Rats infestation in huts

Been thinking about exploring some back country huts. But previous experience with rats is putting me off the idea.
Haven't been to any larger serviced huts, which probably gets treated regularly. The remote huts seem to be at higher risk.
Had a few instances where the hut was infested and I didn't bring a tent. Worried that I might wake up with a nose or ear missing, I walked out in the dark. Not a pleasant experience.

Any suggestions? Would something like this work?
https://www.pestrol.co.nz/buy-online...ygx5vpnqIwjB7T
Bit lighter than carrying a tent lol.

They are complete bollox. Had a commercial sized one and just drove the people crazy with its whine and the birds and rats and mice took no notice.

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Originally Posted by XR500

They are complete bollox. Had a commercial sized one and just drove the people crazy with its whine and the birds and rats and mice took no notice.

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:TT TT:

take in 3-4 rat traps with peanut butter light easy to carry - block bigger holes if you can - quite often around the fire place - dont leave food out - hang it up if there is rat sign - and yes those sonic rat scares are bollocks

Don't get too invested in worry , at worst you could have a story to tell.
One night i was dreaming that i was patting the cat in bed before the brain sparked up and realized i was camping on the desert road. Not sure if the ferret or me got the biggest scare. ! I do know i slept alot better the nxt night though after i smacked the shit out of it with a Manuka stick after it came back for cuddles

Yes, carry a couple of Victor rat/mice traps in your pack. Like said - peanut butter is the go. Generally mice and rats do not cohabit the same area - rats will eat mice. Good luck on your travels.

Some good advice there.
And you can do your bit for conservation by helping keep our backcountry pristine and carry in a bucket of Rat Bait.
But don't just spread it around or toss it under the hut, It'll only get carted away and stored in just one or two nests.
Nail it to pieces of firewood and leave it in dry sheltered places.
Or if you visit a campsite regularly.... Leave a couple of Victor #1's, that you've pre hair triggered, permanently nailed around the camp perimeter.
But don't leave them set when you walk out. That's just too cruel if you catch a possum and it lingers for days in the trap.
In just one camp over 2024, I caught 26 rats, 1 mouse, 5 hedgehogs, 7 possums and 1 cat
The easy thing is, it all happens while your sleeping :)

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Some good advice there.
And you can do your bit for conservation by helping keep our backcountry pristine and carry in a bucket of Rat Bait.
But don't just spread it around or toss it under the hut, It'll only get carted away and stored in just one or two nests.
Nail it to pieces of firewood and leave it in dry sheltered places.
Or if you visit a campsite regularly.... Leave a couple of Victor #1's, that you've pre hair triggered, permanently nailed around the camp perimeter.
But don't leave them set when you walk out. That's just too cruel if you catch a possum and it lingers for days in the trap.
In just one camp over 2024, I caught 26 rats, 1 mouse, 5 hedgehogs, 7 possums and 1 cat
The easy thing is, it all happens while your sleeping :)

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Thanks for the advice. Very impressive!

Some of the most hilarious moments in my life has been with mates trying to eradicate rats in huts with all manner of brooms

We have had a few scratches, bumps and bruises and sometimes we even get the dirty rat :)

A mate woke with a rat on his pillow, and unfortunately yelled out in a most girlish scream, I laughed so hard I could barely breathe, then I couldn’t get back to sleep :)

Had lots of fun nights at Waikare Whenua, and Hanamahihi and Waikare central etc etc
Man up matey, a shared experience is better than no adventure.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Some good advice there.
And you can do your bit for conservation by helping keep our backcountry pristine and carry in a bucket of Rat Bait.
But don't just spread it around or toss it under the hut, It'll only get carted away and stored in just one or two nests.
Nail it to pieces of firewood and leave it in dry sheltered places.
Or if you visit a campsite regularly.... Leave a couple of Victor #1's, that you've pre hair triggered, permanently nailed around the camp perimeter.
But don't leave them set when you walk out. That's just too cruel if you catch a possum and it lingers for days in the trap.
In just one camp over 2024, I caught 26 rats, 1 mouse, 5 hedgehogs, 7 possums and 1 cat
The easy thing is, it all happens while your sleeping :)

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But don't leave poison where it can be accessed by dogs.

And if you take some traps, tie them off to something with a bit of string so you don’t lose them.

I've been in a Canterbury high country station hut a few weeks after they had burned off a few hundred acres of scrub and tussock.
Day and night there were plagues of mice.
Dozens visible during the day
Hundreds visible at night.

A guy put out poison mixed with raspberry jam and it disappeared in an instant and nothing made any difference to the onslaught of mice.

Rats.
Jollie Brook hut many years ago and they were hanging from the rafters.
On you sleeping bags constantly at night.

Yep as Nimrod said, take a small bucket or ziplock bag with ratbait along with some nails, that way they can't carry it away. They will have a party the first night but start to get a bit quieter as the next nights carry out.

Awesome wait above Nimrod [emoji106][emoji108]

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a few rat mice facts for baiting very different animals to target - both require a poison that is tasteless so the anti coagulants are used - but they take to it differently- both put out small amounts over a few days - if you leave a lot of bait rats will simply take it away and store it as has been said on here - rats will try - thats nice - then try -again and again yum and then have a big scoff - mice wont do that and are hard to bait - the poisoned grain is the best - place somewhere dark and out of sight they are cautious - if you do take bait to a hut then some preparation - leave a sign in plain sight that you have laid bait and what it is - nail the baits to branches or timber and place well under hut - or use a commercial bait station - if you do -a medal- be neat if more made the effort - but traps work and have some fun - very satisfying to hear than ka-chink just after dark - we used to take a few gin traps for possums as dog tucker - hair trigged they catch rats fine same as victor ones - one thing in your favour normally there is not many at a hut - but mice plaques are not nice- to see dozens running around in the bush in broad daylight almost like a bloody nightmare

I am a light sleeper and so rats in huts make for a very average time. Just take a fly and camp a bit away from the hut. If need be just use the hut during the day or if the weather is crap.
One hut I stayed at last year, first trip I put out quite a bit of bait. Went back two weeks later and stayed for a couple of weeks.
There were 2 DoC 200 traps outside and I caught 26 rats over that time.
Goes to show how many rats can be around.

We were on the way to Westport for a 4wd trip a few years ago, and few 4wd's in convoy at night and it was a 'mast' year for the Rata. Man....the mice crossing the road was mind boggling. I was tail end Charlie and the guy up front was on the uhf describing what was happening. I was driving over squished mice and still cleaning up the hordes that were still crossing the road!.

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Some good advice there.
And you can do your bit for conservation by helping keep our backcountry pristine and carry in a bucket of Rat Bait.
But don't just spread it around or toss it under the hut, It'll only get carted away and stored in just one or two nests.
Nail it to pieces of firewood and leave it in dry sheltered places.
Or if you visit a campsite regularly.... Leave a couple of Victor #1's, that you've pre hair triggered, permanently nailed around the camp perimeter.
But don't leave them set when you walk out. That's just too cruel if you catch a possum and it lingers for days in the trap.
In just one camp over 2024, I caught 26 rats, 1 mouse, 5 hedgehogs, 7 possums and 1 cat
The easy thing is, it all happens while your sleeping :)

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ya still a weapon mate!

Yeah.... most back country users have hilarious stories to tell of rats in huts.
Mine is when staying in a rat infested Urewera hut and had my knife belt hanging on a nail in a stud.
I was least amused in the morning to see a rat had gnawed on the stitching of my $400 Bill Nikl Knife sheath
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put my hearing aids on the floor next to my bunk. Rats took them during the night.
Never seen again.

Sounds like the rats are upgrading, they will be able to hear everyone coming now with their bionic hearing

Heard a yarn from some scientist types doing some work on the Auckland Islands. They dug a small long drop for the two weeks that they were there for. The chaps were quite perplexed to find no paper or crap left after an hour or two after doing it. Rats were so hungry they ate it all. Let alone the tents prove no match for ratty and mates chewing through tent and into packs and sleeping bags. Worst two weeks of there life by all accounts.

Don't worry we will be predator free in 2050?

I'm not sure poison is a good idea, theres a good chance you can kill someones dog.

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Originally Posted by stickle7

Don't worry we will be predator free in 2050?

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:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

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Originally Posted by stickle7

Don't worry we will be predator free in 2050?

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:o:o:o:o:o and more laughs and chuckles that comment above should be in the funny section

The rats on a washing line :XD: love it

I've stayed in 15-20 different south island huts and never seen a rat, maybe 1-2 mice. Most have bait on boards or traps.

Seen and killed a few possums, a cat in Kaikoura and doing my part for Forest & Bird by shooting the odd deer ;)

I've never come across rats.at huts before, only mice and possums. If I'm staying at a hut I always carry a mouse trap and peanut butter. On a trip to Cass Saddle hut last autumn I killed 6 mice in one night... The hut was full and I had to sleep on the floor, the blighters were scampering around my head all night. Set trap, wait, snap!, fling deceased mouse into a corner, reset trap and wait for the next one. Didn't get a lot of sleep... 😄

Stayed in a hut on Stewart island some years back. Had to tie my sleeping bag down to stop the rats carting me off. Another bloke had a bite out of his face. Nasty experience for him.


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