Rats, and the hard lesson I learned.

[slag]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_YwJNcZyY

 

[woollylocks]

I'm new to country living and I can't imagine being overran by rats. Both my cats are pampered and won't chase a ball let alone a rat. What brings the rats over to begin with? Is there any prevented measures I can take?

 

[MongGrel]

I use these for the mice we have in our garage:

We don't have rats, but a ton of field mice. I usually catch them then put in a bucket of water and take them out with a shovel or something.

Sounds a bit sadistic to me.

Why buy a live catch trap if your going to kill them later over a regular old mouse trap ?

Cats can be odd, one of the most companionable cats I ever owned was an excellent mouser.

Both of the ones we have now are ex barn cats that were adopted young, the fat one is more into catching things than the skinnier Siamese. 17 lbs isn't too skinny though.

I still call him a metro cat a bit, I suspect he might ignore a rat all together.

 

[Greenman]

I'm new to country living and I can't imagine being overran by rats. Both my cats are pampered and won't chase a ball let alone a rat. What brings the rats over to begin with? Is there any prevented measures I can take?

Just one, exclusion, keep them from ever getting in your house. Make sure all exterior vents and other penetrations are closed with 1/4" wire mesh.

I just did some work on a big house in an upper class area that was infested with rats. Tons of holes for them to get into the house, and a nice warm place to live down there. They thought they had a rat, and were horrified to discover they had dozens.

 

[shabby]

I use these for the mice we have in our garage:

We don't have rats, but a ton of field mice. I usually catch them then put in a bucket of water and take them out with a shovel or something.

Post reported to PETA...

 

[Red Squirrel]

Never use poison. They could potentially stash it somewhere and another animal like a squirrel, cat, bird etc might get sick or die from it. Just use snap traps, or multi kill electrical traps. They get a quick and painless death. Though I would also try to figure out how they're getting in, but that can be hard. I don't know about rats, but I know mice can fit in the space the size of a dime.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Amusing thread.

Why would someone use a live trap and then drown the damned rats that it catches?

I lived in an old house once that had rats under the front porch that would sometimes get into the basement. We set snap-traps and cleared out about seven or eight of them in a couple of weeks.

Growing up, we had always had house cats as pets. We let them outside to roam as they liked, but we also fed them well, gave them treats, kept a litter box inside, and they slept in our beds as kids. But every one of them was a hunting demon and they'd all bring back their kills and deposit them on the doorstep. Mostly moles and mice, some birds, a couple of rats, and more than a few small rabbits.

 

[ultimatebob]

Sounds a bit sadistic to me.

Why buy a live catch trap if your going to kill them later over a regular old mouse trap ?

Because the damn things will come back if you feed them and free them.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Because the damn things will come back if you feed them and free them.

That's why you use a kill trap, or at very least give them a quick and painless death. (drowning, is not very painless or quick).

I caught a mouse live in a kill trap once, it's leg was probably broken, if not, very hurt, so I was better off killing it and putting it out of it's misery. I genilly lowered it in a plastic bag and slammed it as hard as I could on the floor. As sadistic as it sounds, I highly doubt it felt a single thing. I felt like a horrible murderer for doing it, but it was the cleanest and quickest way I could think of killing it. Idealy I'd rather live trap them and release them far away in the bush, but in winter when it's -40 I doubt they can find shelter before they freeze to death anyway.

 

[MongGrel]

Because the damn things will come back if you feed them and free them.

I'm well aware of that.

That's why you use a kill trap, or at very least give them a quick and painless death. (drowning, is not very painless or quick).

I caught a mouse live in a kill trap once, it's leg was probably broken, if not, very hurt, so I was better off killing it and putting it out of it's misery. I genilly lowered it in a plastic bag and slammed it as hard as I could on the floor. As sadistic as it sounds, I highly doubt it felt a single thing. I felt like a horrible murderer for doing it, but it was the cleanest and quickest way I could think of killing it. Idealy I'd rather live trap them and release them far away in the bush, but in winter when it's -40 I doubt they can find shelter before they freeze to death anyway.

Why not having a kill trap to drown them later just seems odd.

And a bit sadistic.

Still.

 

[slashbinslashbash]

That's why you use a kill trap, or at very least give them a quick and painless death. (drowning, is not very painless or quick).

I caught a mouse live in a kill trap once, it's leg was probably broken, if not, very hurt, so I was better off killing it and putting it out of it's misery. I genilly lowered it in a plastic bag and slammed it as hard as I could on the floor. As sadistic as it sounds, I highly doubt it felt a single thing. I felt like a horrible murderer for doing it, but it was the cleanest and quickest way I could think of killing it. Idealy I'd rather live trap them and release them far away in the bush, but in winter when it's -40 I doubt they can find shelter before they freeze to death anyway.

In college we had the cutest little mice infesting our apartment. I bought some of the sticky glue traps. I had no idea how sticky they were. One night a mouse was stuck in it and was still alive. I put on a rubber glove and picked it up. The poor thing was clearly suffering. Its heart was pounding, I could feel it; and it was trembling all over. I tried to pull it off of the sticky trap to let it go in the field next door, but it was too stuck. I would have pulled its skin off. So I stepped on its head and jerked on its body for a quick decapitation. (I had been dove hunting recently, and that's how you quickly kill a bird that's wounded and flopping around. So it's what came to mind.) It obviously worked, but I felt pretty bad. I went to kill traps afterward. The sticky ones seem more humane to newbies due to the lack of overt violence, but they're really far less humane.

I also managed to catch a couple of the mice with buckets and such when I was able to hear them and corner them in a cabinet where they couldn't escape. I let those go in the field, sometimes after keeping them as a pet for a few days.

 

[ultimatebob]

I'm disappointed that someone didn't announce an Internet connected mouse trap at CES this year. It seems so obvious... Send an e-mail alert when the trap closes so you don't have to check them every day!

I'd give bonus points for the first company that creates a MouseKillPortal that tracks how many kills each trap gets so you find out what bait is the most effective, or just have a friendly competition with your neighbors

 

[waffleironhead]

That's why you use a kill trap, or at very least give them a quick and painless death. (drowning, is not very painless or quick).

I caught a mouse live in a kill trap once, it's leg was probably broken, if not, very hurt, so I was better off killing it and putting it out of it's misery. I genilly lowered it in a plastic bag and slammed it as hard as I could on the floor. As sadistic as it sounds, I highly doubt it felt a single thing. I felt like a horrible murderer for doing it, but it was the cleanest and quickest way I could think of killing it. Idealy I'd rather live trap them and release them far away in the bush, but in winter when it's -40 I doubt they can find shelter before they freeze to death anyway.

Have you ever drowned a mouse? They give up real quick. I mean usually within 10 seconds of being put into the bucket they stop swiming and its over.
I'm not arguing its more or less humane than other methods, because frankly I don't care. I live trap and drown them because it works. Snap traps miss and glue traps are not sticky when its cold.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I'm disappointed that someone didn't announce an Internet connected mouse trap at CES this year. It seems so obvious... Send an e-mail alert when the trap closes so you don't have to check them every day!

I'd give bonus points for the first company that creates a MouseKillPortal that tracks how many kills each trap gets so you find out what bait is the most effective, or just have a friendly competition with your neighbors

I kinda did this.





That system can send emails too:

 

[BUTCH1]

I checked with a local exterminator who's been a rat hunter for 25 years, he told me much the same thing. The rats almost always go looking for water, but sometimes they don't make it out, or they come back in. He told me to always use traps. After the grief I just went through, I'm inclined to believe him.
Of course that's for one or two rats in a house, an infested barn is going to be an entirely different matter.

That's because most rodent poison is an anticoagulant, it thins out their blood until they die from internal hemorrhaging, as this is happening it seems logical that they seek water to try and replenish (as blood has a lot of water in it).

 

[slashbinslashbash]

I kinda did this.





That system can send emails too:

You win! I hereby award you 1000000 Internet Points.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I forgot about this thread and apparently stirred some shit up. I probably should've clarified that I don't drown them per se. When I put them in the bucket, I immediately take a tool to them to take them out. Usually a shovel around the neck and it's pretty instant. I've tried all the other traps and this seems to work the best. I use the bucket and water because I've had mice actually run up the bucket and hop out, so while they're swimming I use the shovel. Pretty quick and painless IMO. At least I know it won't be back at any rate.

 

[evident]

I'm new to country living and I can't imagine being overran by rats. Both my cats are pampered and won't chase a ball let alone a rat. What brings the rats over to begin with? Is there any prevented measures I can take?

If you have an opening for mice/rats to get into your house (holes in the wall, etc) they will be very attracted by cat/dog food smell. the best preventative measure is to seal up all of the cracks and holes possible leading into your house, and potentially moving the food somewhere not near those openings ( although the pet food smell is pretty strong). I never ended up moving my pet food but was able to seal up every opening possible into the house

 

[Fanatical Meat]

From having to deal with mice & rats at a store I managed if you go the poison route its critical to get a professional involved. The stuff sold to consumers has 1/10th the power. Professional poisons will dry the rodent out so much it will end up being a flat mummy thus no significant smell.
Traps are much better provided you can place them away from pets or kids the old school spring loaded traps are the best.
Mice are smart enough to stay away from areas that have cats so they'll end up in your wall or attic.

**remember the first step is sealing up the house trapping or poisoning only is effective if you stop them from coming into the house**

 

[lupi]

Couple years ago our neighbors it seemed had a rat problem. We found out when our cat starting leaving bodies at the front steps including one that still had a trap attached. Guess he didn't mind that it was an easy kill, he was still claiming "ace" status.

 

[Scarpozzi]

This is why you should always address rodent problems quickly. They reproduce very fast. Within 3 weeks, you can go from having 2 rats, to 10-16. 8 weeks later, you could have another 30-50. Once they go through a food supply, they start searching for food and you'll start to see them get more bold. Typically, if they start in a barn or where they can easily access animal feed or pet food, they won't be noticed as easily, but look for signs. If you see mouse/rat droppings, go ahead and set traps. Don't wait.

Reproduction and life cycle from Wikipedia:
The brown rat can breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, with a female producing up to five litters a year. The gestation period is only 21 days, and litters can number up to 14, although seven is common. They reach sexual maturity in about five weeks. Under ideal conditions (for the rat), this means that the population of females could increase by a factor of three and a half (half a litter of 7) in 8 weeks (5 weeks for sexual maturity and 3 weeks of gestation), corresponding to a population growing by a factor of 10 in just 15 weeks. The maximum life span is up to three years, although most barely manage one. A yearly mortality rate of 95% is estimated, with predators and interspecies conflict as major causes.

 

[Carson Dyle]

I get mice in my garage every winter. It's become unavoidable. They chew their way up through the perimeter felt around the concrete slab. One thing that I learned a long time ago is to keep all of my cleaning cloths, paper towels and both clean and dirty shop rags in containers with lids, otherwise I find eaten towels and droppings. I'm not sure if they eat anything else out there, because I still find the little piles of tuft where then come up through the felt, but no longer see any droppings in the garage.