Guinea pigs attracting rats?

[scrumpy66]

We got our 2 baby Boys, Bolt and Lily, just over 2 weeks. They are in a hutch outside on the decking, but spend most of day inside in an enclosure.
The hutch is up against the house in a corner, so it is shaded.
My question is this. Since we got our piggies, we have acquired a rat problem. A rat (more than one?) has found it's way into our house via the downstairs toilet, which is next to where the hutch is.
Could the rat have been attracted by the smell of the guinea pigs do you think, it seems very coincidental that the 2 events happened at the same time?
We know it was a rat (kept finding holes in our hall carpet, outside the toilet door), as last night we trapped and killed it.
Don't shout me down for that please, I've had a friend have a go for not using humane traps, but sorry, rats are vermin, and humane traps would mean re-releasing it, and not solving the problem, I have 2 young children in the house, and 2 piggies to protect also.
Hubby has made sure the hutch is re-inforced, so hopefully piggies will remain safe.
Thought od having rats in the house has freaked me right out. I love all rodents (have 2 gerbils too), but really don't want disease ridden ones moving in!!

 

[flintstones]

I shalln't get into a moral debate, but I do think the rats were more than likely attracted by the pigs food and not the pig themself. Ther best thing to do is make sure there's no veg or dried food lying about that hasn't been eating by the pigs. Maybe consider moving them, our rabbit is out the back and when we place the run in a certain place field mice start appearing when the run is moved the mice don't come back.

Your husband did the right thing by securing the pigs as I have heard of rats killing pigs on more than one occasion and the pigs really don't stand a chance against a rat.

 

[clairelove]

we had a mouse problem a few months ago and we caught 13 in 2 days on traps,there was them many they were runing around in day light every time i moved a box or basket one was in,also one was under my lawn mower:...

the year before we had them in the house i had one run up my curtains while i was a sleep scared the life out of me:....

we caught 7 in the house...

we live near to feilds so keeping food and things away is the best thing as once you have a problems its very hard to sort it out,check any little holes and fill them in,double mesh your hutch so the holes are very small.

they say if you have rats then you **** have mice too x

 

[Logiebear]

Yes they do is the answer but it is more likely to be their food like another poster said. Make sure when it goes dark that there is no food left for the rats to smell. Make sure you fill in all holes and check them regularly as rats can chew through ANYTHING including wire mesh on hutches so check it every day.

We had mice 6 months ago but filled in the holes they were coming from and we haven't seen them since. Good luck with it xx

 

[slackalice2k]

You could call your local council and they should bring bait boxes, my council don't charge. They come and check them too, then take them away when there's been no activity.

I'm on first name terms with our rat man, I have traps under my hutches too, which I've been quite successful with.

We've never seen rats before this year, apparently the manhole covers have been up for roadworks and it's started the problem.

I have no problems with domestic ratties, but wild ones are a different story.

 

[caviaporcellus]

We got our 2 baby Boys, Bolt and Lily, just over 2 weeks. They are in a hutch outside on the decking, but spend most of day inside in an enclosure.
The hutch is up against the house in a corner, so it is shaded.
My question is this. Since we got our piggies, we have acquired a rat problem. A rat (more than one?) has found it's way into our house via the downstairs toilet, which is next to where the hutch is.
Could the rat have been attracted by the smell of the guinea pigs do you think, it seems very coincidental that the 2 events happened at the same time?
We know it was a rat (kept finding holes in our hall carpet, outside the toilet door), as last night we trapped and killed it.
Don't shout me down for that please, I've had a friend have a go for not using humane traps, but sorry, rats are vermin, and humane traps would mean re-releasing it, and not solving the problem, I have 2 young children in the house, and 2 piggies to protect also.
Hubby has made sure the hutch is re-inforced, so hopefully piggies will remain safe.
Thought od having rats in the house has freaked me right out. I love all rodents (have 2 gerbils too), but really don't want disease ridden ones moving in!!

Someone I know had this problem. Now she always keeps the lid down with a weight on it to ensure that no rats come in. It is a common problem with downstairs loos apparently. I never thought I would be glad I didn't have one (a downstairs loo that is).

we had a mouse problem a few months ago and we caught 13 in 2 days on traps,there was them many they were runing around in day light every time i moved a box or basket one was in,also one was under my lawn mower:...

the year before we had them in the house i had one run up my curtains while i was a sleep scared the life out of me:....

we caught 7 in the house...

we live near to feilds so keeping food and things away is the best thing as once you have a problems its very hard to sort it out,check any little holes and fill them in,double mesh your hutch so the holes are very small.

they say if you have rats then you **** have mice too x

Which traps do you use? We had a mouse come in a few weeks ago and it either won't go near the traps or it takes off the food without triggering the trap.

 

[CandyFloss]

I had rats earlier in the year...... I got them because I got a bird table and started feeding the birds and squirrels...but one day I opened my back door to let my dog out and there was a rat running towards us (what a fright I got!) .... anyway it all happened fast but the dog landed on the rat, I screamed for her to let it go, she did and it got away but it was squeeling like mad - I think she probably did it major damage because it was dragging its back legs.... it was horrible.....I know from that I couldnt kill one but understand its hard when you dont want disease spread by them.

I've not seen one since and that was maybe April or thereabouts and the holes they were digging have been filled in (by me) and theyve not re-made them (like they did every other time)....so maybe I only had one (unlikely) or they decided other gardens were safer....

i have also sprayed my garden with peppermint oil (the essence stuff diluted with water) as apparently they HATE that smell.....