Hi Nic, I hope you’re still using this forum, as you seem quite knowledgeable. I wonder if you can advise me re rat bolt holes? We’ve had rats before, as we have decking. Currently have a hole under the decking, and borrowing a friend’s trailcam confirmed we have a rat visiting. Not completely sure though whether the hole has been made by the rat or one of the hedgehogs – although both rat and hogs were caught on camera, none were seen emerging from the hole. I would like to block the hole up, but what if it is used by a hedgehog to sleep in during the day? I guess the safest thing is to block it at night, once the hogs are out and about – the rat didn’t show on the trailcam until about 3 am both nights. In the past the rats have simply dug themselves a new hole, so not sure it would work, but worth a try.
I also plan to only feed the hogs at dusk, and not refill later on, in case that attracts the rat. They get hog biscuits – we have a cat, and I don’t want to encourage other cats into the garden, so I don’t want to put cat food down.
I do have sunflower seed feeders in the a tree above the hole – I restrict fat balls to the front garden, as the starlings are messy and that was attracting rats. Goldfinches do drop bits of seed though, so I’m trying to clean up at dusk, to deter the rat.
Do you have any thoughts on my ideas? Anything else you could suggest? Thanks very much.
