rat advice....any thoughts?

Discussion in 'The Green Room' started by oldfella1962, Jun 17, 2017.

  1. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    No, not a "rat" as in criminal activity rat. :nono: I literally have a rat that comes into my backyard to eat the bird seed I put out. The rat is smart - it comes out of the tall grass behind my fence in the middle of the day - that makes sense, predators won't be out then. It's afraid of blackbirds, but feeds along with cardinals and other birds. Obviously it's not smart to have rats around your house, but it has no motivation to come near the house since all the food is outside.

    I don't want to kill it because I put food out for all wildlife. But on the downside rats can carry disease and (if they decide to expand their range into your house) can be destructive. Also they breed at a fast pace. We have snakes and cats and coyotes around, but it's so far evaded all predators. I could buy a rat trap and kill it
    or shoot it with my bow. But maybe I should just tolerate it and not worry - but will it venture toward my house if it's still alive when cold weather hits in a few months?

    I've never had to deal with this before - rabbits, deer, birds, etc. are one thing - I don't care if they are around. But rats can be problematic - any thoughts?
  2. Forbin

    Forbin Do you feel fluffy, punk?

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  3. Diacanu

    Diacanu Comicmike. Writer

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  4. K.

    K. Sober

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  5. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    I live in a subdivision - I can't legally shoot a gun in my backyard - if I could (and decided to kill it) I'd just use my son's 9 mil. I could kill it with my bow of course. That said I want my yard to be wildlife friendly, but I don't want it to be India - this is a tough decision! The rat is cute but fleas and other health concerns should there be more rats and they reproduce is problematic.
  6. steve2^4

    steve2^4 Aged Meat

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    Don't put out bird seed. And the rats will come inside to nest. Check your attic for droppings and rat trails. If they're inside, several rat traps nailed to a board and baited with peanut butter will solve the problem. Check the traps every few days.
  7. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    so far the rat is nesting on the other side of my fence in the field behind my house. Of course that could change. Not putting out bird seed is not an option - we like having the birds around. So yeah - I might have to kill the rat(s). :(
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  8. Will Power

    Will Power If you only knew the irony of my name.

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    Got any decent sized snakes in your neighbourhood/area?

    Rats always make good meals for large snakes & other big reptiles:
    [​IMG]
  9. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    ironically we have RAT SNAKES in my neighborhood.....that eat birds. :brood: Yeah, they climb up the vinyl siding :unsure: and eat the birds that nest above my entryway. I just need them to eat actual rats. Anyway I bought an old school VICTOR rat trap and used chewed bubble gum (which hardens duh) to attach dried/hard cat food to the pan AKA trigger. Peanut butter is great, but they just lick it off the pan without springing the bar. With the food firmly attached with the hardened bubble gum, they have to use enough pressure to trigger the trap then BOOYA dead rat via snapped spine.

    Granted plan B is catch him feeding while watching out my kitchen window, then going out the front door, sneaking around to the back yard
    and shooting him with a target arrow (broad head not needed, those are for deer).
    That said hitting a 3" diameter target at 15 yards with no sights is not a sure thing by any means.
  10. K.

    K. Sober

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  11. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    I removed my bird feeder exactly because of this problem.
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  12. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    bird feeders do attract bears and raccoons and all sorts of critters. Anyway I tried a trap but ants were swarming the bait. :brood: Then I switched bait and put the trap right near the food source (seeds) with a box over the top so birds won't get into it - but sure enough one bird was poking around the box so I quit that idea. :brood: So I did some research and poisoning :drama: is the best bet. A pellet gun won't cut it either - the rats (roof rats BTW not the bigger city type Norway rats) are fast as hell so like a deer, they can dodge and duck and if you miss, they might change their habits and you won't get another shot for a long time. :brood: And don't depend on predators - they are hard to hunt because of their reflexes and if they see a house cat is slow or not a credible threat they just will ignore them and continue to eat your food. Anyway you put the poison (which is tasty to the rats of course) into a 2" diameter PVC pipe. Birds won't crawl into that, but rats will. They eat it and go off and die.

    However nobody around here sells rat poison - mice only. Rats really need stronger stuff! So I had to order some on line from Amazon. It will be here Wednesday, so for now all I can do is watch it eat along with the birds. But I am learning more about rats so that's cool!
  13. steve2^4

    steve2^4 Aged Meat

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    leaving rat poison out in your yard is not a good idea. Other animals will be attracted to it.

    Professional exterminators use poison in enclosures that prevent anything but rat sized (or smaller) rodents from getting at it. Squirrels, bunnies, birds, possums, raccoons etc cannot.

    Don't put out bird food. My wife insisted on doing that for years (plus leaving cat food for the 4 footed furries). Then we moved. She agrees it's a mistake to feed wild animals (even birds). Causes them more grief in the long run.
  14. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    I tried various tricks like putting a large plastic plate around the chain to stop rats claiming down the chain to get to the bird feeder but it never worked. They started jumping from the wooden fence to the bird feeder or sliding to the edge of the plastic plate then swinging in and getting to the feeder that way. Worse, I have a little storage shed where my water heater is and I made the mistake of storing the extra bird feeder food there in a plastic tub with a lid thinking that would keep vermin out. Nope, they chewed right threw the plastic then as I did not check it regularly a whole nest of them took up residence there feasting and shitting on everything.

    In the end getting rid of the feeder and calling an exterminator was the only solution.
  15. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    The birds won't get to the poison - that's why I said I'm putting the poison in a 2" diameter PVC pipe. Only a rat will go in there. I'm really pumped, the poison should get here tomorrow.
  16. Spaceturkey

    Spaceturkey i can see my house

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    let your dog roam the yard?

    It's pretty instinctive for most of'em to kill rodents.
  17. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    we don't have a dog. But if we did, when the rat would see the dog it would get on the other side of the fence in about two seconds - in other words zero chance of catching the rat. Our neighbors cat comes around and walks the top of the fence, and stares where the rat hangs out on the ground, but it's not fast enough and the rat knows this. I researched roof rats (their range doesn't extend far like the large Norway rats) and they are way more fast and agile.

    But with no dog we don't have to worry about it eating the poison, so that's a plus. And also in my favor is it's going to rain tomorrow, and it rained today too.
    So the rat hasn't been out all day - it's hungry. My poison comes in tomorrow so that hungry rat will eat like it's his last meal when the rain quits - and it WILL BE his last meal! :yes:

    I never encountered roof rats before - but they are way smarter than rabbits/squirrels/birds when it comes to killing yard critters!

    https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/roof_rats.htm
  18. Mrs. Albert

    Mrs. Albert demented estrogen monster

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    Lol @ the idea of my old, blind dog catching a rat. Yesterday she walked face first into a bunny's butt. Bunny just turned around and looked at her like :wtf:.
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  19. Spaceturkey

    Spaceturkey i can see my house

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    We get big assed city rats that are about the same size as a mid sized possum. Too big for my cat (probably in the same weight class).

    Our dog is a breed that was once noted for it's ratting ability (Briard), she's nailed a few of the urban vermin over the years. Took a bit to train her not to charge on squirrels, but at least she can tell the difference.
  20. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    Dogs that can catch tiny critters like rats are rare. That's why dogs hunt in packs to take down bigger game. Cats are more suited for tiny critters. That's why wild dogs have a rough time surviving unless they find other dogs, so they can team up and overpower game with superior numbers. That's why they are social animals. Cats are solo because they hunt solo. Dogs that can catch rats are generally small & fast breeds, but not always.

    Anyway the rat hasn't made an appearance for two days or so! Perhaps a predator (snake or owl or our neighbors cat or a fox or coyotes) killed it already.
    So I will keep the poison and PVC pipe tucked away and if comes back (or other rats come around) I am ready.
  21. Spaceturkey

    Spaceturkey i can see my house

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  22. Mrs. Albert

    Mrs. Albert demented estrogen monster

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    I love that picture so much. :wub:
  23. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    Oldfella needs to go into the backwoods and round himself up a half dozen to a dozen snakes then let them loose on his property. That ought to solve his rodent problem and as an added bonus any kids who won't get off his lawn. ;)
  24. oldfella1962

    oldfella1962 the only real finish line

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    I have snakes in my yard - RAT SNAKES ironically! But all they catch is birds believe it or not. :lol:
  25. Shirogayne

    Shirogayne Gay™ Formerly Important

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    I'm with everyone else about getting rid of the birdseed.

    My mom bought a bad of seed for my hamster right before he died that went mostly untouched and forgotten about. Shortly after, we started getting an infestation of mice that simulated in a whole litter of them curled up inside of some mementos from my first birthday party. It was only then that I realized we still had this bag of seed to throw out and there was a half-inch hole at the bottom of the bag.

    The mice disappeared shortly afterwards.
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  26. shootER

    shootER Insubordinate...and churlish Administrator

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    I'd use an airgun and kill the fucking rat.

    Fuck 'im. :finger:
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  27. Quincunx

    Quincunx anti-anti-establishment Staff Member Administrator

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    IMG_0833.JPG

    "It's a rat writ, writ for a rat."
  28. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    The crazy old cat lady next door likes to feed all the stray cats by leaving bowls of dry cat food in her backyard. Not only does this mean the neighborhood now attracts stray cats like no tomorrow but it also means I have to be careful when I go outside to smoke. All sorts of wildlife shows up for the free food with skunks, raccoons, and rodents topping the list but I have also seen a fox. My big problem is the skunks seem to have had a litter of baby skunks who seem to roam through my yard every night.

    So far I have not gotten sprayed but there has been some close encounters. I was sitting in my patio chair smoking late one night a week or so ago I felt something brush my leg and looked down to find one of the juvenile skunks under the table sniffing about. I decided to freeze and not move so as not to startle it and eventually s/he went on his/her way. Also twice I have walked into the backyard only to see a skunk with its tail up so I have just turned around and walked back in to the house. I hear the young ones are more docile then the adults so as they get older the danger of getting sprayed will likely increase.
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  29. Dinner

    Dinner 2012 & 2014 Master Prognosticator

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    On the upside I hardly see any slugs or worms (the type that come out of the ground when someone over waters their grass) any more so I assume either the raccoons or skunks are getting them. Trash can tipping raccoons are becoming a problem but even when you catch them in the act it is hard to stay mad at them because they are so damn cute especially when you see two or three young ones together raiding a trash can.
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  30. Shirogayne

    Shirogayne Gay™ Formerly Important

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    I had no idea we had foxes anywhere in California, let alone here. I'd love to see one up close (although not near my Chiweenie...he's rather tall for both his breeds but I wouldn't put money on him winning that fight).