RATS!!!

[4 Georgia Hens]

Do you know anyone with a terrier? Cats are great, but too smart and only work when it suits them. A terrier.. Jack Russel, normal Yorkshire.. any of them, will clear a place out in no time.
I have a love hate thing with Yorkies.. my family always had them as kids, where as I was more into hunting dogs.. but even now, I have one along with the others.

If I got a cat or dog, it would have to live outside with no contact to my hubby or daughter, who r both allergic.

 

[Jacquie Button]

Nice! I'll remember that for the future.

If there were 2 there are probably more! I just caught 2 myself in the garage. But as I was sitting in my living room I saw some running around on my neighbors roof. So....I will have to set traps again. They seem to love peanut butter. I need to go over and set some at his house. He is around 90 and just had hip surgery so I need to help!

 

[duluthralphie]

If I got a cat or dog, it would have to live outside with no contact to my hubby or daughter, who r both allergic.

No contact is just what my cats want! They live outside in the barn with the chickens. When I feed them I pat their heads and they allow it. They do not like to be held...I do not like to hold them,,,We get along great!

 

[Jacquie Button]

If I got a cat or dog, it would have to live outside with no contact to my hubby or daughter, who r both allergic.

I'm allergic to cats as well, but I have noticed 2 cuties hanging around my yard so I started giving them a bit of food just so they will help with the rats and darn gophers!

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I dispatch rats too often... They go hand and hand with livestock feed...

It's WAY too cold by me right now, and all we get is mice, and we never keep food in the house or opened.

 

[duluthralphie]

It's WAY too cold by me right now, and all we get is mice, and we never keep food in the house or opened.

Across the border to the west is not exactly warm either!

 

[Birdinhand]

Ok, I've had it.....it's war time now! These little critters have taken over my kitchen at night. I actually heard a family of them, squeaking and making all kinds of noises. My husband was sweeping the floor in the living room this morning, moved the couch and guess what he saw......tons of rat poop, YUCK!!! Now I have to figure out how their getting in, it has to be from the garage. Going to the hardware store today to get some plaster or drywall sand to serve them up a nice treat tonight! I just hope they don't die where I can't locate them.

when you see them inside your house, that is the time to go full on into war, IMHO. they can do a lot of damage, spread disease and even start fires. they chew electrical, even take up under the hood. my neighbor, who doesn't even have chickens had one take residence under her hood at night and do $1,500 worth of damage to her wiring harness. the black plastic snap traps are the easiest to set, I'd buy 10 of them and set them all over, particularly facing walls between places like couches and low lying chairs where they dart for cover. when they are running between spots they are much less descriminating and will run right across a trap like it's a snare. you can try bait like peanut butter but they learn from each others mistakes pretty quick, so moving the traps around and being very persistant is the way to go. inside is the best place to use traps because you get rid of the body when they die rather than having them stink up the house to high heaven... it's no fun. put all sources of food inside cabinets and other places they can't get to, clean up all crumbs, take up the dog/cat food at night. where they find food, they replicate. two rats can become 1,000 in 6 months... they reach sexual maturity at 6 weeks and can have 12 babies every 3-4 weeks! rats inside the house is a big deal, stamp them out ASAP!

 

[deepbluesea]

Ok, I've had it.....it's war time now! These little critters have taken over my kitchen at night. I actually heard a family of them, squeaking and making all kinds of noises. My husband was sweeping the floor in the living room this morning, moved the couch and guess what he saw......tons of rat poop, YUCK!!! Now I have to figure out how their getting in, it has to be from the garage. Going to the hardware store today to get some plaster or drywall sand to serve them up a nice treat tonight! I just hope they don't die where I can't locate them.

Be sure you check around your sink pipes. I had this happen a couple of years ago and as near as I can tell, they chewed a hole in the screening to my crawl space, then crawled up the gap in the floor where the pipes came in. I put steel mesh on the crawl space and foam stuff in the gaps--haven't had a problem since. Good luck!!

 

[Jacquie Button]

Yes indeed, 2 years ago I had one totally eat up my dishwasher and then my faucet. Tried to get the washing machine. Also chewed up my boyfriends Jeep seat. They are very destructive I agree! I have to think of creative places because my dogs are both in and out and I don't want them getting hurt or eating one!

 

[jools2014]

Are rats not a danger to cats and dogs if they are to catch and kill them? I just wonder since rats are so known for spreading disease, if it's a good idea to have cats and dogs kill rats-does this not run a risk of them getting sick? And then if they are a pet they are coming into your home after having a rat in their mouth? I'm not judging, just wondering that's all. I have thought about it myself, but I want less animals at this point not more!