · ‎02-04-2019

I guess I have been lucky, or I am now jinxing myself, but my problem is the occasional squirrel. I have seen a rat run by underneath my back yard feeder years back and I see them occasionally in the very back of the yard and know they are around because my next door neighbor has food out for the cats all the time so she also feeds the rats, possums, raccoons and who knows what else.

I once had rats in the attic and heard feeders could draw them so I took it down for a few years. Then after the feeder was gone I also had a rat go to the front of the house and gnaw through the fascia board under the eave to get in, so I figured what the heck, they're out there anyway so I put my feeder back up. So far so good.

My hopper feeder is up on a pole and I have a squirrel baffle that is underneath it on the pole so it usually keeps out the squirrels, but once in a while I get a very acrobatic one that jumps up from the ground. I buy a chili pepper liquid from the bird supply store and mix that into my birdseed for a while and that gets rid of the squirrel. Birds don't have receptors to the hot chili like mammals do, so they contentedly keep right on eating.

Yes, the feeder is messy. I have a tray between the feeder and the baffle and have to empty sunflower hulls from that and they do fall underneath to the ground. But I love my birds so much I'll put up with the mess. My yard isn't really landscaped and tidy anyway.

Janet in Georgia