Rodents - Page 3

LDx4 · July 1, 2013

We use the neck snapper types. There's just no place around here to catch and release live rats and we don't want to play Sweeny Todd either

. We have four small dogs, but they stay indoors at night, so after they're in for the night (and luckily, they never go out during the night), my husband goes out and sets 3 or 4 traps around the yard. We've been using cherry tomatoes for bait and the rats like it -- we've gotten a rat every night for the last few nights. Then we put BIG signs on the back door and on the coffee maker in the kitchen to remind us that the traps are out there. In the morning we go out before we let the dogs out back and remove the traps. If a rat gets caught, we just throw the trap away with the rat still in it

. The traps are cheap - we get them at the dollar store.

Lyn

Dewayne mater · July 9, 2013

After a few nights of traps set, nothing. Then I was out of town for 2 days and came back to find one trap missing. Gone. I ended up buying the neck snapper that you set by stepping on it with your foot. That seemed less likely to lead to breaking a finger or something dumb. I'm thinking something much larger than a rat got in that peanut butter, set the trap, then ran off with it still attached. Or, maybe the trap caught a rat and something higher up the food chain took the rat still in the trap. So strange! I'll keep putting them out to see if they do travel in pairs (or more) here. So far, tomato eating has ceased, and that is the goal!

Dewayne mater

Got Worms? · July 11, 2013

My rodent problems stem from the woodchucks that are eating my pepper plants. The plants are in containers outside my fenced off garden. No room to put them inside.

In the old days I realized that all the 'chucks that raided my garden did so because they had a lead deficiency. Being the helpful sort that I am, I kindly obliged by administering a lead suppository...at an extremely high velocity. It was just what the doctor ordered, and took care of the problem.

Now I have neighbors that moved in closer and get a bit concerned when I play doctor, so I've resorted to live trapping and separate disposal...I don't believe in dumping my problems on someone else down the road.

In the last 6 nights...I make my sets overnight...I have removed five woodchucks and one opossum. The 'possum got off with warning..."take these two gumdrops and don't call me in the morning!"

Unlike last year, they're just too numerous, now.

Rats are smart. You need to change tactics often, in order to put a dent in their population. I have a few that will work, but right now I need to go out and do some of the work I've been avoiding. Later.

Got Worms? · July 23, 2013

Here's a rat/squirrel-trap set that cuts down on the number of traps that get carried off by your pray being caught by the leg, foot, or tail. I call it the Neck Stretcher.

Start by cutting a number of 1" x 3" furring strips approximately 24" long. Cut "V" onto one end to facilitate driving into ground. Place a Victor or similar rat trap onto the strip, as shown. Placement depends on how deeply you will be driving the stake into the type of ground (Sand, clay, hardpan w/gravel) so ...what you are trying to accomplish is: have the trap-stake as deeply imbedded in the ground a possible; yet have the bait/trigger/pan just high enough so as to make your pray stretch for it..."neck stretcher"

The trap can be attached (once you have your placement) by drilling some holes and attaching with copper wire. I had some 12/2 I used the last time and it seemed to do the job.

Sorry, I not a graphics wiz.

PHONETOOL · July 24, 2013

click on above picture to view video

last week I did notice the rear end of rat carcass laying next to my zucchini plant

And I haven't had any tomatoes damage since then

Here's a video from last week showing some other damage before I found the rat carcass

You can see Simon the Cat in this video
he stays in the garden all day

-

PHONETOOL · July 24, 2013

Here is a picture of Simon in January when he first started to watch the garden

Off to the right outside of the picture are my two compost bins

which started to attract rodents Simon took care of that than

Now he hardly ever leaves the garden area he's made it his territory

-

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Got Worms? · July 28, 2013

A heads up: I noticed quite a few of those having problems with rodents are in CA, and I just came across this topic about Bubonic Plague in the rodent population (Squirrels) around the San Diego county area.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/...o-have-plague/

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_2...round-closures

http://foreveryoungnews-com.factorep...-in-california

Be careful, plague is transmitted not only by contact with the infected animal, but also by it's fleas which will try to jump (or flee) to a new host when it's infected host dies.

This turn of events certainly shines a new light on what has been discussed here.

I'm not trying to scare anyone here. I'm just worried that if you seek these rodents out (by trapping) or (hunting) with either guns or animals such as cats or dogs, you may be opening either yourself or your pet/s/or even family up to a chance of becoming infected.

Take this with as many grains of salt that you wish. I came across this, and felt the need to pass it on.

LDx4 · July 28, 2013

Thanks Charlie - I saw this on the news also. First it was the Hanta virus we had to worry about and now the plague! This is one of the reasons we don't try to remove the rat from the trap after it's dead. We just hook the trap with a long stick and put it in a trash bag to throw in the garbage can. The traps are only a few dollars each, and it's not worth the risk.

Lyn

PHONETOOL · July 28, 2013

click above picture to view video

I guess I won't be doing this anymore we have a walnut tree

-

PHONETOOL · August 4, 2013

click above picture to view the video

Worth1 · August 4, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Got Worms?

A heads up: I noticed quite a few of those having problems with rodents are in CA, and I just came across this topic about Bubonic Plague in the rodent population (Squirrels) around the San Diego county area.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/...o-have-plague/

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_2...round-closures

http://foreveryoungnews-com.factorep...-in-california

Be careful, plague is transmitted not only by contact with the infected animal, but also by it's fleas which will try to jump (or flee) to a new host when it's infected host dies.

This turn of events certainly shines a new light on what has been discussed here.

I'm not trying to scare anyone here. I'm just worried that if you seek these rodents out (by trapping) or (hunting) with either guns or animals such as cats or dogs, you may be opening either yourself or your pet/s/or even family up to a chance of becoming infected.

Take this with as many grains of salt that you wish. I came across this, and felt the need to pass it on.

Are we to assume they are talking about Yersinia pestis or some other plague?
I suppose I will have to give my black rats a flea bath before I make my famous cream of rat soup.

Worth

ScottinAtlanta · August 4, 2013

60% losses in green toms last week to squirrels, including 100% of Cherokee Purples and Amazon Chocolates. 6 squirrels trapped in four days in my tomatoes. Some still had green tomato pulp on their faces. All went to the Great Attic in the sky.

This morning, I found this guy in my trap - he seems to like peanut butter as much as the squirrels. Since he had no green tomato pulp on his face, he went peacefully on his way after an uncomfortable night.

I still have 20 squirrels to kill - then the pressures should ease up before the late crop comes on. Lots of flowers - lots of fruit ahead if I can ease the rodent pressure.

ChrisK · August 4, 2013

A bucket with 4' of 4" PVC is an inexpensive and very effective lethal trap for tree rats and other rodents.

Labradors2 · August 4, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

I have always heard that chocolate is poisonous to dogs.

Bill

I've heard that poisoned rats and mice are poisonous to ones own dogs and those of the neighbours that might eat them. This really isn't a very thoughtful thing to do!

Linda

ScottinAtlanta · August 4, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisK

A bucket with 4' of 4" PVC is an inexpensive and very effective lethal trap for tree rats and other rodents.

How does that work?

July 11, 2013	#33
Got Worms? Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NY Zone 5b/6a Posts: 546	My rodent problems stem from the woodchucks that are eating my pepper plants. The plants are in containers outside my fenced off garden. No room to put them inside. In the old days I realized that all the 'chucks that raided my garden did so because they had a lead deficiency. Being the helpful sort that I am, I kindly obliged by administering a lead suppository...at an extremely high velocity. It was just what the doctor ordered, and took care of the problem. Now I have neighbors that moved in closer and get a bit concerned when I play doctor, so I've resorted to live trapping and separate disposal...I don't believe in dumping my problems on someone else down the road. In the last 6 nights...I make my sets overnight...I have removed five woodchucks and one opossum. The 'possum got off with warning..."take these two gumdrops and don't call me in the morning!" Unlike last year, they're just too numerous, now. Rats *are* smart. You need to change tactics often, in order to put a dent in their population. I have a few that will work, but right now I need to go out and do some of the work I've been avoiding. Later. Last edited by Got Worms?; July 11, 2013 at 01:17 PM.

August 4, 2013	#43
ChrisK Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,448	A bucket with 4' of 4" PVC is an inexpensive and very effective lethal trap for tree rats and other rodents. __________________ Blog: chriskafer.wordpress.com Ignorance more frequently begets knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. --Charles Darwin

July 1, 2013	#31
LDx4 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 321	We use the neck snapper types. There's just no place around here to catch and release live rats and we don't want to play Sweeny Todd either . We have four small dogs, but they stay indoors at night, so after they're in for the night (and luckily, they never go out during the night), my husband goes out and sets 3 or 4 traps around the yard. We've been using cherry tomatoes for bait and the rats like it -- we've gotten a rat every night for the last few nights. Then we put BIG signs on the back door and on the coffee maker in the kitchen to remind us that the traps are out there. In the morning we go out before we let the dogs out back and remove the traps. If a rat gets caught, we just throw the trap away with the rat still in it . The traps are cheap - we get them at the dollar store. Lyn

July 9, 2013	#32
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	After a few nights of traps set, nothing. Then I was out of town for 2 days and came back to find one trap missing. Gone. I ended up buying the neck snapper that you set by stepping on it with your foot. That seemed less likely to lead to breaking a finger or something dumb. I'm thinking something much larger than a rat got in that peanut butter, set the trap, then ran off with it still attached. Or, maybe the trap caught a rat and something higher up the food chain took the rat still in the trap. So strange! I'll keep putting them out to see if they do travel in pairs (or more) here. So far, tomato eating has ceased, and that is the goal! Dewayne mater

July 24, 2013	#35
PHONETOOL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 58	click on above picture to view video last week I did notice the rear end of rat carcass laying next to my zucchini plant And I haven't had any tomatoes damage since then Here's a video from last week showing some other damage before I found the rat carcass You can see Simon the Cat in this video he stays in the garden all day -

July 28, 2013	#37
Got Worms? Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: NY Zone 5b/6a Posts: 546	A heads up: I noticed quite a few of those having problems with rodents are in CA, and I just came across this topic about Bubonic Plague in the rodent population (Squirrels) around the San Diego county area. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/...o-have-plague/ http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_2...round-closures http://foreveryoungnews-com.factorep...-in-california Be careful, plague is transmitted not only by contact with the infected animal, but also by it's fleas which will try to jump (or flee) to a new host when it's infected host dies. This turn of events certainly shines a new light on what has been discussed here. I'm not trying to scare anyone here. I'm just worried that if you seek these rodents out (by trapping) or (hunting) with either guns or animals such as cats or dogs, you may be opening either yourself or your pet/s/or even family up to a chance of becoming infected. Take this with as many grains of salt that you wish. I came across this, and felt the need to pass it on.