Water mice. What does a water rat look like and where does it live?

There are guinea pigs and water rats. There is no such animal as the sea rat. This is written about in each of the encyclopedic publications dedicated to the animal world and printed in printing houses, that is, they are completely official and accurate sources of knowledge that are trustworthy.

Moreover, at the beginning of the last century, this phrase meant rodents living on commercial and military ships. Of course, on modern ships rats are nonsense, therefore this phrase has lost its primary meaning. Now sea rats in colloquial speech called aquatic rodents.

Water rat

Like guinea pigs, rodents have no direct relationship with the water itself. The water rat is a large vole that likes to live close to bodies of water. You can meet it everywhere - from the Far Eastern coasts to Kaliningrad and, in principle, the entire European part of the mainland.

The sea rat, or, as more correctly, the water rat, and the muskrat, which is often called the same, are completely different animals. Although these animals have their own similarities. The water rat belongs to the Hamyakov family. Outwardly, it resembles a mixture of these same animals. Her tail is fluffy, with a small tassel at the very tip, and her muzzle is short and rounded.

In Latin the animal is called Arvicola amphibius, and in Russian it is called a water rat or a vole.

Water rat sizes

Water or sea ​​rat, a photo of which is not particularly difficult to find in any zoology reference book, is a very large animal.

The weight of one individual varies from 120 to 330 grams. The length of the sea rat can reach 250 millimeters. The smallest rodents grow up to 120 millimeters. The length of the tail is equal to two-thirds of the body, sometimes half. The brush at its tip grows up to half a centimeter.

In size, the sea rat is second only to muskrats, being the largest vole living on earth. The animals are well tamed and feel quite comfortable as pets.

Where do they live?

The sea or water rat got its name for a reason. Animals live near water bodies. It is very rare to find them near swamps. Rodents prefer rivers or lakes and are happy to make burrows nearby clean ponds, formed on the site of mined-out quarries.

During floods, animals migrate to drier places. After the water subsides to normal levels, they return to their burrows. However, the distribution of human habitation zones and its economic activity, made some adjustments to the lifestyle of water voles.

This animal can often be found in summer cottages, farm or state farm fields, and gardens. Unlike mice, water rats do not live indoors. This means that you won’t find a rodent in the basement, attic, pantry or barn. The animals live in burrows outside human buildings. In hot weather, animals do not use their homes, but settle down next to them in peculiar grass nests.

Rodents live gregariously, in large colonies, forming both linear and mosaic settlements. Therefore, if on garden plot a person encounters one water rat, this means that there are many more of them very close by.

Are they fertile?

Although the animals form large colonies or settlements, they themselves live in pairs. The love of love within the framework of “marriage” is quite great. During the season, the offspring in each of the rodent families reaches 70 individuals.

Of course water rat does not give birth to seventy cubs at a time. This is the total number, but during the season there are from 4 to 6 litters, their number is directly dependent on the climate and sufficiency of nutrition. Water rats breed without any calendar restrictions, throughout the warm season. Accordingly, the further south a colony of these animals lives, the higher its numbers.

What do they eat?

Thinking about who is better - a guinea pig or a water rat as a pet, one cannot ignore the diet of animals.

In nature, the menu of the water rat is dominated by:

• juicy roots and herbs;
• young shoots of bushes;
• fry and small fish;
• freshwater mollusks, including crayfish and snails;
• large insects and their larvae, worms.

This means that water rats are not vegetarians at all. In their daily diet, in addition to succulent plant foods, for example, vegetables and fruits, or grains from ready-made mixtures, animal protein must also be present. Without this component, the metabolism inside the rat’s body will be incomplete and disrupted. And this will definitely affect her health and will be noticeable externally.

What do they say about them?

What they say about these animals can be divided into three large sections. The first of them will be devoted to people's opinions about these animals as pets and their comparison with other rodents. Water rats are most often compared to guinea pigs. Of course, they are likened to hamsters, ordinary voles, and house mice. In most of the statements of those who live with these animals, there is a mention that the rat cannot stand loneliness and they should be kept in pairs.

The second section includes questions about what the sea rat is called, what it eats, whether it makes sense to have such an animal at home, and where they are sold. As a rule, people are interested in this after seeing beautiful pictures rodents The animals are truly unusually photogenic and love attention, so they look great in photographs.

The third section should include the opinions of people who perceive these cute creatures exclusively as pests. Accordingly, such opinions are left by summer residents, farmers, gardeners and, in principle, all those who grow something on the land near water vole settlements.

As for advice to those who are thinking about the question, it is worth getting a water rat at home or choosing a more familiar animal, for example, a hamster or guinea pig, then their content in various reviews comes down to several points.

The first nuance is, of course, nutrition. For full growth and development, good health, this animal requires a diet as close to natural as possible. Accordingly, you cannot grow a beautiful fluffy miracle with a long tail by pouring a ready-made grain mixture into its bowl and cutting off a piece of sausage as a source of animal protein. Feeding your pet is the most important thing to pay attention to for those who have not yet made the final decision about whether to get such a rodent or not.

The second nuance that people write about in reviews is the sociality of water rats. Animals do not feel comfortable being alone. They look terrible, eat poorly and sleep most of the day. Such animals have dull eyes, haggard faces and lack of healthy shine fur. Sometimes they begin to go bald, with the tail losing hair first.

What stops many from deciding to get such a pet is precisely its sociality. After all, not every person is ready to endlessly house the numerous offspring of a pair of water rats. But this issue can be easily resolved. In their advice, experienced rodent owners often write that individuals of the opposite sex are not needed for a normal life. Water rats perfectly accept relatives of the same gender as them and feel very comfortable in their company.

More precisely, the most close-up view of this family.

The animal has size from 16.5 to 22 cm(of which the tail is 6-13 cm) and body weight from 180 to 380 grams.

The body is massive, with a large head and a blunt muzzle, small almost invisible ears. The tail is round, long, covered with fine hair.

In winter the coat is thick and long, in summer it is short and sparse. Rats living in different regions differ in the type of fur they have. different places habitat or different ages.

Back color - dark brown, with various shades, the belly is dirty white. Sometimes they meet completely black animals.

The toes on the front paws are short, ending in long, slightly curved claws. Hind legs elongated. Swims great.

Vivid photos of the earth rat:

Distribution and reproduction

The ground rat can be found in the European part of the country, in the Caucasus, in Siberia (except for the regions Far North). A large number of rodents are concentrated in the south of Siberia and Central Asia.

For life selects damp places- along the banks of reservoirs, swamps and damp meadows. When the population is high, it can colonize gardens, fields and orchards.

During floods, it migrates, moving to drier and more convenient places to live.

REFERENCE! Often lives in populated areas, settling in personal plots and creating passages in thin walls and under the floor.

In the southern regions, under comfortable conditions, the ground rat can reproduce all year round. In other places, the process occurs from spring to autumn, two or three times.

The number of individuals in the offspring depends on the lifespan of the animal - the older the female, the more cubs she can bear. The offspring are bred underground, in a separate equipped place.

When they reach the age of one month, the young begin to live independently.

Under optimal conditions, the number of ground rats increases several times, and their number can reach 400 animals per hectare fields.

Lifestyle

Rodent exhibits activity all year round , spends almost all of its time underground in winter. By time of day, the greatest activity is concentrated in the evening and at night.

It emerges from the hole only for a short period of time, moving away a short distance - as a rule, while eating plants on the ground.

In summer during the greatest heat and in winter clogs holes from the inside. The earth produced by digging passages is thrown to the surface, forming small, flat piles of varying sizes and at varying distances from the exit point.

Underground passages are located 10-15 cm from the ground surface. The nest usually consists of an extensive network of labyrinths, a nesting chamber and several storehouses with supplies.

REFERENCE! If moles live near the habitat of an earthen rat, then they can use the moles’ ready-dug passages to quickly get to the roots and tubers.

Differences from other rodents

From earthen distinguished by soft wool and a shorter tail without ring scales.

They differ from the smaller size of the underground passages, which also have irregular shape. Also, rats do not hibernate in winter.

The tracks are similar to prints, but have a longer step length - 6-8 cm.

Harm to a human farmer and ways to combat it

Burrowing holes, it immediately eats all the food it encounters. The ground rat destroys alfalfa most of all, and also causes significant damage to rice during the ripening period, cotton, wheat, barley, and some melons, including watermelons and melons.

Also harms young trees, gnawing them underground at the root collar or seriously gnawing the bark - it especially often “goes to” bird cherry, apple trees, and willow.

Eats small animals - field mice, crayfish, mollusks, insects and others. Swims deftly and climbs trees, destroying birds' nests.

It can settle in human dwellings, where it eats food and feed. Can gnaw through adobe walls and make passages under the floor.

Natural enemies of the ground rat are dogs, cats, jackals, foxes, weasels and many others. predatory species, as well as birds - owls, eagles, hen harriers.

REFERENCE! Control methods are different, and they can be divided into radical, when the goal is the complete destruction of the rodent, and humane, if you need to drive the rat out of its habitat.

Initially, all methods are divided into:

• Mechanical devices- this includes all kinds of traps, traps, scarers;
• Animals- several cats in an area where earth rats live will not be able to catch the entire population, but they can scare away the rodents and force them to leave their habitat;
• Chemical substances- spraying of poisonous gases is used: carbon monoxide, chlorine, or substances are sprayed onto the soil, licking which the rat will die.

Radical methods- traps and poisons are used when there is not much time to scare away. However, it is worth keeping in mind that rats are smart animals and will not approach the mechanism if they see that someone has died in it.

In addition, radical methods can also harm other animals and plants nearby.

Humane methods involve repelling rodents:

• Ultrasonic repellers- installation of ultrasound-generating devices on the site. It happens that some rodents do not react to it, and also adapt to a constant irritant;
• Smoking- substances that produce a pungent, unpleasant odor are placed in the burrows. This could be singed wool, bunches of wormwood or mint. One interesting solution is to plant black elderberry on the plot, the roots of which release cyanide into the soil, poisonous to rats;
• Filling holes with water- earth rats swim well, however, they will have to leave such a habitat.

IMPORTANT! There is no need to hesitate when you find an earthen rat on your property; you must choose how to get rid of it yourself, but you should not leave things to chance - the more time passes, the larger their population becomes, which means it will be more difficult to completely get rid of the rodents.

Conclusion

The earth rat is a dangerous rodent that lives on the banks of rivers, swamps, as well as in vegetable gardens and fields. Lives underground, where it digs labyrinthine passages.

Destroys plantings rice, barley, wheat, cotton, young trees. Methods of controlling rodents are varied and are divided into radical (traps, poisonous gases and bait) and humane (repellents, damage to burrows).

Video

In the video you can clearly see the earth rat in the water:

If you have a garden plot, you have probably encountered pests in it. And the first of them - various kinds rodents. Mice, moles, gophers... Whoever ruins our gardens! One of the most common pests is the water vole, also known as the water rat. What are these animals and what danger do they pose?

Water voles: appearance and distribution

Water voles are sometimes called water rats or mice, but, strictly speaking, they have a very indirect relationship with these rodents, despite their external resemblance to them. These animals actually belong to the hamster family, although they bear little resemblance to the familiar domestic hamsters. Water voles look about the same as common voles, but they are noticeably larger. An adult can reach 15–25 cm, with the tail making up most of its length.

Water voles prefer to live in wetlands

This animal has thick, fluffy dark gray fur from the beginning of its short muzzle to the base of its tail, which is covered with hair and has a small tassel at the end.

You can meet the vole almost throughout the entire territory of Eurasia - right up to Siberia and the North Caucasus. Most of all, she likes marshy areas and the banks of reservoirs, but fields, meadows and even vegetable gardens are also excellent for their life. These animals are very tenacious and prolific, so nothing threatens their spread.

A water vole can breed up to eight times in one year.

However, the latter is hardly one of the good news - people associated with agriculture, know voles firsthand and it is not in vain that they strive to exterminate them. These rodents spoil cereal crops and gnaw trees, causing significant damage. Voles do not attack people and when they meet, they will most likely try to hide. However, if you catch an animal with your bare hands, it may bite you. But it is better to avoid such an experience: rodents spread leptospirosis, tularemia, Omsk hemorrhagic fever and other dangerous diseases.

Damage caused by voles

If your summer cottage is located in a rural area, especially near rivers, lakes and swamps, prepare for the appearance of uninvited guests. Water voles, despite their name, live well in drier areas, including farms, vegetable warehouses, granaries, home gardens and vegetable gardens.

Small depressions (burrows) will appear in your area if water voles appear there

With the onset of cold weather, these rodents necessarily migrate from frozen bodies of water. Your site is perfect for voles' burrows, and your plantings are perfect for feeding them. The pest will happily eat your crop and ask for more. At the same time, it will also gnaw the stems and roots in your flower garden. Moreover, fruit trees will also be in danger: voles grow teeth very quickly, and in order to grind them down in a timely manner, they are forced to constantly chew something hard. Tree bark seems to them the most suitable dental material. Naturally, trees deprived of bark subsequently die. This is exactly the fate that can befall your apple and cherry trees.

Video: rodent nutritional features

Ways to control water voles

Few villagers or summer residents are willing to share their harvest with rodents. Therefore, people try to get rid of them as soon as possible. It’s good if a trained mouse-cat or ferret lives in your house. These predators are able to catch those pests that managed to run into the area, and also force others to avoid your garden.

Mouser cats (especially calico cats) are considered the best vole hunters

But what if your pet is not interested in hunting or you don’t have one at all?

Chemicals against voles

One of the most popular and affordable options is to use pesticides against voles, and kill others along with these rodents. Manufacturers usually produce universal rodenticides. They are very easy to use: just buy them in a store and act strictly according to the instructions. As a rule, it is proposed to place such rat poison next to rodent burrows. It is not difficult to detect them: the places where the animals come to the surface look like piles of earth rising in the middle of the grass or garden bed. Poison is usually mixed into the bait. The vole eats it and then dies from poisoning.

There is another use case chemicals. In the spring, you can place cotton wool or dry grass treated with poison near the holes. The voles drag it into their homes to furnish the “interior,” while the poisoned dust falls on the fur of the pests, after which it is licked off by them.

Photo gallery: popular rodenticides

Mouse poison is a poisonous rodent repellent that guarantees 100% mortality for water voles
Rat Crash - the original highly effective rodenticide
Help Boyscout - a product used indoors, but also suitable for garden plots Efa - a poisonous bait for rodents The Rodentoff product can also be produced in the form of ready-made houses with poison

There are two serious arguments against the use of rodenticides in the garden. Firstly, this method is not suitable if you or your neighbors keep pets. Your pet can either fall for a poisonous bait or get poisoned by catching and eating a vole that has tasted the chemicals. Secondly, poisoning animals is still very cruel. Think about it, wouldn’t you really feel sorry for a small furry animal writhing in terrible agony? However, if your answer is negative, then, of course, it’s worth a try.

Folk ways to get rid of the problem

Folk remedies against voles can be divided into two large groups according to the principle of action. The first is poisoning animals using household chemicals. The bait is made by the gardener with his own hands from products such as bread, vegetable puree, cheese. Then a toxic component is added to them, for example, zinc phosphide or arsenous calcium and sodium. Most often used in its “pure” form wood ash, in mixtures - flour with gypsum or sugar with quicklime. It is also suggested to mix finely chopped wine cork with vegetable oil and bread crumbs. All this leads to poisoning or indigestion in the rodent, and then to its death.

Second group folk remedies aimed at scaring away animals. Here you can use the following options:

• Smell of chemicals. Many people advise soaking pieces of rags or cotton wool with strong-smelling household liquids and plugging voles’ passages with them. Typically, gasoline, kerosene, turpentine and Vishnevsky ointment are used for impregnation. The strong smell repels rodents.

Burnt wool. It is believed that garden pests, including voles, cannot tolerate this smell. Some gardeners burn the corpses of captured rodents and place the charred remains in the burrows of those who are still alive. But it’s enough to just singe pieces of some unnecessary, old fur and put them on it - the effect will be the same.

Fresh manure. Another option to add to the collection of unpleasant odors. It is recommended to put the product in rodent burrows, blocking all the exits that can be found on the site.

Unpleasant sounds. In the area of ​​vole burrows, 1.5–2-meter hollow stems of reeds or ordinary reeds are dug deep into the ground glass bottles. In windy weather, these improvised “pipes” begin to vibrate and make sounds that frighten the animals.

The bottles are dug into the ground with the neck up so that the wind can easily penetrate inside.

Vegetation barrier

A great way to scare away water voles and prevent the appearance of new ones is to properly plant garden crops and plant special anti-rodent plants. For this different kinds legumes (beans, beans, peas), Bell pepper, onions and garlic should be planted around vegetable beds that you want to protect from pests.

Some vegetable crops are real enemies of water voles

It is worth planting fragrant herbs under the trees, around the bushes and in the flower garden. Wormwood, mint, celandine, elderberry and (it is even popularly called a rat racer) will cope best with the task of scaring away voles. Coriander, chamomile, wild rosemary and lovage are also suitable.

Photo gallery: grasses against voles

Chamomile is a classic remedy for pest control. The roots of black elderberry emit a mammal repellent. hydrocyanic acid, therefore, water voles will not settle near the plant Wormwood is a universal plant that repels both insects and some animals Celandine is able to fight numerous pests of the garden and vegetable garden
To repel water voles, it is recommended to plant black root, one of the popular names of which is “mouse eater.”

Prevention of occurrence

Now you know many ways to combat voles, but it would be best if they did not appear in your garden at all, wouldn’t it? There are a number of specific preventive measures that should be taken for this:

• Harvest. It should be carried out promptly and carefully: there should be no remains of vegetables and root crops, spoiled fruits and tops on the beds. All this needs to be either thrown away or buried in compost.
• Plant processing. To prevent damage to the trunks of garden trees, coat them with a solution of lime and copper sulfate. You can also build a protective “belt” for them from roofing felt, plastic or branches of thorny plants.
• Digging. In the fall, when you close the dacha season, be sure to dig the beds deeply. This will help the earth rest, destroy rodent burrows, and destroy some insect pests.
• Cleanliness and tidiness. Take care of yours personal plot. Make sure that weeds, fallen leaves, carrion and other things do not accumulate in the beds and under the trees. organic waste. Put it all in compost, for which be sure to set aside a fenced area somewhere in the far corner. In addition, the remains of grass and tops should not lie in the boundaries, and water should not be allowed to stagnate.
• Cats. Even if your cat is a lazy fat cat who doesn't care about mice, his scent can repel voles. Let your pet run around the garden. If you don’t have a cat, you can imitate its presence by scattering cat litter around the area. This product is saturated with a subtle odor, which rodents will also perceive as an alarm signal.

In the article I will describe the water rat. It is often called the water vole. I'll tell you where this animal lives, what it looks like and where it came from. I will describe the lifestyle of the aquatic rodent and the conditions of reproduction. I will note what harm it brings to a person and whether it is necessary to fight it.

The water rat is a rodent from the hamster family. This animal is the largest of the voles: weight 130-350 g, size – 120-250 mm. The tail is long, round in cross-section and makes up half the length of the body or even 2/3 of its length.

Externally, this rodent looks like gray rat. The muzzle is shortened, the ears are small, the incisors are reddish-brown in color. The eyes are smaller than those of a rat. The coat is thick with abundant undercoat; color dark brown. The tail is covered with short hair, which gathers into a small brush at the tip.

Habitat

• Asia Minor and Western Asia;
• Northwestern regions of China;
• Northern Eurasia (from Atlantic coast to Yakutia);
• Northern Mediterranean coast;
• Territory of the Russian Federation (except for chernozem);
• Belarus;
• Western Ukraine;

Life expectancy is 2-3 years.

Origin

Water vole exists over vast territories for hundreds of years and spreads through migration and transport communications (with cargo).

Lifestyle

This species prefers to settle along the shores of lakes, on river floodplains, near irrigation canals, and in wetlands. The aquatic individual also inhabits meadows, swampy small forests, and is found in fields, vegetable gardens, bush thickets, and sometimes in buildings.

In winter, the animal migrates from reservoirs to meadows and bushes. The water vole lives in nests that it builds on or above the ground. For the winter it moves into a hole. In autumn and winter it is found under haystacks, in barns and vegetable gardens. Sometimes rats live in colonies.

Water rats are good swimmers. That's why they like to settle near bodies of water

The rodent swims well. It is most active at dusk and at night, but can also be found during the day (in the warm season).

One animal is capable of making a hole 100 m long.

Nutrition

The diet consists of plant food and animal protein:

• Aquatic and submerged parts of plants (in the warm season);
• Underground parts of plants, bark, shoots (in winter);
• Insect larvae, mollusks, crayfish, small fish;
• Vegetables and root crops;

Animals living in the north and east make abundant reserves, the weight of which can be up to 30 kg.

Reproduction

The breeding cycle begins at the end of February (if the winter is warm enough) or at more warm temperature. The female is ready for reproduction already with a body weight of 60 grams. Pregnancy lasts about 20 days.

The degree of fertility of the water rat is high - in 7 months the female brings up to 6 litters. The total number of offspring from one pair of animals is up to 70 cubs.

One litter contains from 6 to 15 babies. The cub opens its eyes and begins to feed after 10 days. Independent life in the animal it begins at 1 month, when it leaves the hole.

The water vole becomes prey for most terrestrial and feathered predators (including snakes).

Harm and benefit to humans

• This type of vole damages the bark and root system trees and shrubs. In areas close to water bodies, animals damage cultivated plant species. The rat severely damages plant seedlings, threatening the well-being of gardens and nurseries.
• Significant harm is caused to cereal plants, especially during their preparation for winter.
• The process of rats constructing burrows destroys the slopes of dams, canals, and irrigation ditches.
• Damages stocks of vegetables and grains;
• The species is a carrier of diseases:
• Tularemia;
• Plague;
• Leptospirosis;
• Tick-borne encephalitis;
• Other zoonoses

The benefit for humans lies in the use of water rat skins for making fur products.

Fighting water rats on the site

The animal has many sources of food in the garden and vegetable garden and many shelters. In this case, reproduction occurs intensively. To get rid of rats infesting an area, they try various ways, humane or not.

You cannot delay the start of the struggle, otherwise the animals will multiply and the amount of work will double.

Repeller

A device that creates vibrations or ultrasonic waves that rodents cannot tolerate and try to leave the discomfort zone. Hardware stores offer such devices in a wide range.

Ultrasound is the most acceptable option against these rodents

I

For bullying, drugs based on zinc phosphide or arsenic are chosen. In this case, you need to carefully study the instructions and all possible risks.

They work with poisons in protective equipment and warn loved ones in advance.

The poison is placed inside the vegetable after cutting the tuber in half and taking out the middle. The halves are folded back and the vegetable is placed in the hole.

Another method is to soak pieces of the underwater part of the sedge in a solution of poison (5 g of poison per 100 g of sedge).

Folk method

A metal rod is used as a repeller, which is installed in the ground, leaving a part above the ground. A tin can is hung on the pin, which will create vibrations.

Another common method is to purchase rat-catcher cats. You need to adopt a kitten from rat-catching parents and encourage the manifestation of the hunting instinct in every possible way.

The water rat, like other rodents, has lived next to humans for hundreds of years. The benefit from it is small, but the damage is significant. However, like other animals, it has the right to exist. On the human side, the damage to nature is also significant, but this is treated with loyalty and justified in various ways.

How wonderful it is when there is a body of water next to your house or country house. On hot summer days this is a definite advantage. But even such a harmless benefit can cause certain problems. For example, a water rat may appear in the garden, let's figure out how to deal with this.

Description and photo of the pest

The water rat is the largest representative of voles; we suggest that you familiarize yourself with its photo and consider its description. Belongs to the hamster family.

The rodent has a small muzzle and a massive body, its length reaches 25 cm, and its tail - 15 cm. The body is covered with thick hair, and the tail is bristly. Color – gray, red or almost black.

Features of the life cycle and habitat

The rat destroys the bark of trees, feeds, and destroys the fertile layer with its underground passages. The rodent comes to the surface only in secluded, cluttered places.

Important! Water rats reproduce very quickly; over the summer they can give birth (4-7 pieces) several times.

What's the harm?

The scary thing about these rodents is that they are incredibly omnivorous. They destroy like harvested, as well as rhizomes and tubers that grow on.

IN autumn period they get closer to people and for the purpose of easy extraction of food. The rodent breaks through shallow underground passages, damaging and that are encountered on its way.

Voles are very often confused with, but moles do not eat, such as, and, and a voracious water rat can destroy the entire crop.

At the same time, thoughtful animals do not eat everything at once, but make preparations from small ones for the winter, but those that cannot be dragged through their underground passages are destroyed on the spot.
They can harm plants not only by eating them, but also by plowing the soil and disrupting the growth of the root system, etc.

It is not so easy to find a place from which a water rat comes out to hunt for crops, since most often the animal makes exits in secluded places, these can be heaps of garbage, areas where heaps of branches or stones are located.

How to fight?

A rat that has settled on your property can cause enormous harm, and we will try to figure out how to deal with it. The main thing is not to delay, otherwise you may lose the harvest.

Did you know? The water rat has many enemies, such as stoats, large predator birds and even pike.

Humane methods

One of these methods is repelling rats with special devices emitting ultrasound. The unpleasant sound irritates the pest’s hearing organs, and it leaves its home.
It is believed that rats are able to get used to this sound and return to their homes, so when choosing such a device, you should pay attention to repellers that automatically change the range and frequency of the sound.

There are also traditional methods fight against these dangerous rodents. Due to the fact that the animal has a very well developed sense of smell, influencing rats using odors is considered quite effective.

In order to use this option, you will need a rabbit (or other) skin, it must be rolled up, placed in a hole and set on fire. Due to the strong stench, rats will either suffocate or leave their homes forever.

You can prepare a mixture of water and pour it into underground passages. On the one hand, this will block the movement of the pest, and on the other, the unpleasant smell will also play a role.

Radical ways

The water vole is a rather cunning animal, so methods of dealing with it must be carefully thought out. TO radical ways include all kinds of poisons.

Chemicals are best used in the fall or spring, during the breeding season of rodents. It is not enough to simply spread the poisonous substance throughout the garden, but it is necessary to carefully disguise it.

In the fall, it is best to add poison to the grain and spread it in front of the entrances to the burrows. In spring, baits are best made from grated, and. Also suitable for masking are oatmeal and.

Important! Poison baits are very toxic; do not use this method if you have pets that roam freely around the area.

You can make bait with your own hands, for this you need to take alibaster or plaster, sunflower oil and flour, mix with a wooden stick until a thick mass is formed and place the container with it at the exit of the hole.

Then the integrity of the poison is observed; if traces of a rodent are noticeable, you can fill the passages with soil, and the bait should be left for some time to make sure that all rodents are exterminated.