Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP. Will look into hot pepper feed.
We are in Arlington. Arlington has rats. We hadn't seen any for a few years though.

Ewww.

Do you have rats in your houses too?

We don't have that issue in the burbs.

Nope - rats are everywhere, including suburbs and rural areas. In denser housing you are more likely to actually notice them, just as you are more likely to notice people out and about. But anywhere there are people living, there are rats.

Townhouses and rowhouses have the hardest time controlling rats because they have high density but individual trash management and yard care. (Apartments have high density but the rats congregate near the central trash which makes them easier to control.) That's why many townhouse complexes ban bird feeders.

Here is AI on the safflower seed I recommended:

"Safflower seed is less appealing to rats than other birdseed types like sunflower or corn, which are high in fat and protein. While safflower seed is less likely to attract them, rats can still be drawn to spilled seed on the ground or from other sources like trash and pet food.

To minimize rat attraction, use safflower seed, keep feeding areas clean by raking up fallen seed, use feeders with trays to catch spills, and store all birdseed in sealed, rodent-proof containers."

I switched to safflower only seeds. Squirrels hate it and they no longer come on our deck. Cardinals love it.

Walmart sells a 5lb bag for $8.98. Chewy sells a 7lb bag for $9.99.

We hang 2 feeders out from the 2nd story deck so any spillage goes on the grass.

I used to leave them out 24/7 until our cameras caught a mother bear and 3 cubs. She slung the feeders off the deck, but they weren't damaged. Now I bring them in every night.

We have outdoor motion activated night vision cameras. They pick up any moving thing, as large as deer, as small as a vole. In 6 years, it has never caught a rat.

Anonymous wrote:OP. Will look into hot pepper feed.
We are in Arlington. Arlington has rats. We hadn't seen any for a few years though.

Ewww.

Do you have rats in your houses too?

We don't have that issue in the burbs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Or, get some outdoor cats.

Then you get the brain worms.

You better not have dogs (they get toxoplasmosis, too!)

From the cats they eat. Eliminate the main vector and all is good.

Anonymous wrote:Are you in the city? We are in the suburbs. We have bird feeders and have never seen a rat or evidence of rats in our yard. Squirrels, yes. But we don’t mind if they snack on the spilled feed

They are there.

Get a friendly backyard 🐍. Problem solved.

There is also a hot pepper oil spray that you can spray on your seeds and mix well. The mammals will stay away from the feeders.

But, that is expensive. I am sure that you can buy chilli powder and peanut oil from Indian store and make your own DIY hot pepper oil at home that will be much less expensive.

OP. Will look into hot pepper feed.
We are in Arlington. Arlington has rats. We hadn't seen any for a few years though.

There is also a hot pepper oil spray that you can spray on your seeds and mix well. The mammals will stay away from the feeders.

But, that is expensive. I am sure that you can buy chilli powder and peanut oil from Indian store and make your own DIY hot pepper oil at home that will be much less expensive.

I only serve HOT PEPPER SUET for my birds. All mammals stay away from it. The birds love it. Especially in winters. You can even feed the ground feeders like doves and juncos with it. Just put it on tray feeders slightly above ground so that they don't get wet. You will also attract all your regular birds and a variety of wood peckers. They are the best.

Wear disposable gloves when handling it.

Are you in the city? We are in the suburbs. We have bird feeders and have never seen a rat or evidence of rats in our yard. Squirrels, yes. But we don’t mind if they snack on the spilled feed

A mounted will still have spillage. Rats still coming to yard.

Can you use a mounted bird feeder? They have them now with cameras and you can view the birds on an app if you aren’t able to catch them real time at the feeder.

Has anyone used RatX? It's supposed to be safe for predators, pets, etc.