Rats clear up your mouse problem...

[Goat_Walker]

Well, I have been told by numerous people that they reason they dont have a mouse problem is because of the rat problem they have, and that the smell of the larger rodents( rats) scare the mice away.

When i got pet rats , we no longer have a mouse problem on my side of the house ( not allowed to bring pet rats near kitchen) .

Now, I have a rat problem out near my pen. And I was wondering... If I take the bedding that has been used by my pet rats ( filled with feces and urine ) , will this possibly scare away the mice that think its ok to live near my duck houses?

 

[CoopCrazy]

I feel an Expirement coming on.... Let me know how it goes...

 

[cariboujaguar]

sounds like a good idea... as long as it can't hurt your ducks... ?

 

[Goat_Walker]

I dont think it would hurt the ducks, i mean its just bedding. More than likely i would put it in a bucket or spread it under the housing areas. Its that absorbant kind.

My rats are still young -but i was thinking when they got bigger.


I mean i could prolly start now... but they are females, and im sure that male urine would be more of a warning to buzz off, but i only have girls.

 

[jrabbit]

I've had pet rats for 12 years, and I also have mouse problems in the house during the winter. I have never seen evidence that rats make mice go away. I also have cats, and they do nothing to keep the mice away either.

I don't think there is any harm to putting the rat bedding near the ducks, but I wouldn't hold my breath about any effect from it.

FYI, putting the bedding outside "somewhere" is always better than throwing it away. We put it in the compost pile. I am 99% positive we still have mice & rats outside.

--janis

 

[The Wolf Queen]

That funny. I heard the opposite. Mice keep RATS away.

 

[Goat_Walker]

My friend had a mouse problem - they put out poisions and suck to kill them. Soon though they got one rat, then some more. the more rats they caught the less mice they caught till it was all rats and no mice.

When we first moved into our current house we had a major mouse problem. But since ive had pet rats ( making my room smell at times when i forget to clean the rat condo) we have caught maybe one or two mice this year - whereas it was one or two mice a day before.

That how i came up with my logic.
Its survival of the fittest and when a body builder wants the home/ feeding area of a munchkin, who do you think will win?