# will rats eat pigeons



## WALEED

Will rats kill pigeons and eat them.


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## spirit wings

yes..esp baby ones. Im afraid to ask what happend.. yikes.


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## WALEED

My female pigeon is no where to be seen today she usually stayed at home. I saw a rat today charging one my other pigeons so I was just wondering I guess I need to get rid of the rat.


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## spirit wings

WALEED said:


> My female pigeon is no where to be seen today she usually stayed at home. I saw a rat today charging one my other pigeons so I was just wondering I guess I need to get rid of the rat.


better to shore up the loft so the rat can't get in. I don't blame her for going off if they are being harrassed by rat or rats.


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## WALEED

Its not next to the loft, and my lift is high up and rat proof. I have a rabbit cage right next to where I feed my pigeons and I just saw it today, I think its chewed through the cage and setting up a nest on the hay. I can't deal with it today so ill have to do it tomoz.


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## spirit wings

WALEED said:


> Its not next to the loft, and my lift is high up and rat proof. I have a rabbit cage right next to where I feed my pigeons and I just saw it today, I think its chewed through the cage and setting up a nest on the hay. I can't deal with it today so ill have to do it tomoz.


I don't know what your set up is like but if the rat was charging one of your pigeons then that means a rat and pigeon were some place where this happend..so change it when you can.


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## Quazar

WALEED said:


> Its not next to the loft, and my lift is high up and rat proof. I have a rabbit cage right next to where I feed my pigeons and I just saw it today, I think its chewed through the cage and setting up a nest on the hay. I can't deal with it today so ill have to do it tomoz.


Tomorrow may be too late, you may lose other birds between now & then.


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## MaryOfExeter

Rats will eat holes in the crop/back of baby pigeons to get the seeds from the crop. The bigger rats will attack and can kill adult birds at night. I know we have members here who have seen the result of a bunch of rats that went through the loft. I've only had baby birds eaten by rats luckily. Fixing all the holes in the loft should keep them out. Half inch or Quarter inch wire too. Also remove all the food at night so you don't attract anything to the loft.


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## WALEED

ok thank you my loft is safe its just outside i checked the rabbit cage and there was no sighn of the rat i guess it just passes through there but just to be on the safe side i need to get rid of it. do you know any way of killing the rats without one my birds being in danger.


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## MaryOfExeter

You could use live traps where the rats go in but can't get out  Then just take them with you on the way to work or something and let them go somewhere else. That's the safest way and cheapest - you can use the traps over and over again.


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## beatlemike

http://youtu.be/YtOMHH_v0Qg


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## NZ Pigeon

Really??, let the rat go somewhere else - then it becomes someone elses problem. Are they a pest over there, Over here we are told to kill them as they wipe out our native bird life.

I would put it in a sack and then over the exhaust pipe of the car, Turn it on, Wait a few mins and your done, Most humane way I can think of aside from taking it to the vet.


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## spirit wings

he could take it to the city where it could open up his own resturant where the main dish is ratatouille..lol..


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## abluechipstock

i had rats in my barn and had baby cochin bantams with their mother they would steal the babies right from under here, i hate them with a passion!


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## abluechipstock

oh and if you see a rat, theres already a bunch there!!!


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## WALEED

I think I might just use an air rifle to kill them.


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## Jay3

abluechipstock said:


> oh and if you see a rat, theres already a bunch there!!!


Was just going to say that. And I hate them too! You will never catch them all with live traps. They breed faster than you will catch them. And if you are seeing them out during the day time, there are usually lots of them.


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## MaryOfExeter

NZ Pigeon said:


> Really??, let the rat go somewhere else - then it becomes someone elses problem. Are they a pest over there, Over here we are told to kill them as they wipe out our native bird life.
> 
> I would put it in a sack and then over the exhaust pipe of the car, Turn it on, Wait a few mins and your done, Most humane way I can think of aside from taking it to the vet.


Sigh. Although I agree with you and I personally kill rats and mice, I said it for sake of not getting yelled at. I suggested poison and sticky traps to someone once on here and found out I'm not supposed to talk about killing them and should use live traps.


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## switchbackmat69

lol.....I shoot every one I see. somtimes a little over kill, but I know they won't be back again. I don't like poison because I have 4 dogs, and two cats. none of the above have ever went after a pigeon. I even seen a pigeon peck agt my labs tail. the point is i verry seldome have any unwelcomed guests between the 6 of them.


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## NZ Pigeon

MaryOfExeter said:


> Sigh. Although I agree with you and I personally kill rats and mice, I said it for sake of not getting yelled at. I suggested poison and sticky traps to someone once on here and found out I'm not supposed to talk about killing them and should use live traps.


I have read entire threads on here about trapping and killing rats so I assumed it was ok.

If you agree why the sigh? No need for that kind of BS Becky.


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## Msfreebird

I'm one of those people that had half my birds slaughtered in a rat attack inside my loft. It was about 4 years ago and I still can't get the mental picture of what I walked into that morning out of my mind  That is why I push so hard for people to use 1/4 and 1/2 wire mesh in their lofts and flight cages.
You will NEVER get rid of all the rats.....and if you see ONE - there's a whole family of them! You can do what you can to deter/eliminate them, but its a never ending battle. Priority is to SECURE YOUR LOFT so they can't get inside.
I have to be careful what I use around my yard because I have dogs, cats and goats in the yard. Unfortunately live traps don't work for rats...their too smart for that. You might get 1, but when the others see it......you won't get anymore. Been there, did that! Now I flood holes with the hose, and concentrate on making sure my lofts are secure.


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## switchbackmat69

could use LP. I know thats what a lot of farmers do with gophers here.


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## Msfreebird

switchbackmat69 said:


> could use LP. I know thats what a lot of farmers do with gophers here.


What's LP? (it's Sunday morning....I don't like to think too much  )


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## egpigeon

WALEED said:


> Will rats kill pigeons and eat them.


Yeah. you have to keep them away


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## switchbackmat69

liquid propane. you run it in the hole and it gasses them


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## egpigeon

Trap mice without toxins


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## Jay3

switchbackmat69 said:


> liquid propane. you run it in the hole and it gasses them



How does it kill them when they have lots of holes that run out from the same burrows? I have tried that thing you buy and put in the holes that is supposed to do that, but it says you have to find and cover or fill in all the other holes, or it will just leak out that way. Also, you can't use them near the loft, as if there are holes that run under the loft, the gas will come out there and can poison your birds. You have to be careful with stuff like that. You can see like a smoke that it emits when it is working. It's something you light.


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## Charis

I recognize that rodents are a huge problem...they have been for me as well. Still, talk of killing them them and the ways to kill them is in violation of the rules of this forum.

As much trouble as they cause, I still know they are living creatures and have a similar reputation, with many people, as pigeons do. I hope this point isn't lost on anyone.

Waleed..the question has been answered ... *rats will kill pigeons.*


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