Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post

bower · October 17, 2017

I have no doubt that a cat or a dog, if they were present, would have leaped into the fray and maybe dispatched at least one of the fleeing rats.
Personally I have neither the agility nor the teeth that are necessary for such quick witted killings.

I was surprised to read that rats have such a short lifespan. Most juveniles don't live a year. Even those that make it to full grown only have a life expectancy of 18 months. Yes I know they make up for it by breeding at breakneck speed.

But they certainly need a safe place to do that.
Forecast is for freezing temperatures tonight (finally!). I hope the timing of their exodus from the pile is fatal.

October 17, 2017	#37
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	I have no doubt that a cat or a dog, if they were present, would have leaped into the fray and maybe dispatched at least one of the fleeing rats. Personally I have neither the agility nor the teeth that are necessary for such quick witted killings. I was surprised to read that rats have such a short lifespan. Most juveniles don't live a year. Even those that make it to full grown only have a life expectancy of 18 months. Yes I know they make up for it by breeding at breakneck speed. But they certainly need a safe place to do that. Forecast is for freezing temperatures tonight (finally!). I hope the timing of their exodus from the pile is fatal.