MICE & RATS REPELLERS: ARE THEY ANY GOOD OR A WASTE OF MONEY?

[Toby_Zaphod]

We've been at this yard for around 6 years, lovely place, but I think we've got unwelcome lodgers. I know that at most yards you will get mice & rats so all feeds are kept in bins with lids & we sweep up so nothing is left out that they may be interested in. We have a great mouser, getting on a bit old now but still catches them. I'm a bit daft about animals, I don't want to use traps that kill so I was wondering about fitting various sonic/ultrasound boxes to keep the vermin away. I've been considering battery powered so I can fit where I want . I've looked at loads & read the feedback which is so mixed. Some say they work others say they're a waste of time & money, the split is around 50/50. Do any of you on the forum have any first hand experience of these devices, good or bad, so I can make an informed decision please?

 

[Highmileagecob]

We have an ongoing battle with rats, as the neighbouring farm doesn't seem to deal with their share. When we start seeing them on the yard, we put rat poison in the drain heads and in the known rat runs. We do not have dogs or cats on the yard, and just go for the basic option to clear them off before the breeding season starts I'm afraid.

 

[vhf]

I have a sonic deterrent in the loft. Been up there nearly eight years now (mains power). It went there because we unearthed a huge rat nest in the insulation when renovating
Since then, we have heard 'someone' up there every autumn but have had no evidence of any rat squatters, though we know they are around the outbuildings periodically. We have however caught 2-3 mice up there each year, and a couple of shrews, in the electric and snapping traps that go up when we hear scuffling. I suspect that they don't like the noise of the deterrent when they arrive to check the potential penthouse accommodation out. On one occasion we're 99% certain a rat went up there, tried to run away from the noise and fell down the chimney in its hurry! I'd be surprised if it drove out a resident population though.

The feral (ish) cats used to do a great job of keeping the outdoor pest population down, but have apparently retired from rat hunting now so we resort to an air rifle or (carefully managed) poison for the rats when we have to. When we can we operate live and let live, but I'm afraid the rats are not welcome.

 

[luckyoldme]

I go to recycling sites all over Scotland.
The only places where you don't see rats are the places with cats.

 

[Nasicus]

I go to recycling sites all over Scotland.
The only places where you don't see rats are the places with cats.

You should come to my yard then, they seem to co-habit quite nicely in the barn with our two barn cats, useless lumps!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

You should come to my yard then, they seem to co-habit quite nicely in the barn with our two barn cats, useless lumps!

?? sound like my two. They are awesome ratters but think catching them is a game and dropping them still alive at my feet is what is required. They then stroll off while I leg it in the opposite direction.

 

[Birker2020]

I can't speak for these devices but if was a YO given the cheap price of them I'd try them, got to be so much cheaper than Rentokill.

I know its not the same thing but Mum has a spider deterrent in her house and hasn't seen a spider in about 9 months now.

 

[rextherobber]

I bought a battery mouse repellent for the tack room a few months ago, it seems to work, haven't seen any more mouse poo, but am worried it will also repel the swallows when they return. It doesn't claim to work for rats, so guessing it doesn't? Also, gave me a nasty moment a few nights ago, (and a trip to the yard in my pj's) when I did a late night check on the Reolink cameras and heard an alarm going off - apparently, they sound a constant audible to humans alarm when the battery needs replacing.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Thanks for all the replies, I suppose it's a suck it and see really. I'll buy a couple, set them up & see what happens. I'll report back with what happens.