Worst advice ever.... RATS!!! - Page 3

GrowingCoastal · October 16, 2017

I have a constant rat population now due to a neighbours feeding birds/squirrels all summer. An old shed used to house lawnmowers is now used to safely house rat bait boxes, about 12 over 1 year. (=24 dead rats) Baiting them there keeps them out of my loosely closed in car port which is where they always try to cosy up for the inclement weather. Yucky filthy beasts! Cute faces though and I hate to kill anything but refuse to be overrun by them and their filth. If I had such a pile I would do as they now do when demolishing old derelict houses. Leave the situation as is and bait the heck out of it before the rats have a chance to spread then demolish.

However, they are a great food source for some. Apparently preferred over squirrel! Maybe they know something we don't.

'Adult Red Tailed Hawk catches rat in New York city.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8cSLYt-xPQ

Worth1 · October 16, 2017

The first night in the oilfields I spent the night on a couch at one of my brothers really trashy frends house.
I stayed up all night running huge rats off my chest trying to suck up to my warmth.
At first I thought they were cats.

From then on I slept in my car till I found a place to stay.
Worth

clkeiper · October 16, 2017

"rat terrier"! they will destroy the rats. beg barrow steal or buy one. don't steal one....just sayin'
spread the manure out. that will keep them from tunneling. get it on your garden in a thin layer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_V3KAxtBQ

Worth1 · October 16, 2017

My first dog was a rat terrier.
Worth

bower · October 16, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by clkeiper

"rat terrier"! they will destroy the rats. beg barrow steal or buy one. don't steal one....just sayin'
spread the manure out. that will keep them from tunneling. get it on your garden in a thin layer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_V3KAxtBQ

Amen to that.

Same applies to compost piles... spread it out so they can't tunnel in. This time of year they are looking for shelter.

HudsonValley · October 16, 2017

This story reminded me of the garter snake's nest I discovered under a tarp covering a mound of compost in my driveway. I've since used the compost to refill my raised beds, so it won't happen again, but it was pretty funny. It was less funny when a juvenile snake got in the house and my cats took turns playing "whack-a-mole" with it. (I carried it back outside and reunited it with its family.) I (or the cats) would have killed a rat on sight. (((Shudder)))

bower · October 17, 2017

I have no doubt that a cat or a dog, if they were present, would have leaped into the fray and maybe dispatched at least one of the fleeing rats.
Personally I have neither the agility nor the teeth that are necessary for such quick witted killings.

I was surprised to read that rats have such a short lifespan. Most juveniles don't live a year. Even those that make it to full grown only have a life expectancy of 18 months. Yes I know they make up for it by breeding at breakneck speed.

But they certainly need a safe place to do that.
Forecast is for freezing temperatures tonight (finally!). I hope the timing of their exodus from the pile is fatal.

Worth1 · October 17, 2017

I always liked a good rat thread.
Worth

dmforcier · October 17, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrowingCoastal

However, they are a great food source for some. Apparently preferred over squirrel! Maybe they know something we don't.

'Adult Red Tailed Hawk catches rat in New York city.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8cSLYt-xPQ

Maybe the squirrel is a little too big. Love the shot where the squirrel is perched on the tree give the hawk (with rat in talon) the hairy eyeball.

October 16, 2017	#33
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	"rat terrier"! they will destroy the rats. beg barrow steal or buy one. don't steal one....just sayin' spread the manure out. that will keep them from tunneling. get it on your garden in a thin layer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C_V3KAxtBQ __________________ carolyn k Last edited by clkeiper; October 16, 2017 at 03:50 PM.

October 16, 2017	#31
GrowingCoastal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Vancouver Island Canada BC Posts: 1,253	I have a constant rat population now due to a neighbours feeding birds/squirrels all summer. An old shed used to house lawnmowers is now used to safely house rat bait boxes, about 12 over 1 year. (=24 dead rats) Baiting them there keeps them out of my loosely closed in car port which is where they always try to cosy up for the inclement weather. Yucky filthy beasts! Cute faces though and I hate to kill anything but refuse to be overrun by them and their filth. If I had such a pile I would do as they now do when demolishing old derelict houses. Leave the situation as is and bait the heck out of it before the rats have a chance to spread then demolish. However, they are a great food source for some. Apparently preferred over squirrel! Maybe they know something we don't. 'Adult Red Tailed Hawk catches rat in New York city.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8cSLYt-xPQ

October 16, 2017	#32
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The first night in the oilfields I spent the night on a couch at one of my brothers really trashy frends house. I stayed up all night running huge rats off my chest trying to suck up to my warmth. At first I thought they were cats. From then on I slept in my car till I found a place to stay. Worth

October 16, 2017	#36
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	This story reminded me of the garter snake's nest I discovered under a tarp covering a mound of compost in my driveway. I've since used the compost to refill my raised beds, so it won't happen again, but it was pretty funny. It was less funny when a juvenile snake got in the house and my cats took turns playing "whack-a-mole" with it. (I carried it back outside and reunited it with its family.) I (or the cats) would have killed a rat on sight. (((Shudder)))

October 17, 2017	#37
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	I have no doubt that a cat or a dog, if they were present, would have leaped into the fray and maybe dispatched at least one of the fleeing rats. Personally I have neither the agility nor the teeth that are necessary for such quick witted killings. I was surprised to read that rats have such a short lifespan. Most juveniles don't live a year. Even those that make it to full grown only have a life expectancy of 18 months. Yes I know they make up for it by breeding at breakneck speed. But they certainly need a safe place to do that. Forecast is for freezing temperatures tonight (finally!). I hope the timing of their exodus from the pile is fatal.