The newspapers often feature advertisements for ultrasonic mouse deterrents. I have not tried them since I have been assured by two people who have that they are not effective. Members’ experiences on this method would be welcome. The obvious alternative to traps is poison. I greatly dislike the use of poison since it can get into the food chain and because death is not swift. Presumably it could also poison a cat if a cat caught a mouse which had eaten poison. I look on poison as a last resort. However, to deal with rats and, in some situations, with mice, there seems to be no alternative. The mouse poison which you can buy in a hardware store is unlikely to be effective over the long term, since mice will eventually become immune to it. It is therefore advisable to contact the vermin control department of the local council. On one occasion I saw a rat in my garden and a very helpful man from the Council arrived with some blocks of poison placed inside small cardboard cartons. There


18 BIRD SCENE


is no charge for this service. If you as much as catch a glimpse of a rat, call the council immediately. Do not leave nest-boxes in position in outdoor aviaries all year unless you close the entrance by nailing wood over it. If a rat enters the aviary and finds a bird roosting inside, it will kill it and you are likely to find a headless victim.


If you place mouse poison in your bird room, don’t think all you have to do is


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48