Strange Tracks in Pen *Logical Conclusion on Page 46*

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i feel bad today about Mrs. Fluffy. She was just trying to provide for her family. i wish i could have caught her. And now i do wonder about the babies, if they can survive on their own. They weren't teeny weeny. They were maybe about the size of a mouse, just longer.

i set up the little trap and rat zapper in that pen last night, thinking the babies wouldn't be savvy enough to not go in. But no luck. i set the game cam and got a picture of a passing cat. It's a little fuzzy and vague, so it might be a ghost cat.

 

[gambler]

Quote:
I would be flooding those little buggers now to make sure they were dead so I wouldn't have to deal with adult rats in the near future.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Do you think they will just stay under there until they're adults?

 

[Cass]

Quote:
You said they poked their head out? They are old enough to get food for themselves, which means that they WILL mature and will have more babies.
More flooding is needed to flush them out. BTW mice and rats can swim, so make sure that they come out and you send them to join their mamma.

I raised mice for a friend to feed to snakes. (Have I offended just about EVERYONE now? LOL) The baby mice were totally self sufficient at 2 weeks of age. Momma was ready to breed again only 4 weeks from giving birth. It was insane. Add a little time for rats to above info, but you get the drift when it comes to SMALL mammals. THey can reproduce like bunnies. (I raised rabbits too. They aren't as bad as mice tho. )

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Thanks, Cass, i appreciate the information. Rats are on on-going problem here. We're only on half an acre, but it's a little wild in the back, lot's of ivy and places for rodents to hide. They're always trying to burrow under one or another of the coops, set up camp, and raise a family. It's near impossible to pick up all the food from the ground every night. i did start keeping their feeders in their coops, rather then out in the pen, as the chickens are always scooping through it looking for the "good stuff", whatever that is.

i set the small trap, rat zapper, and cam in the pen last night. Only got 12 pictures - 6 of me leaving the coop at night then 6 of me coming in in the morning. So the mystery is officially solved. Darn it.

Now i have to look for another mystery.

 

[sawmane1]

So ends this epic mystery of rats and death.

but wait how did a rat make those marks any way?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Quote:
Why . . . i don't know! There might still be a giant ghost earthworm snake out there still!

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
I hate to kill anything, but I get rats in my horse barn. i am not afraid of them or hate them. They just do so much damage! They tunnel under everything and then I have to rip up the mats and refill. AAUUGGhh! I have removed everything that they like to live under and they still come back. SSSSSOOOOOOO, ˆI end up killing them. Snap traps works once per season....then the rest don't go near it....they are way to smart. Again I hate to kill them, but they have to go.....and the babies too............

 

[CopperCT]

Quote:
You said they poked their head out? They are old enough to get food for themselves, which means that they WILL mature and will have more babies.
More flooding is needed to flush them out. BTW mice and rats can swim, so make sure that they come out and you send them to join their mamma.

I raised mice for a friend to feed to snakes. (Have I offended just about EVERYONE now? LOL) The baby mice were totally self sufficient at 2 weeks of age. Momma was ready to breed again only 4 weeks from giving birth. It was insane. Add a little time for rats to above info, but you get the drift when it comes to SMALL mammals. THey can reproduce like bunnies. (I raised rabbits too. They aren't as bad as mice tho. )

X 2 if their eyes were open then they can fend for themselves with no problem. I've said it before...I love pet rats...but I agree for the wild ones...time for more flooding and shooting. I know it's hard...and I'm sorry

...ratlings are super cute but will multiply and get destructive very quickly. It's almost beyond belief how fast they grow up to be pesky adults.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i guess i can do the flooding if my DH does the shooting. i don't think i could kill the little ones. They're so cute.