Last night a vicious rat found a way to dig into my existing birdroom and aviary from outside. I lost chicks from nests, chicks in breeder cages which were maimed and had to be put down, and I also lost 6 adult birds. I have spent most of today blocking holes, shifting cages, dealing with stressed birds, euthenasing maimed chicks and budgies

( good ones too ). A very, very bad day. Just before we start using the new birdroom too, but it wasnt quite ready. It won't be ready for maybe another week unless I can pull a miracle out of a hat over tomorrow.

Edited July 25, 200816 yr by KAZ

That's awful Kaz!! Has your new bird room got concrete floors so they can't burrow in?

That is shocking. As much as I like rats as pets I don't like them when they do things like this!

Oh no Kaz... I'm so sorry. Biggest hugs for you

That's awful Kaz!! Has your new bird room got concrete floors so they can't burrow in?

Yes. The old birdroom also has solid floor....cement slabs, But the rat found a way in just the same.

Bugga !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bugga !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For sure, Derek. The thing is too, the rat has quality tastes in budgies. He ate or maimed the best chicks, he ate some $150 budgies not the $10 or $20 kind, he even slected some fat pink babies from some nests....removed the lids and took them straight from the nests too. It ate pink babies whole, maimed the nearly ready to fledge and newly fledged babies ( they had to be put down ), he killed adults but ate the heads and innards and left the bodies. It was a horrible sight to see. I have felt sick all day over this.

I am so sorry for your losses, that is awful that even with a concrete floor they found a way to get it.

OMG!!! I am so sorry What a HORRIBLE DAY!!!!!

I hope you get the filthy rat

OMG!!! I am so sorry What a HORRIBLE DAY!!!!!

I hope you get the filthy rat

We have traps set tonight inside, and the dogs will get anything outside.

OMG!!! I am so sorry What a HORRIBLE DAY!!!!!

I hope you get the filthy rat

We have traps set tonight inside, and the dogs will get anything outside.

 

I know I don't really have to say it but be careful because as you know the blighter/s will be back for sure.

so sorry to hear this. just when you think you have done everything to protect your birds, this happens.

I feel sick even reading this

We've had one rat who we've seen (about 4 x a large mouse size) in one of our cabinets and we've had mice who dug into my love bird aviary!!!

 

Since we first saw it we've had rat sack down behind the cabinets, no sign of any rats back now, although the holes keep re-appearing in the love bird aviary :@

When we get time and good weather and when the chicks they have have come out we will remove the adults to move the aviary and pave the floor! very un impressed!

I'm very thankful we've not had any dead birds from it... Although we found a dead mouse in the lovebird box, with the babies and the mum!!!!

Comes with the territory of bird owning i spose if seeds and husks and what not are around to entice them!

 

Very sorry for your losses Kaz, this hasn't been a good month recently for you

Sorry to hear that news Kaz, I’ve had trouble in the past where they pulled the legs of Canaries through the bars of cabinets. I discovered a young rat in one of my bird rooms the other day & it ran behind the cabinets, I put some poison down & some was eaten but haven’t seen any signs of it again, so I hope I got it. I hope you don’t have any more trouble.

No good Kaz, wouldve been heart breaking to walk out to that

A few months ago one of the bird papers had an article on rats, they reckon they get a desire for meat when they have young. This would probably coincide with the last attack, the young from last time having their first litter maybe.

Is this another Rat incident or the same from the other month??

 

I hate rats!! Poor Little guys! what a way to go!

Eaten alive.

I have never heard of rats eating through concrete, unless the slab is a home job with the hardness of a stale Anzac biscuit.

 

I hope you have taken all this into account with your new aviary. Maybe you should have had some wire layed through the middle of concrete floor?

Edited June 14, 200816 yr by throwback

Is this another Rat incident or the same from the other month??

 

I hate rats!! Poor Little guys! what a way to go!

Eaten alive.

I have never heard of rats eating through concrete, unless the slab is a home job with the hardness of a stale Anzac biscuit.

 

I hope you have taken all this into account with your new aviary. Maybe you should have had some wire layed through the middle of concrete floor?

The rat didnt eat through the concrete. He seemed to have made or widened a gap above concrete slabs and between a wooden post and some sheetmetal...that was in the birdroom. Also there was a tunnel out in the aviary which unfortunately has soil floors.....soon to change with a rebuild.

 

Previous rat incident was in my husbands aviary.

 

Last night no rat caught in the traps set and no evidence it was in at all.

Edited June 14, 200816 yr by KAZ

I hope you have taken all this into account with your new aviary. Maybe you should have had some wire layed through the middle of concrete floor?

 

Spot on TB ....

Rats can eat and burrow through concrete where a mouse can not ......

This is proven with my next door neighbours due to them having a chicken farm.

They have huge holes from rats eating the concrete ..

I have alot of mice at present and I can not lay baits out incase the mice eat it and end up in the avairy pooing and the budgies

then eating their poo ( FATAL ERROR) ... So i have traps out and a BIG BROOM TO PLAY HOCKEY WITH THEM of a night .....

 

The joys of living on property

 

I can't believe that the rats got the good birds Kaz, Darn it mate .... There is no way i would have been able to cope with that sight ..

I really hope that things pick up for you mate, really I do

sorry here about your rat probs here is a good tip

put some steel wool in hole and use expanding form fill in the gap the rat will not eat through the steel wool

and put some Eucalyptus oil (cap full) and water in a bowl (fish tin ) on top of your breeding unit and rat and mice will not come into your aviary as thay dont like the smell and it make you bird room smell good too

I hope you have taken all this into account with your new aviary. Maybe you should have had some wire layed through the middle of concrete floor?

Spot on TB ....Rats can eat and burrow through concrete where a mouse can not ...... This is proven with my next door neighbours due to them having a chicken farm.They have huge holes from rats eating the concrete ..I have alot of mice at present and I can not lay baits out incase the mice eat it and end up in the avairy pooing and the budgiesthen eating their poo ( FATAL ERROR) ... So i have traps out and a BIG BROOM TO PLAY HOCKEY WITH THEM of a night .....The joys of living on property I can't believe that the rats got the good birds Kaz, Darn it mate .... There is no way i would have been able to cope with that sight ..I really hope that things pick up for you mate, really I do

So i have traps out and a BIG BROOM TO PLAY HOCKEY WITH THEM of a night ..... Ya crack me up Neat!! I haven't seen any mice or droppings in mine. But I thought more about keeping stuff out then the birds in when I was planning it. Hopefully touch wood it is actually 100% vermin proof!

Is this another Rat incident or the same from the other month??I hate rats!! Poor Little guys! what a way to go!Eaten alive. I have never heard of rats eating through concrete, unless the slab is a home job with the hardness of a stale Anzac biscuit.I hope you have taken all this into account with your new aviary. Maybe you should have had some wire layed through the middle of concrete floor?

The rat didnt eat through the concrete. He seemed to have made or widened a gap above concrete slabs and between a wooden post and some sheetmetal...that was in the birdroom. Also there was a tunnel out in the aviary which unfortunately has soil floors.....soon to change with a rebuild. Previous rat incident was in my husbands aviary. Last night no rat caught in the traps set and no evidence it was in at all.

Maybe he's full!!

Edited June 14, 200816 yr by throwback

Maybe he's full!!

I certainly hope so

sorry here about your rat probs here is a good tip

put some steel wool in hole and use expanding form fill in the gap the rat will not eat through the steel wool

and put some Eucalyptus oil (cap full) and water in a bowl (fish tin ) on top of your breeding unit and rat and mice will not come into your aviary as thay dont like the smell and it make you bird room smell good too

 

 

Does that eucalyptus oil in water really work? If it does, I might hang some in my aviary, using a method that prevents the birds getting to it, but the smell would not annow them and if it keeps rats and mice out, that would be fantastic.

 

The steel wool is an excellent idea. I am going to use that as well.

 

Thanks for the tips. I know they were meant for kaz, but the best thing about this board is that we all share and learn.

I am so sorry for your loss Kaz im sure that was a very distressing day for you having to clean it all up aswell its so sad when you lose a baby even the ferrel ones that bite! you get attached so easily to the little buggers especially the ones that cost $150!!!! What birds did you lose that were worth $150? were they show birds?? Hopefully this is the last incident for you goodluck with the rest of the bubs

sorry here about your rat probs here is a good tip

put some steel wool in hole and use expanding form fill in the gap the rat will not eat through the steel wool

and put some Eucalyptus oil (cap full) and water in a bowl (fish tin ) on top of your breeding unit and rat and mice will not come into your aviary as thay dont like the smell and it make you bird room smell good too

 

 

Does that eucalyptus oil in water really work? If it does, I might hang some in my aviary, using a method that prevents the birds getting to it, but the smell would not annow them and if it keeps rats and mice out, that would be fantastic.

 

The steel wool is an excellent idea. I am going to use that as well.

 

Thanks for the tips. I know they were meant for kaz, but the best thing about this board is that we all share and learn.

 

the eucalyptus oil in water will last for 5 days and you will have to change it , nice smell in the bird room

and keeps the rat & mice out , also moth balls do the same too

sorry here about your rat probs here is a good tip put some steel wool in hole and use expanding form fill in the gap the rat will not eat through the steel wool and put some Eucalyptus oil (cap full) and water in a bowl (fish tin ) on top of your breeding unit and rat and mice will not come into your aviary as thay dont like the smell and it make you bird room smell good too

Very good tips...thankyou very much

I am so sorry for your loss Kaz im sure that was a very distressing day for you having to clean it all up aswell its so sad when you lose a baby even the ferrel ones that bite! you get attached so easily to the little buggers especially the ones that cost $150!!!! What birds did you lose that were worth $150? were they show birds?? Hopefully this is the last incident for you goodluck with the rest of the bubs

The expensive birds were show birds.