# Advice: Rodents in the Barn



## peneloppe (Dec 27, 2013)

So, we've got the prevailing problems of rodents pests, both mice and rats, in our tack and feeding rooms, gnawing through the haversack containing feeds as well as sharpening their teeth on our leather tacks. Not to mention leaving their droppings everywhere, fouling the room and making it unhygienic. I'm hoping for a humane solution to deterring the invasion of rodents. 

I've search around the net and found there's a few ways to go about resolving this issue:

1) Rodent poison 
We've tried poison and the rodents are smart enough to figure not to go near that thing and as we were afraid our other animals would ingest it instead, we decided not to use poison.

2) Rodent traps - either live or instant kills
Pretty much the same for rodent traps, I suppose once they see other rodents before them trapped/killed, they learnt not to approach these traps.

3) Glue traps
Glue traps - alright, it's pretty effective but I'm very disturbed by the bloody scene. It's awful and torturous for them to go struggling for hours and then gnaw off their own limbs to try to escape. Needless to say, I convinced the rest to stave off glue traps.... and then being answerable to the bold rodents invading the barn again.

4) Barn cats, Jack Russells or Chickens
We have some pretty territorial dogs and poultry, which unfortunately do not catch rodents. Due to their territorial nature, attempts to introduce other dogs and cats are complete failures. Therefore, a barn cat is pretty much out of the question. 

5) Peppermint oil
I heard putting moth balls or cotton balls in peppermint oil works wonders. Or simply having peppermint plants around rooms deters rodents as it stinks up their noses. Anyone tried it and how effective was it?

6) Big metal containers
We haven't been able to find metal containers big enough to store the feed, which I think measures 80 cm x 50 cm and we keep around 8- 10 sacks at any one point, stack on top of each other. Needless to say, there's also the problem of getting the metal container into the tack room, even if we do manage to find one, as well as space constraint. However, it would be great if someone can provide insights in the use and arrangement of metal containers!

I feel really sorry for the rodents trapped in the glue traps, it's quite heart-wrenching watching them slowly bleed to death. Hence I'm trying to find an alternate solution if not, everyone's going to veto for glue traps (or brutal death clubbing)


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## bkylem (Sep 21, 2013)

It seems like it becomes a matter of priority.
You have tried every method you know to remove or eliminate them from the premises and you finally found one.
I think you simply have to continue utilizing the glue-traps until a better solution comes along.

It just seems like a logical approach to what could become a potential health hazard.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Large metal garbage cans hold 100 pounds {2 bags} of feed/grain and to my knowledge are rodent _unfriendly_...haven't found a rodent that chews through metal of a garbage pail yet. Closes with tight set-on lid...place a cement block on the lid for extra protection...
Otherwise you need to animal proof with heavy small screen your feed storage area, basically a room with a hard closing door...maybe till the rodent problem is addressed doing a room large enough for feed and tack to be "safe" is the better idea.

I've found if you have mice you don't have rats and if you have rats you don't usually have mice...they don't co-habitate to well...competition for food you know.

There is also a feed through rat bait that is more "humane" than some others... "One-Bite" think it was called... 
1 bite, the rodent then gets a drink and dies... not chewing off of limbs, no mess just dead animals. 
You push a hard pre-measured piece into the rodent hole, gently cover it and watch... a few days later bet you see evidence of the decreasing herd of rodents...you will see or smell the animals either way they are gone.

If you can remove your feed to a place away from your tack kept that might stop the sacrificing of the tack some too....
Personally, till the rodent problem is under control...my tack would not be left in a place where it could be chewed on...my car trunk is safer.

Rat droppings like any feces are full of disease carrying germ and bacteria...you may just need to get over the "bloody" sight and do what you must to rid the rodents... make sure your horses are fully vaccinated knowing you have a serious issue happening... your vet will advise you what you need in addition to the core vaccinations to protect your animals better..

Good luck.


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## Chasin Ponies (Dec 25, 2013)

Very strange that the cats didn't work out! We have about 6-12 stray cats around the stable at any given time. For years we never had a single rodent of
any kind even though the cats were fed some cat food.
Then the barn owners started over-feeding the cats twice a day and the mouse population is now becoming a problem. I'm waiting for them to snack on one of the boarder's $5000 show saddles! 
Cats (not house cats) are great at controlling the problem but you can feed them so much that they get lazy. Seems to me you have to keep more than 1 or 2 though.


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## peneloppe (Dec 27, 2013)

Cats didn't work out because our territorial dogs couldn't stand them and wanted to attack any kitties we brought back! For the safety of the cats, we thought its best not to introduce any new animals. 

It seems that One-bite is a really popular rat bait, the other brands I had tried was not effective at all. Some suggested enticing them with rat bait coated with peanut butter. Is that a good suggestion?

Rats and mice here strangely co-exist with each other. Bad news for us since we have too many tacks to be stored in the trunk.

Sigh, I suppose if I can't find a solution soon, it may be glue traps, which I still do not like. In the meantime, I'll probably seek out the openings in the barn that these rodents are gaining access from.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Look for openings coming into stalls from under the walls...buggars burrow I found underneath a 12' wide aisle way...found the holes under the water buckets in the stalls, that was my first positive clue it was rats not mice when I saw the size of the openings...battle on it was!!

I won, they lost...but once won we never not had repellant down and watched closely.
Winters like this one of heavy snow and bitter cold we would have more issues as the rodents did come in from the fields and manure pile area...

Vigilance and not being squeamish...I stabbed many a rat with my pitchfork when it was me or it...it lost!!

Rats are not shy and will challenge you. Look up and be careful if you have open rafters...they run them and sometimes can jump down I saw...ick!!

Make certain your horses are well protected as rats do bite the horses if cornered but do try to escape that large animal.

Good luck.


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

if it is just mice,5 gallon pails with a sniff of feed in bottom make great traps.They crawl in & can't get out Rats well that's whole new problem...no experience with that,just Glad we don't have rats living in our parts


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## quinn (Nov 8, 2013)

What about a recording of hawk noises? :lol: 
I vote for metal cans.
I've never tried them, but I've heard of this plug-in that makes a high frequency noise that humans can't hear but will drive rodents away. I've seen trucks around here with something similar for deer.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## peneloppe (Dec 27, 2013)

So far, those critters never do venture into close proximity with our horses, only the tack and feeding room. 

I go for prevention rather than the kill, makes more sense as I do not want rodents in the first place. The killing part only means that they have started their gnawing and food stealing. 

I'd decided to try planting peppermint or the mint family around the rooms as well as putting mint inside the rooms. I heard that even peppermint flavoured gum can ward them off. In addition to mothballs, soaked with peppermint oil. If that fails (WHICH SHOULD NOT), I'll give the sound frequency method a try... if not I'll try to do some trapping. 

Ps. every horse owners should find this a good read. 

Update everyone again!


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## peneloppe (Dec 27, 2013)

This is what we did:

1) We cleaned out the rooms and removed any droppings to make it "foreign" smelling to rats to discourage them from coming
2) Placed moth balls around
3) Had some peppermint placed in the rooms

And it failed :/


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

peneloppe said:


> Rats and mice here strangely co-exist with each other. Bad news for us since we have too many tacks to be stored in the trunk.


Not that it really makes a difference, but are you sure they are rats? We live in the middle of a corn field, and those field mice get pretty darn large.


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## peneloppe (Dec 27, 2013)

They definitely are rats and mice as we caught them in our glue traps. I know my rodents more than my equines


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

mint plants do not work.. put some around my house and they had mice nest and a rabbit nest.
You can get traps that allow the mouse or rat in but not out and place the poison in the trap my dogs dont mess with these type of traps.
if you are using the spring trap set it with peanut butter. they love the stuff they are junkies for it, but then draw back to that is my dogs are peanut butter junkies too..
moth balls, make sure no cat or dog can get them. 
I have poured bleach down mouse holes and mopped the tack floor with the bleach. 
good luck , i battle the nasty things near my house , on my patio and potted plants.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

We have large metal cans and even larger metal cans as our cans hold 3 sacks of 50# each and the others 2 sacks of 50# each. We have a corn snake in each area there is feed (horses on two different pieces of property) that keep any that try to move in out. We do occasionally have a problem when the snakes discover the hen house. Then they get relocated and we bring in another snake. As long as there are small animals for it to eat it usually takes years for it to go looking for food. Now that the neighbors cleaned out the coyotes and fox the squirrels and rabbits are taking over and the snakes can't keep up.


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