Rats

We've had rats coming into our garden since last year. They finally got into the garage early this year, and my husband got into hazmat gear to clean it out and throw loads into a skip. They keep coming into the garden albeit a lot less frequently. Our garden is small, probably 6m at the longest bit and 5 across, but smaller because a garage is in one corner. If that makes sense. I have my blowaway greenhouse out there and I'm really struggling with the idea of them getting in and rummaging around amongst the plants. I'm paranoid about diseases even though I know they must be accessing the allotment along with badgers and foxes and cats who think it's a toilet. 

This is mostly a rant of course, but please give me your advice for keeping them out of the garden and/or not being so worried about disease. We have purchased rolls of rodent mesh that are 40 cm deep which we plan to bury along the fence as much as possible. We have probably useless sonic scarers. We have moved pots and things around back there to make it less hospitable and blocked up the garage access (awaiting new steel door installation). Any other ideas? Please help your neurotic internet acquaintance.

I’m not going to be a lot of help. With all 4 legged pests that dig its best to  put your rodent mesh in an L shaped next to your fence. Because they usually dig close to the thing they’re trying to get under      . Something like this.

Definitely stop worrying about disease.

Thanks for the diagram. I pictured the L going out over the surface (a 7 then I guess) not at the bottom so that's interesting.

I'm really trying to work on the worry but it's hard work!

Rats are everywhere unfortunately. I know there are some living in my log store and probably under the adjacent shed too. The dog caught one last year.
I've stopped feeding the birds on the ground and the feeders have trays beneath them to catch any scattered seed. I've learnt to live with them - as long as they don't come into the house, they can play outside like all the other little creatures - most of which I wouldn't want indoors.
Don't worry about them - the days of bubonic plague are long gone,

Have you found what is attracting the rats?

We stopped feeding birds and composting at home a few years ago when we first saw a rat in the compost. They weren't spotted again until last autumn.

Unfortunately our neighbor often leaves (left? not sure now) whole peanuts out for the squirrels. My husband also discovered that the neighbors a few doors down, with whom we share an access road at the back, have piled up green waste in the access road into a veritable rat palace. The rats were coming from the access road and the nut-neighbor, burrowing under the fence. The access road seems to have been successfully blocked off, but they keep tunneling under the fence. My husband just goes out and fills the holes every day or two. All of this has slowed them down or at least made them less bold - I used to see them just trundling across the garden any time of day, but they are now rarely spotted even though the holes reappear every week or so. I don't think we're really a source of food or water for them, but more of an access point perhaps. I'm hoping the wire will be enough to put them off since there will be easier ways to get to the peanuts next door.

We have a wendy house in the back for the kids as well as the plant stuff, so I'm really keen to get them out of the garden because I can't stand the idea of them where the kids play.

Apparently you are never more than ten foot away from a rat wherever you are! They are prolific climbers so you could maybe stop them at the bottom of the fence but they would probably climb over it anyway? Not much help I know but the tunnel traps work well if you are not squeamish. If you have a rat problem I think the local Council are obliged to come out and try and solve the problem for free?