Hi madfoxlady
Glad to hear that the rat has moved on. I’d be interested to know if the peppermint oil works.
Really good that the hogs are back and eating your offerings.
I’m not sure that putting random items around would deter the rats, but filling in bolt holes helps, I pour water down first just in case a rat is actually in there in the hope that it would come out (although they would be able to dig themselves back out).
As mentioned previously, I’m not keen on rats, but having seen a poor rat half dead from poisoning, I would not wish that on any living thing. And, yes, that particular one ended up in my garden and I have no way of knowing where it was poisoned. I was able to dispose of the body, but, as you say, it could have ended up elsewhere and been eaten by another animal. For some reason people seem to think of rats being in some sort of a different category, as if they couldn’t feel pain and fear.
