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HeinSdL · 17-09-2023, 07:08

This rodent has made its way onto my boat while in a marina and is creating some havoc with the potential to create a lot more.

What to do please?

So far have used sticky mats and traps but rat was immune to these, moving towards poison with potential result dead rat somewhere hidden away...

Turtle Blues · 17-09-2023, 07:17

Sorry to be graphic. Warfarin based poison causes internal hemorrhage and uncontrollable thirst. Put a bucket of clean water close to the bait. There is a good chance it will die in the bucket trying to drink.

landsend · 17-09-2023, 07:44

We used a large rat trap on boat for a large rat. Worked well.
Used poison at home. Rat dragged itself from behind the appliance where we had placed poison and died in the middle of the kitchen floor.Most accomodating.

**boatman61** · 17-09-2023, 08:44

What you need is a piece of 2x4 about 6 inches long with a box cutter blade glued into a groove in the wood..
Wedge this into a space only access able from one side and place a piece of cheese the other side of the blade so the rat has to poke his head over the blade to get it.
After he's taken the cheese repeat a few times and he'll come to expect it there.
Finally, just wipe a bit of cheese on the wood to leave the scent to attract him again.. he will come along, stick his head over the blade attracted by the smell but finds no cheese however.. he cuts his throat as he looks side to side for the cheese he can smell.
Just grab the tail and toss overboard..

Cheechako · 17-09-2023, 09:06

Roughly 40% of raptor deaths are now attributed to rat or mouse poison. They easily catch and eat the dying rodents, then the raptor dies. There are non poisonous 'poisons' which attack the digestive system of only rodents. It's an epidemic really.
The best solution I have found at home though are just old fashioned spring rat traps.
These two were found in my yard within a couple years of moving in. The previous owner had used rodent poison all over.

senormechanico · 17-09-2023, 09:18

Youtube is full of trap ideas.

A five gallon bucket has been used in a lot of the videos.

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...to+catch+a+rat

markcouz · 17-09-2023, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Roughly 40% of raptor deaths are now attributed to rat or mouse poison. They easily catch and eat the dying rodents, then the raptor dies. There are non poisonous 'poisons' which attack the digestive system of only rodents. It's an epidemic really.
The best solution I have found at home though are just old fashioned spring rat traps.
These two were found in my yard within a couple years of moving in. The previous owner had used rodent poison all over.

This is very sad I agree, but a raptor is unlikely to find a rat that is poisoned on a yacht.

George_SD · 17-09-2023, 10:48

Honestly surprised you don't know every inch of the boat in order to quickly find it, but that's not relevant here.

Those ideas with the bucket and water from youtube work, i've tried it.

HeinSdL · 17-09-2023, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by George_SD

Honestly surprised you don't know every inch of the boat in order to quickly find it, but that's not relevant here.

Those ideas with the bucket and water from youtube work, i've tried it.

Am looking into the YouTube vids, that's helpful, thanks all.

Re your surprise, one of my few critiques of X-Yachts would be that there are spaces on board which are designed to never be reached again...

wingssail · 17-09-2023, 12:46

We had a rat once. We found tomatoes in the basket with bites out of them.

I bought a wire rat trap and placed a tomato in it. We found the trap sprung and a rat inside the next morning.

It was rather a nice animal, clean and sort of pretty, but not welcome in our boat.

I took the trap, with the rat inside, ashore and drove to a wooded area a couple of miles away and let him go.

Never saw him again.

skyl4rk · 17-09-2023, 12:49

Owltra electric rat traps work well and it's easy to dispose of the dead rat.

https://hiowltra.com/products/owltra-rodent-trap

**skipperpete** · 17-09-2023, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

This rodent has made its way onto my boat while in a marina and is creating some havoc with the potential to create a lot more.

What to do please?

So far have used sticky mats and traps but rat was immune to these, moving towards poison with potential result dead rat somewhere hidden away...

What[emoji844]just the one? I spent some time between Singapore and Port Klang in Malaysia so bought a yacht and kept it at the RSYC out on the island pontoon in the stream, the rats came every night and all food had to be suspended by wires from the cabin ceiling in bags or closed up in a refrigerator. It was so bad that the pontoon security guard ran a cagetrap line every night and simply hung the cages with rats in the water until activity ceased within, then committed the bodies to the deep. The rats can be very destructive and will quickly ruin bagged sails, stored inflatable dinghies , electrical wiring and any food they can sniff out. Oh, and they urinate everywhere so there’s a risk of disease from the presence of that as well.

Chotu · 17-09-2023, 19:39

get it quick. I had a rodent come on my boat a couple years ago.

Nearly lost the boat

it chewed through my solar wire which killed the batteries which stopped the bilge pumps and then during one of the big storms I lost a window. It filled up with rainwater.

Those things can do a lot of damage