I’ve been trying to shoot/trap a large rat that has been sighted in my back garden feeding from the bird table - it shins up a 20mm diam painted steel pole with no difficulty to eat peanuts held in a wire cage.
I have a humane cage trap and also secure some reasonably firm bait in my “kill zone” under the feeders.
For several days the food in the trap has been eaten without triggering the gate (mouse or birds ??) and the kill zone bait undisturbed but this morning I noticed it had all gone and the trap had been sprung.
What was inside - not the rat but a hedgehog which I quickly let go unharmed.
The rat hunt continues!
I must buy some dog food to give our prickly friends an extra boost.
Rod