Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Stuart- growing up I spent a lot of time at my grandfathers house/Sod buisness. He had a horrible rat problem in his work shed and would lay out the rat poison, then fill 2, 5 gallon buckets 3/4 with water and have a board leading from the ground to the top of the bucket. The rats would eat the poison, get thirsty, go up the board and fall off of the end into the bucket trying to get water. He would kill about 10 rats per day (for years). It may be an option though a bit grotesque.

Stuart, save your money on the electronic rodent controls...at best a temporary slightly effective measure. 2 options with rats/mice. Traps/poison. Glue boards or snap traps. Warferin based pellets.Snap traps are safer to other animals then glue boards, which can catch birds, lizards, frogs, and other small mammals. For a home, cleaning up food sources and then exclusion is the next step, but in an AP greenhouse/grow area, this is going to be impossible. I like the previous idea of .22 or air rifle...more sporting.lol The info on the secondary poisoning is correct, not much to worry about. The study that I saw was it would take 8-10 rats to effect a medium sized dog. They would have to be consumed , not just turned into a chew toy. Put the poison in a pet proof box, that eliminates other accidental poisonings. if they are trap shy, give them free samples for a few nights and then set the traps. Use multiple traps and set them along run ways, edges, etc. Good luck. The record in this area was 67 from 1 home! A very elderly lady, and a very disgusting home.

You could always build a few bucket traps too, although maybe scale it up a bit to account for the size of the rats.

Hey Joel, was that trout by the waterfall Boris? Well, mates with Ivan and C1

I'd go with the snap traps, put some peanut butter in the traps, and they'll usually go for it.

I like Ryan's idea though, if they are going for water, it'll keep it contained.

I'm a big fan of the "rat zapper". The mice/rats/squirrels go in for the bait - and get electrocuted! Runs of 4 AA batteries. No chemicals, just dead rats.

I have discussed getting heat lamps and a python with the missus.



The only way I think I could shoot a rat in my GH without hitting a GB, FT or GH itself would be if I was standing over the rat. Then there is a real chance that I would have a reason to post a picture not of my toes.

I can't believe I forgot about there hoarding habit. I think under would be more likely but even the chance of in is enough for me to forget the idea I think.

I'm more concerned about my food being eaten and worse the liners on my GBs being holed because it appears that they are borrowing under the GBs.


Yes but what is that going to do to my fish?



First of all I haven't. Second this thread is as much about ruling out the idea so I don't have to consider it any more and to salve my frustration. Third while warfrin is a poison it is also a medicine in appropriate doses so while I would like to avoid it if it where to solve my problem I'd consider it. Having considered it though I'm less keen than before I started this thread.

Ahh...snares. When I was in Scotland as a kid I learnt to use snares mostly for rabbits though. I remember once seeing the neighbour setting them on a bent stick for rats in the veggies garden.

The only thing is I think they are illegal in Australia.

Bugger sporting.


That is for a dog though. Fish are a lot more susceptible to many chemicals than mammals and crustaceans even more so.


I 've only got about 20 so far but a guy down the road said he stopped counting at 40.

That is genius.

Hi Stuart,

To address your direct concern abut dying rats ending up in your tank, I don't think it would be an issue. When I was a kid I'd find the occasional dead poinsoned rat in my small fish pond (only approximately 300L) and it never seemed to affect my koi or goldfish.

That said, the other points about the poison poo potentially ending up in your beds etc is probably worth considering. I'd try the good ol' neck breakers first, and move on to more drastic controls if that doesn't work.

The snap traps have stopped working hence the frustration.

That bucket trap posted by Azira is just the dogs gens,i want a rat now so i can build one...

You could build a big one for people