WrightwoodCalif.com Forum

Public Forums => Home - Garden - Auto - Carpooling => Topic started by: Wrightwood on Jul 28, 06, 09:03:43 AM

Title: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Jul 28, 06, 09:03:43 AM: Sounds like we've got an increase in the rodent population as there are plenty of rat sightings around town.

Back in May of '04 I found a dead rat and thought it was rather unusual.

(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/forumimg/rat1.JPG)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: WWMtnGal on Jul 28, 06, 09:13:11 AM: Yikes, that is an ugly one! I know this is a rat but is there a rat problem or a mouse problem?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: twinkie on Jul 28, 06, 09:15:16 AM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Jul 28, 06, 09:16:19 AM: Quote from: WWMtnGal on Jul 28, 06, 09:13:11 AM
Yikes, that is an ugly one! I know this is a rat but is there a rat problem or a mouse problem?

Actually they are both a problem. I posted this on another thread:

Are you sure that you don't have rats as well ForestGal? I saw my first rat around two or three weeks ago up here. I did not even know we had rats up here. I found out they were eating our flowers and vegetables. I would have never known, but we were out sitting on our deck late at night and heard noises. We shined a light out and saw them using our fence for a freeway. My neighbor was also complaining of her plants being eaten before she could even plant them. At the same time we found them, her dog had caught one. Since that time we have killed around 15 of them between the two of us and I am still seeing them in the trees and they are still eating our plants.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jul 28, 06, 09:27:34 AM: I found a dead rat the other day. He was pretty big too. A dead mouse, much smaller the week before.

My male dog spends alot of time at night starting up into the trees, there could be rats in the trees? YUCK!!!

How can you get rid of them when you have animals in the yard?

Now I don't even want to go outside in my yard at night.....
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: twinkie on Jul 28, 06, 09:32:00 AM: I've noticed when I come home at night that my headlights shine on scurrying mice going into the juniper bushes. I realize the need for cats to be kept indoors for their safety, but this is where we really need some fabulous hunters in our bushes.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: WWMtnGal on Jul 28, 06, 09:32:30 AM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lostkiwi on Jul 28, 06, 11:16:58 AM: Last summer we had Roof Rats, somehow they got up through a tiny hole where my husband had added our porch and ended up under the sink. They ate through a water pipe, so that was nice to have fixed. I was freaking out, we set traps and caught a whole bunch, I was scared to use bait in case they died "in public" and one of the cats or dogs got them. We did the steel wool in every possible place and I am still freaked out. 15 years here and I have never had a rat in my house. :( I was told by one of the exterminators I called in desperation that there has been a huge increase, I guess again because of all the new construction. I don't hear the coyotes singing like we used to, I haven't seen a desert tortoise ambling through the yard for years (not how long the tortoise took, the time since I've seen one.. ;D )
Not even any snakes and even the scorpions seem to have taken off to somewhere else. I had only ever seen 2 snakes in our yard, probably the same one, a red racer. One day MrLK was outside working by a Joshua and one fell out of the tree onto him. Never heard a man scream like that, he will never live it down!

This spring our one remaining dog caught two little roof rats outside, she is an excellent hunter for being a mid size dog. Thanks Abby!

The thing I have noticed a massive increase in is the rabbit population, cotton tails, not jackrabbits and also squirrels. Our environment is certainly changing.
Still I would rather see all these critters than the nasty graffiti that is popping up on every sign, now those pests I wish would vanish.
Susan
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Leftfield on Jul 28, 06, 02:41:01 PM: Dont forget that the bird flu has taken its toll in the rodent-eating bird population.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Jul 28, 06, 04:27:53 PM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Jul 28, 06, 04:35:34 PM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Jul 28, 06, 09:36:55 PM: I saw a rat run under a dumpster near a popular eatery last night. The thing was gigantic. Now to go and rat proof my house, steel wool the holes under the house etc...

A good tip to help control the local varmint population is to feed your pets and then take the food away. The pets will adjust to eating at that time and you will not be supporting a varmint wildlife population. Free feeding attracts all the wrong animals: racoons, rats, coyotes, mice, etc..... Just a thought.

If you decide to poison the rats and mice in your house remember that a dead poisoned varmint can be deadly to a pet. Also deer mice can carry Hantavirus. http://www.cabq.gov/bdm/hanta.html

I like using the sticky traps with a little peanut butter booster on them.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Cal-Sportbike on Jul 28, 06, 11:55:45 PM: No rat problem here...we dropped them all at Wrightwood's house...hehehe....
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lostkiwi on Jul 29, 06, 12:11:33 AM: I like a shotgun myself but I would probably shoot myself in the foot and I guess it would be messy.
I don't usually like to kill things either but rats are a whole different ballgame.
My new dryer has quit working, completely dead and I am wondering if something in the wall messed with the electrical box for it.
They are nasty, unhealthful and cause a great deal of damage, I have no sympathy.

Oh and Surfer Dude, make sure you check your eaves and any gaps in your roof. Roof rats will actually run along power lines to get to the roof.
(Roof rats are grey with a white tummy, if you are fortunate enough to see one up close.. ick)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Jul 29, 06, 12:19:47 AM: Quote from: Cal-Sportbike on Jul 28, 06, 11:55:45 PM
No rat problem here...we dropped them all at Wrightwood's house...hehehe....

me and kew were going to round up the rabbits and send them off to wrightwoods place... now i think we should round up the rats and send them up there. We have alot of kangaroo rats and plain ol ugly big grey rats

wrightwood if you experience any increase in the rat population at your house it wasn't me -Points to Todd-
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lostkiwi on Jul 29, 06, 12:31:12 AM: Nu uh, all the rabbits are living under my house, at last count there were 764,004...5...6

;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Jul 29, 06, 12:38:01 AM: Quote from: lostkiwi on Jul 29, 06, 12:11:33 AM

Oh and Surfer Dude, make sure you check your eaves and any gaps in your roof. Roof rats will actually run along power lines to get to the roof.
(Roof rats are grey with a white tummy, if you are fortunate enough to see one up close.. ick)

I am the one person in Wrightwood without any trees to speak of (we have planted a few), it would be a long wire walk for a roof rat to get to my house. I used to see roof rats all the time down the hill. They are nasty little buggers!
I found out how Arcadia is handling these creatures.
http://www.roofrat.net/

It seems they have poisons now that won't secondary poison a pet.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mikeswave on Jul 29, 06, 06:22:25 AM: My brother-in-law lives in Sherman Oaks he uses a pellet gun and shots them off the wires when he is sitting on his back porch he is getting good at it.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: gypsywolf on Jul 29, 06, 06:59:02 AM: No rats that we have seen up here, but we have had a terrible mouse invasion this year. Part of my morning routine now is checking the mouse traps. We almost always catch one or two.

YUCK!!!!!!

My cat is fired..
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Jul 29, 06, 08:27:14 AM: Thanks for the link Surfer_Dude. Just a warning to anyone planning on using a snap trap baited with peanut butter, the Jays are attracted to them. I was setting mine out at night and then taking them down in the morning. One morning around 5:30 I heard one trap spring and I went outside and there was a Stellar's Jay that was missing some feathers. This bird was still around the trap he had sprung trying to get the rest of the peanut butter. He was lucky to still be alive.

The rats have now started to eat my tomatoes and jalapenos, making me think they might be Spanish rats, who like making their own fresh salsa. Anyway, it is one thing if they eat my wife's flowers, it is quite another when they are going after my tomatoes. Now it is war!!!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: makgirl on Jul 29, 06, 08:34:43 AM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ezzpete on Jul 29, 06, 09:17:50 AM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Jul 29, 06, 09:39:12 AM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: SNOW on Jul 29, 06, 10:02:46 AM: Quote from: makgirl on Jul 29, 06, 08:34:43 AM
Ewww, all this rat talk is really nice in the am- "enjoy your eggs, everyone!"

I thought the 3 or 4 raccoons on our deck at once was a bit much. (They use our roof as a toliet/raceway on their neighborhood eating binges). But I'll take them anyday over these nasty rats you all are writing about!

[/]

You want to be very careful when dealing with racoons. They can be vicious.
Never try to catch one without a proper trap and avoid cornering one. They will fight and can tear you up pretty bad. If you have one in a trap, call Animal Control for pickup. A quote from someone who is very familiar with animal behavior, "THEY ARE QUICK AS LIGHTNING AND BITE LIKE AN ALLIGATOR".
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ChrisLynnet on Jul 29, 06, 10:33:05 AM: lostkiwi, your rabbit count cracked me up. :laugh:

I saw my first cottontail up here (Pinon Mesa) the other day. I love rabbits and that was a thrill. My dog thought it was a thrill too but for a different reason, it's a good thing I had a firm hold on his leash.

I know we have mice in the crawl space below the house but I haven't seen any rats. I hope not to, that's for sure. We have the occasional problem with chipmunks coming in the house, but my Lab/Sharpei X takes them out in short order. And what he doesn't get, the cats do.

But this was the first summer where one of my container plants on my deck got eaten down to the nubs. It's spent the last two summers outside without any gnawing. I thought it was the chipmunks or ground squirrels, but rats? Ewww!!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mikeswave on Jul 29, 06, 11:35:21 AM: Hes backed up to a hill no homes behind him to worry about windows
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lagomorphmom on Jul 29, 06, 02:25:30 PM: Since traps have been mentioned, I have two friends that have had great success with the Victor electric mouse traps (the electricity kills them quickly). Best thing is they re-use easily and all you do to get the mouse out is open the lid and turn it over the trash can. I thankfully don't know anyone who has used the rat trap, however. The mouse units are just under $20 and the rat units are more, I don't remember, around $30-something at HD & Lowes, batteries not included.

One thing about the sticky traps, aside from needing a never ending supply is that the buggers don't die anything near a quick death and if you don't catch all four feet, they can easily get to some place that you can't get to easily (like inside the wall) and then stink to high heaven. I'm just sayin'....
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Jul 30, 06, 03:46:53 PM: Quote from: Surfer_Dude on Jul 29, 06, 12:38:01 AM

It seems they have poisons now that won't secondary poison a pet.

Do you have any information on this subject?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Jul 30, 06, 08:27:46 PM: BB,
Are you going to make bait stations out of pvc? Good luck and tell us how the war goes.
Surfer_Dude
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lostkiwi on Jul 30, 06, 10:01:53 PM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Jul 31, 06, 12:10:55 AM: Quote from: Surfer_Dude on Jul 30, 06, 08:27:46 PM
BB,
Are you going to make bait stations out of pvc? Good luck and tell us how the war goes.
Surfer_Dude

Thanks but no, I don't like using poisons and or chemicals because I don't want my dog finding the dead ones and I don't want them crawling into some part of the house and dying. One of Wrightwood's neighbors was telling me about a trap that was suppose to be very effective. You take a five gallon bucket, drill holes into it, near the top and put a rod with a plastic bottle or aluminum can mounted on it, that can spin freely. You fill the bucket part way with water and then smear peanut butter on the bottle or can. When the rat goes after the peanut butter, it spins and the rat falls in the water and drowns. I guess that is a better way to go than having a trap snap on your neck. Has anyone tried this kind of trap or heard anything about it?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Jul 31, 06, 12:21:14 AM: No, and I'm so UN-mechanically inclined that it's hard for me to picture what you are describing, but if this would work for ground squirrels, I'd be happy to learn this! Seems to me that a snap on the neck would be more humane than drowning, but hey - we are trying to eradicate these dang pests! Grrrrrrrrrrrr......
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Jul 31, 06, 06:39:19 AM: Quote from: BostonBob on Jul 31, 06, 12:10:55 AM
Quote from: Surfer_Dude on Jul 30, 06, 08:27:46 PM
BB,
Are you going to make bait stations out of pvc? Good luck and tell us how the war goes.
Surfer_Dude

Thanks but no, I don't like using poisons and or chemicals because I don't want my dog finding the dead ones and I don't want them crawling into some part of the house and dying.

Rodetrol might be a good answer if you combine it with glue traps. You might be able to get most of them. Good luck and take picks of this contraption you might build. You know what Ralph Waldo Emerson always said, "If you build a better mouse trap the world will beat a path to your door."

Here is a corn cob version of your trap BB: http://journeytoforever.org/at_rattrap3.html

Here is an interesting anti-freeze mix version: http://ratkill.com/test.html
Scroll down a few stories to THE BUCKET AND ANTI-FREEZE TRICK FROM SWEDEN
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Jul 31, 06, 07:51:38 AM: I'm going to try this for ground squirrels.

(http://www.jimsalmon.com/PHOTOS/mousetrap%2Ejpg)

(http://www.jimsalmon.com/PHOTOS/mouseloop%2Ejpg)

Set up a half to three-quarters full 5 gallon bucket with water and squirt some dishwashing soap in the water.

You can also float a bunch of corks on top of the water, it masks the water and won't support them when they fall in. (The corks are an old exterminator's trick)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: michael on Jul 31, 06, 08:35:04 AM: One thing about the sticky traps, aside from needing a never ending supply is that the buggers don't die anything near a quick death and if you don't catch all four feet, they can easily get to some place that you can't get to easily (like inside the wall) and then stink to high heaven. I'm just sayin'....[/quote]

My crawl space was simply full of fun little creatures. Being the environentally sensitive guy that I am, I went out and located some arsenic pot roast. Yummm! Then I had a crawl space that smelled like a morgue that had lost its cooling.

I want to buy a couple of Jack Russel Terriers. They are unrepentant killing machines when it comes to rats.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Jul 31, 06, 09:03:03 AM: Thanks, S_D and Wrightwood. Boy this link that was on one of the other links you listed had some amazing statistics. I never knew they ate so much of the world's food:

http://journeytoforever.org/at_rats.html
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Jul 31, 06, 09:05:19 AM: So what kind of rats are they BB?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Jul 31, 06, 09:08:37 AM: My guess is the roof rat (Rattus rattus).
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Jul 31, 06, 09:20:41 AM: Wanna buy an owl?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Jul 31, 06, 11:45:00 AM: The owls are of limited supply, partly due to the poisoned rats. But you are right about the owls/raptors as efficent in controlling mice and rats. If we can make a community effort to bring back the owls the rat problem will decrease dramatically. Owls are much more efficent than any creative trap. However, combining several efforts should help. Rats are a community problem so when your neighbor gets rid of his guess what? Tag you are it!

Now, we need a few houses to make an owl community and public awareness not to use d-con and other rat killers that contain poison that spreads to the owls .

Good thing BB ,WW are experts at making bird houses and gadgets. http://www.rain.org/~sals/barnowl.html
Look at fig5 and tell me what you think. Can you design an asthetically pleasing one or better one?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wildman on Jul 31, 06, 02:29:43 PM: Quote from: Wrightwood on Jul 31, 06, 09:05:19 AM
So what kind of rats are they BB?
The first "Rat" I saw since living here was when we moved down to the ranch. I swear that it's eyes glowed red as it slinked along a tree branch. It looked just like the rats you see on tv that are down at the Wharf. Not cute, like a pack rat, but sinister and mean looking.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wisher on Jul 31, 06, 03:15:20 PM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: betsylou on Jul 31, 06, 04:56:20 PM: I used to let my cats go outside, but one to many got eaten up by coyotes, so they are indoor cats now. On occasion (too many occasions!), one little mouse will make the BIG mistake of squeezing under my garage door...granted I have 6 cats and they are all excellent 'mousers', anyway, my problem is they play with them until they are dead, and bring them to me, as to say "Mommy, why won't he play with me anymore"?

This morning I felt my "Blue" kitty romping around my bed with me, a feeling that sickens me...and as I suspected, he had brought me yet another morning gift, another dead mouse...talk about YUCK!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Jul 31, 06, 05:09:25 PM: Okay, here is the design I came up with. All I have to do is smear some peanut butter on the bottles and set them in place. I am going to hang mine from the fence because they use the fence for their freeway and my dog will not be able to lick the peanut butter off.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Chesslike/rattraps003.jpg)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Jul 31, 06, 07:27:57 PM: That's it! What about the homemade owl houses!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Jul 31, 06, 09:45:00 PM: BB is going to be famous with the better rat trap made from Costco water bottles.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Jul 31, 06, 10:36:48 PM: Quote from: BostonBob on Jul 31, 06, 05:09:25 PM
Okay, here is the design I came up with. All I have to do is smear some peanut butter on the bottles and set them in place. I am going to hang mine from the fence because they use the fence for their freeway and my dog will not be able to lick the peanut butter off.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Chesslike/rattraps003.jpg)

Quote from: Wrightwood on Jul 31, 06, 09:45:00 PM
BB is going to be famous with the better rat trap made from Costco water bottles.

Are thoes old cat litter buckets? if they are costco water bottles and old cat litter buckets boy Hillbilly must be rubbing off on you Bostonbob!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Aug 01, 06, 12:04:43 AM: Boy FunkyG, nothing gets past you! ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: TaiChiMe on Aug 01, 06, 11:22:08 AM: BostonBob, love the design! Did it work? if so, I think you should sell them...you have invented a better mouse (RAT) trap! G :2thumbsup:
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Aug 01, 06, 11:35:21 AM: Sorry to say, no, I did not catch a single one. :'( I might have to get my money back from Costco or then again maybe our local rats do not like the expensive Kirkland organic peanut butter. ???
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Aug 01, 06, 12:06:14 PM: Are the cat litter containers deep enough to hold enough water?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Aug 01, 06, 12:38:49 PM: Quote from: Wrightwood on Aug 01, 06, 12:06:14 PM
Are the cat litter containers deep enough to hold enough water?

Yes, they are probably 4 - 4.5 gallon buckets.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Aug 01, 06, 08:43:02 PM: BB,
Try poking the wires in the ground in a square over the bucket or securing them. This way the wire stays put and only the middle spins. Then put sunflowerseeds in the water. You may choose to put a thin sponge or corks over the water to enhance the illusion,.. Try it, you might get better luck. I also think you need more distance to the bottle so a smaller bottle or device will do. Build a ramp to the bucke or hang it right near the rat run.

I caught two since this posts started but I cheated and used the awful sticky trap.

"Build a better mouse trap and they will build a better mouse."
Author unknown
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Aug 01, 06, 11:37:29 PM: Question -Is this type of trap going to be attractive to our Gray Squirrel?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Aug 02, 06, 04:00:14 PM: S_D, I don't think the rats have been around to test my design. I know they love peanut butter because I have caught them successfully in the snap traps. The peanut butter has not been touched since I have placed the new style traps out. Also, none of our flowers, vegetables or fruit have been bothered for a few days and I have not seen any rats in a certain cedar tree that they are always in at night. I don't think I am ready to modify the design until I know they have been to the new traps and they aren't being caught.

Kew, I have not seen any of our squirrels around the new traps and even if they did go near them, the squirrels are probably big enough so they would not fall in the water and even if they did fall in, the water is not deep enough for them to drown. I am not sure if that is what you were asking, but hopefully that answers your question.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Aug 02, 06, 06:25:09 PM: But the ground squirrels are no longer thirsty....
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Aug 02, 06, 06:38:23 PM: Mine are - no plants left..... >:(
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Aug 08, 06, 08:52:25 AM: Update:

I now know that my trap works for mice. I took one down from the fence and placed it on the ground with a ramp last night. This morning there were two expired mice in it. As far as the rats go, they have either moved on or the trouble makers have all been killed, because they have not done any damage lately.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: makgirl on Aug 14, 06, 05:47:04 PM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Aug 23, 06, 04:12:28 PM: Found another place where rats are going under the house! It is where the propane line goes under the house. I want to close it off and have stuff to close it but I dont want to close it up if there are rats under the house. Don't want to be under there some day and find a dead rat. Any way to get them out? I would send the dog under there but there are axles and two trailer tongues under there and a bunch of peirs. :-\
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: MountainGrizzly on Aug 23, 06, 04:31:49 PM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KathySC on Aug 23, 06, 06:22:21 PM: Sounds like we need the pied piper around here!

We reached the conclusion that the only thing to do is trap them conscientiously and prevent entry. Close up the space, put traps in place and empty them until they are all gone.

Don't use poison. Aside from the smell of the dying rats, you put too many other animals at risk. The traps that are pet proof aren't effective because the rats/ground squirrels take the poison bait and hide it away somewhere. That "somewhere" may be where a pet (your own or a neighbors) will later find it. We know someone that happened to.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KW on Aug 23, 06, 06:41:28 PM: We had to stop feeding our squirrels because there was a rat at the feeder, and we didn't want to encourage the rat. Don't know where he lives - only times I ever saw him were at the squirrel feeder. Suggestions? I'd hate to trap a squirrel or small pet...
Title: Rats
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 06:29:25 AM: There's a rat in my bathroom. Not a mouse, a rat.
At least it's cornered there, and the door is shut.
I haven't had enough coffee yet to deal with this.... :bigcry:
Hope I don't have to go.....
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 07:03:14 AM: Are there any people out there that have had pet rats that want to help me catch it?
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Wrightwood on Dec 01, 06, 07:03:35 AM: That might one of BostonBobs he's looking for.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: wwpt on Dec 01, 06, 07:13:41 AM: Doin't worry, He probably just dropped by to take a dip.

Thanks to Bob and his water traps, All the rats are evolvoving to learn to swim up here now, Well at least they are bathed. ;D
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: MazzyStar on Dec 01, 06, 07:17:03 AM: Nolena, what do you have in the house to use to catch it and when do you have to leave this morning?
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 07:22:18 AM: Wwpt has volunteered to bring over a glue trap.
I'll update everyone on the "rat roundup."
I'm not working today...just laying around eating bonbons & chasing rats.

Never a dull moment.......
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 07:24:20 AM: Here's a picture of the rat:

(http://www.doublesign.com/img/chinese/personality/main/rat.gif)
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: gypsywolf on Dec 01, 06, 07:29:14 AM: Good luck on your rat quest and thanks for the chuckle!

He looks like a shady fellow to me..
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: MazzyStar on Dec 01, 06, 07:33:33 AM: Ok, I was going to offer to come over and help collect it and set it free in someone else's house but that wouldn't be very nice of me huh? ::)
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: lobo19 on Dec 01, 06, 07:40:46 AM: My Dogs have killed 6 rats in the last month, I'll send them over.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Chesslike on Dec 01, 06, 07:51:39 AM: Sorry Nolena, I just assumed that you would not mind. He wanted to use our bathroom, but ours are being worked on and are out of commission, so I sent him to your house to use yours. Next time I will ask before I send him over.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: angelwolf326 on Dec 01, 06, 08:00:23 AM: My dogs have got about 4 of them lately. There were two living on my deck in the wood box and harassing my cats thru the window....... Once I moved the box, the dumb animals went to the backyard instead of the front yard and shortly they went to see god. Not very smart animals.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 08:32:53 AM: It was a Norway rat. (Spoke with a Scandanavian accent.)

It's gone.
Fortunately it trapped itself in the trash can.
Wwpt was nice enough to come over and help me get rid of it.
I am now rat free!! :2thumbsup:

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rattus_norvegicus.html
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 08:41:37 AM: Thank you to everyone who offered to help.
Please come and take your dogs back now. ;D
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: justme on Dec 01, 06, 08:46:14 AM: Hooray for wwpete!
That whole rat thing grosses me out. oooh, what did it touch in the bathroom and did it poop or pee? oooooo gross
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Wildman on Dec 01, 06, 09:06:10 AM: WRATS-Wrightwood rats are more common then most will know. Take a black light and go over your house at night. It will illuminate the areas that the rats and mice urinate on. You would be amazed at how well they live in our homes and we aren't aware.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: wwpt on Dec 01, 06, 09:11:30 AM: The rat is still in the back of my truck in Nolenas trashcan, duct taped garbage bag over the top, preparing to be driven to the Inspiration Point area for a catch and release program that Nolena made me swear to do. (Against my wishes).

He's quite a fella....http://www.ratshole.com/main.html

When I peeked in the rat now wants a Cheese pizza and a six-pack for a last meal and is begging not to be set loose in the wild.

He said if anything happens to him, his friends are going to come back and get you.

Sorry, This rat is going to go sleep with the fishes. Unless of course the ransom is met....Boston Bob we could do some trapping experiments with him for a meager fee. ;D
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 09:21:28 AM: ~~Don't tell KW it's actually now in her garage.~~
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: wwpt on Dec 01, 06, 09:27:04 AM: Check your mail, there's a rats finger with a ransom note.

It's really quite simple....Pay the money...and the rat lives.
Title: Re: Rats
Post by: newGirl on Dec 01, 06, 04:19:34 PM: That was nice of him capture himself for you! What a polite guest - he must have noticed your fear of him and tried to help you out. Did he flush and wash his hands when he was done with the bathroom as well? :toilet:

;) :laugh:
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Dec 01, 06, 06:59:21 PM: Sunday we found a rat floating in one of the dogs water :-X

Tuesday one got stuck in 1" wire mesh.

Both never made it out alive. ::)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Dec 01, 06, 07:35:05 PM: I disinfected and cleaned everything.
No pee; no poop.
Got lucky. These guys are heavy disease vectors.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Dec 01, 06, 10:59:03 PM: Gosh, I was stuck at work all day, just saw this topic. Did I miss a fun day of excitement in WW or what! ;D

Glad the little sucker is gone. Where your cats when you needed them? ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: roynlorimoore on Dec 02, 06, 12:08:32 AM: I'm sure you have all seen those "repellers" that you plug into an electrical outlet that are for sale in catalogues or maybe at places like Costco or Wal-Mart. They are relatively inexpensive but only last about a year. They emit a sound (humans can't hear and it doesn't seem to bother my dogs) that repel spiders and the stronger repellers make mice go away. Rats? I'm unsure but I have seen repellers that are strong enough to keep deer away so I'm sure there would be certain types or models that would keep rats away. I have one in each of my rooms and I don't have spiders even in the summertime and I don't have a mouse or rat problem.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: spellbinder on Dec 02, 06, 05:45:42 PM: I have been known to catch a few in my day.....

try going to the home centers and getting some snap traps and nailing them to the trees and fences where you are seeing them. Bait the traps but dont set them for a couple of days, get them used to feeding there, then about 2 to 3 days later, set the trap and start removing the little suckers.

you can also call one of the local exterminators in town and let them take care of the problem.

(sorry, shamless plug for us) ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Dec 02, 06, 07:36:24 PM: But then you get the squirrels also.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Dec 02, 06, 08:42:50 PM: Quote from: Nolena on Dec 02, 06, 07:36:24 PM
But then you get the squirrels also.

There pest too ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Dec 02, 06, 09:51:52 PM: Different kind of squirrel. ;D

The tree squirrels in WW are a pleasure to watch. :2thumbsup:

The ground squirrels in Phelan are pests and not at all cute. >:(
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: roynlorimoore on Dec 03, 06, 08:47:48 PM: I used to think the squirrels in WW were cute too until one day after I had been buying food to put out for them for months, I heard a strange noise while I was outside and saw pieces of "something" coming off of the roof. I looked up and what do I see? This squirrel is chewing the roofing at the peak of our house and throwing down the pieces. That was it. No more food out for the squirrels. Alot of the food being put out for the squirrels are attracting the mice and rats to homes.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Giorgiann on Dec 03, 06, 10:24:50 PM: I got Clark pest control, they came out and got the rat that moved into my garage.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Dec 04, 06, 08:52:58 AM: How big are rat droppings?

I just discovered small droppings around the entrance to my crawl space. These droppings were about the same size as rice......
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Dec 04, 06, 09:09:39 AM: mice
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Dec 04, 06, 12:07:14 PM: Quote from: Nolena on Dec 04, 06, 09:09:39 AM
mice

No not mice. I said the droppings were the same size of "rice".....

Oh wait.... you mean the droppings are from mice..... I gotcha! Thanks! ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: michael on Dec 04, 06, 12:30:45 PM: Wrightwood's rat problem has been fairly minimal since I relocated to Pinon Hills.

M
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: thevampy1 on Dec 07, 06, 03:43:45 PM: I had friends who had pet rats over the years, and hers were super smart and friendly. Guess it's nuture over nature for the poor ratties.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: quadriders on Dec 07, 06, 03:59:55 PM: We have lived up here 16 years and this is the first year we have seen one. Whats up????
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Dec 07, 06, 08:55:15 PM: We've been here 27 years and this year is our first experiance with them and we caught 4 in the house. YUK!!!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Dec 07, 06, 09:45:36 PM: Ken - In Wrightwood or Phelan ?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Dec 07, 06, 10:31:40 PM: Phelan
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 10, 06, 08:02:42 AM: I've got a dysfunctional Cat who catches the mice and now rats outside, brings them in the pet door and sets them loose for a game of hide and seek. 3 have gotten away from him and wound up having to be trapped after a stay indoors. He is basicallly importing them INTO the house from outside. Then he preens around like he's some big hunter and wants to be petted.

This has got to stop.... Ideas Anyone?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Giorgiann on Dec 10, 06, 08:13:22 AM: Um, make the cat a present to your worst enemy??
Title: Re: Rat Problem Solved
Post by: Nolena on Dec 10, 06, 08:45:21 AM: Quote from: wwpt on Dec 10, 06, 08:02:42 AM

I've got a dysfunctional Cat who catches the mice and now rats outside, brings them in the pet door and sets them loose for a game of hide and seek. 3 have gotten away from him and wound up having to be trapped after a stay indoors. He is basicallly importing them INTO the house from outside. Then he preens around like he's some big hunter and wants to be petted.

This has got to stop.... Ideas Anyone?

Thanks, Pete!!
With your animals controlling our rodent population like that, my house is now rodent free!!! :2thumbsup:
Can I buy you some cat food? ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lagomorphmom on Dec 10, 06, 08:51:50 AM: Quote from: wwpt on Dec 10, 06, 08:02:42 AM
This has got to stop.... Ideas Anyone?

Not directly. But I'll say it again, if the mouse needs to go to 'heaven', the Victor electric mouse traps work darn near good as a cat, I would think the rat trap should work as well but have not tried it myself. They are battery operated and the mouse is electrocuted quickly which to me seams more humane, especially compared to the sticky traps. They look like they passed away in their sleep. They suggest baiting them with peanut butter which would work great, but for mice I prefer a grain product or bird seed so I don't have to clean up the peanut butter. The mouse is disposed of by opening the trap door of the unit over a trash can.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Dec 10, 06, 09:21:49 AM: Anderson's True Value sell a electric rat trap. We have one too ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lonelyguy on Dec 10, 06, 09:35:13 AM: ever sense the county came and took my 50 cats my rat and mouse population is really out of control. the rats are pretty smart and keep me intertained during the lonely nite. i have herd that people have pet rats so i decided to adopt these ones. i hope to train them so they don't bite me so much.... sigh. if you'd like to come up to the ridge and visit me and my new pets just pm me.
Title: Re:No Rats; No Problem
Post by: Nolena on Dec 10, 06, 09:41:05 AM: Let's look at his logically.
If we all just help support Pete's cat, none of the rest of us will have any rodent problems, because they'll all be in Pete's house.
I'm in for catnip.

...and maybe we could start a new restaurant.......
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 10, 06, 10:01:17 AM: Guess I'm going to have to start bringing the canned food up to my neighbors porch and feeding the cat there... They're like teenagers, Feed them once, they adopt you...Gee..where should I start? ??? ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Toolman on Dec 10, 06, 06:11:57 PM: Rats.....bring'em on

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/MikeWorshum/Machinegun.gif) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v304/MikeWorshum/Machinegun2.gif)

Does somebody do drywall...... ::)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Dec 10, 06, 07:23:50 PM: Just don't hit the gas line ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: gus on Dec 11, 06, 08:06:24 AM: wwpt,
put the cat out and lock the pet door
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 11, 06, 09:06:19 AM: Do you know if they sell electric cat traps? ;D

Here's the "Big Hunter-Killer Cat" wondering why his "Toy" isn't there anymore. 2nd time this week.

(http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f244/wwpt/DSC00578.jpg)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Dec 11, 06, 09:32:45 AM: Looks as if those rodent traps work to catch spiders too! ;D

That's a pretty kitty, wwpt!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 11, 06, 09:57:58 AM: Looks as if those rodent traps work to catch spiders too!

Just more proof that that cat isn't doing his job.

Glad you like him. I'll keep you posted there...he may become orphaned and recently abandoned soon. ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: justme on Dec 11, 06, 10:47:40 AM: wwpete......Don't you dare >:(
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 11, 06, 10:57:26 AM: HE'S BRINGING THE RATS INTO THE HOUSE FROM OUTSIDE!!!!

He needs a Cat Psychologist or something. Therapy. Re-programming. Obedience Training. SOMETHING!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: mechanicalpencil on Dec 11, 06, 12:49:50 PM: wwpt, real simple...KEEP THE CAT INDOORS! It's been proven that cats that are allowed to roam freely outdoors have more health problems (eating things they shouldn't, fights with other cats, not to mention the breeding problem if they have not been neutered).

My cat has never been allowed to roam freely outside. She only goes to the vet and back in her carrier, and she is in excellent health! (shes 13 this year, and still going strong).

As for the mice, (and the rat I had this year in the subfloor of my mobile home), she thinks it's really neat watching them steal her kibble and secret it in the back of the pantry where they have a tendency to nest if the trap under the sink doesn't get them first. I have learned to just live with the rodent problem since moving to Pinon Hills, although this is the first year I have ever had a rat!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Dec 11, 06, 04:21:15 PM: thats a LITTLE one, mine are WAY bigger, bring that cat over here!!!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Dec 11, 06, 04:31:24 PM: Quote from: Angelwolf on Dec 11, 06, 04:21:15 PM
thats a LITTLE one, mine are WAY bigger, bring that cat over here!!!

What, you want wwpt's cat to bring your WAY bigger rats into YOUR house??? ??? ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 11, 06, 04:45:36 PM: Just one question then....Should I seal up the cat door when the cat is inside....or Outside?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Giorgiann on Dec 12, 06, 07:19:43 AM: Those glue traps didnt work for me. I caught 3 birds on em, t hough. Just awful. Those feathers become a real mess, poor things. But a professional exterminator took care of my problem just fine.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: michael on Dec 15, 06, 08:19:07 AM: Quote from: FunkyGorilla on Dec 10, 06, 09:21:49 AM
Anderson's True Value sell a electric rat trap. We have one too ;D

If your home is on a wood subfloor the fix is difficult but final. crawl beneath your structure with a bag of steel wool and pack tight all penetrations. Then look for light making its way down there. Pack the hole. Fix your door seals if they are failed.

End of mouse, rats, and unwanted nasties. This technique has never failed me.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Dec 15, 06, 09:15:35 AM: One variation, use aluminum wool (yes there is such a thing) it will not rust.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: michael on Dec 15, 06, 10:38:03 AM: Quote from: Surfer_Dude on Dec 15, 06, 09:15:35 AM
One variation, use aluminum wool (yes there is such a thing) it will not rust.

Thank you, that would be an improvement on my technique.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 16, 06, 05:31:40 PM: Ok....I got one of the electronic repellers you plug in the wall socket and it makes the wires in the house vibrate or whatever, set some large traps by the usual ratty hangouts/places and see what happens here. Big selling point to me was they make spiders leave also.

We'll see. (The cat is still here-it doesn't seem to affect him or the dog) ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Dec 16, 06, 08:07:29 PM: Quote from: wwpt on Dec 16, 06, 05:31:40 PM

Ok....I got one of the electronic repellers you plug in the wall socket and it makes the wires in the house vibrate or whatever, set some large traps by the usual ratty hangouts/places and see what happens here. Big selling point to me was they make spiders leave also.

We'll see. (The cat is still here-it doesn't seem to affect him or the dog) ;D

Rats of luck!
I have a couple of them in areas I've had issues over the years... Same number of mice..... I catch them in a non-lethal trap and release them near the guzzler within 2-3 feet of the electronic repeller.

Did you get a money back guarantee? (I think you'll need it)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: wwpt on Dec 17, 06, 03:52:52 PM: I am totally committed to pulling the plug an the ratspirator on these critters.

I put it upstairs where the cat had been hanging out sniffing alot and nailed a trap to the wall (aka spellbinder) by the water pipes that went through the wall, and sure enough, 45 minutes after plugging it in the trap snapped and flew off the wall.

I still don't understand how a rat can run up and down a slippery pipe (while holding his hands over his ears no less)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kristinharger on Dec 17, 06, 09:31:07 PM: I have not read all of the posts on this thread because it is creeping me out. I am going to order the electronic repellers from this site:

http://msglobaldirect.com/html/electronic_pest_control.html
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Dec 17, 06, 10:03:39 PM: Before you spend your money make sure to read this notice:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/07/global.htm
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 05, 07, 01:55:15 PM: Ok, so $150 later.... darn rodents chewed thru some stuff on my car. What is the poison that will not harm the dogs if they eat the dead things??? Can't find it on here....

My cruise control kept saying SET SET SET>>> Got into the engine to find a fuse and found a rag wrapped around some open wires. Not sure what this was from, I thought what did some mechanic do to my car??? Took it to the dealer and he said it was a rodent..... It chew thru those wires and some under the car. They have to soder some stuff and put new stuff to protect the wires.... UGH.. I am pissed.

Gonna put Missy the swampcooler kitty out there to kick some rodent but!!!!!

Not good on the finances after xmas.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Jan 05, 07, 02:26:58 PM: Only $150! Sounds like they did minimal damage. The suckers ate most of the Main engine wiring harness in the truck and it had to be replaced. Cost only $3,500 but insurance paid $3,000 of it. Now the Speedometer doesn't work at all and the gas gauge and tachometer are having problems.

Rats like the warmth car engines put off so they get up in to the engine compartment and have a field day. Also with Toyotas they use Peanut Oil for a lubricant when they run the wires through the chassis when they make them. So there nice and yummy for them.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 05, 07, 02:47:13 PM: MY CAR IS SITTING OUTSIDE TONITE....
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 05, 07, 02:59:54 PM: this is a trip

http://www.hastingsreserve.org/Mammals/MiceInCars.html (http://www.hastingsreserve.org/Mammals/MiceInCars.html)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Jan 05, 07, 03:03:26 PM: Quote from: FunkyGorilla on Jan 05, 07, 02:26:58 PM
Also with Toyotas they use Peanut Oil for a lubricant when they run the wires through the chassis when they make them. So there nice and yummy for them.

This brings up a question I have. I over heard a conversation in Staters the other day about this problem. The essence of the conversation was that the automotive wire manufacturing companies are making the insulation from a Soy product that is quite delicious to rodents and that's why they are going after the wiring. Do any of you have any information about this possibility?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Jan 05, 07, 03:49:51 PM: That's funny, Angelwolf! My car lives in the garage, and to my knowledge I've never had mice in my car, but I'm pretty sure that they are, or have been, in the garage. I have a large bag of sunflower seeds, which are supposed to be bird and squirrel food on a shelf out there. There is a large hole in the corner of the bag, and sunflower seeds all over the shelf. I have 2 D-Con containers there, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Since my garage is attached to my house, and I am in and out of that connecting door many times a day, I'm surprised that they haven't entered the house. So far, so good. I don't know how much of a mouser my tiny wiener dog would be...... She would probably want to make playmates out of them!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Jan 05, 07, 03:57:21 PM: Quote from: Ken on Jan 05, 07, 03:03:26 PM
Quote from: FunkyGorilla on Jan 05, 07, 02:26:58 PM
Also with Toyotas they use Peanut Oil for a lubricant when they run the wires through the chassis when they make them. So there nice and yummy for them.

This brings up a question I have. I over heard a conversation in Staters the other day about this problem. The essence of the conversation was that the automotive wire manufacturing companies are making the insulation from a Soy product that is quite delicious to rodents and that's why they are going after the wiring. Do any of you have any information about this possibility?

Didn't see your post, Ken, before I posted my above one. No, I haven't heard anything about this, but maybe we should bait our traps with tofu? Would be a lot less messy than peanut butter...... ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 05, 07, 06:20:54 PM: hmm, i wish mine would have ate the bird feed. LOL I have a door to the house too but there are 3 cats inside so they won't come in here!!!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Giorgiann on Jan 05, 07, 08:24:17 PM: I go rats this year, too. First time in 7 years.... I called a professional exterminator, they come out once or twice a month, for just $35 a month. No more rats....
:)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 06, 07, 12:44:29 AM: Giorgann, what did they do? I can't have any poison due to pets... can you let me know and maybe im me their info?

thanks!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Jan 06, 07, 03:13:04 AM: Angelwolf,
Your big dogs would have to eat a lot of bait to get a fatal dose. Most rat poisons are anti-clotting which cause the rats to bleed to death internally. If your dog shows any bleeding abnormality after poisoning the rats you can give them some vitamin K.

http://www.petalia.com.au/Templates/StoryTemplate_Process.cfm?specie=Cats&story_no=379#ct-4
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KathySC on Jan 06, 07, 07:32:50 AM: Idon't think putting any poison pellets out is a good idea. The rats will probably take it back to their nest. They will eat some and die (hopefully), but there will be some left that your animals can get into and die.

Even if you don't have a pet yourself, the rats may take the poison where another animal can get it.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Giorgiann on Jan 06, 07, 11:54:48 AM: Hi Angel Wolf~

They have these "rat hotel" thingies they've set up in my garage behind some of my junk. They put three of them out, each in a different location in the garage. Inside the hotels they put these little baggies, which the rats like to chew on. The baggies have a scent to them (I cant smell them but the rats can) that "is very attracting to rats." They go in to the hotel thingies and chew on the baggies and they get poisoned. Every couple weeks the exterminator comes out, checks if we need more baggies. About every other month she goes around the house and sprays for other pests (we were overcome with spiders and ants and beetles this year, for some reason, and I just couldnt keep up with them with organic alternatives or store-bought poisons this past year). The spray she uses has a very light odor to it, and not very unpleasant. I wouldnt go so far to say it was pleasant, but it's not so bad.

We have pets, too, including a very small dog. We were concerned about that, but she set the "hotels" behind stuff, the animals cant get to them.

I dont know if the rats are able to cart off any of the bait they eat in the hotels, to a nest or something. It didnt occur to me, so I didnt ask. What the exterminator said is that the scent is very attracting, and they go into the boxes and chew the baggies, get poisoned by the bait, go away and die. And they have. It has worked out great for us.

I dunno if I can say this on the forum, they might delete it? But the exterminator is Clark Pest Control, and the Lancaster office services our area.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Jan 06, 07, 12:09:10 PM: Giorgiann,
You are more than welcome to post your recommendations here you just can't post here on the public forum a company name that gave you bad services. So your post is safe. ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Jan 06, 07, 12:44:35 PM: Second hand poison for the dogs that Angelwolf has would almost be impossible. The dogs would have to eat many rats that had just injested the lethal doses. The lethal dose for for a dog is 21g per pound. Her dog Mogli weighs 75+ lbs that would be 1575gs. ( A gram is the same amount in a packet of sugar.)

http://www.drpeay.com/Article31.phtml

Bromethalin is a new nonanticoagulant (Assault, Vengeance) designed to be lethal to rodents after a single dose. The minimum lethal dose for the dog is approximately 21g bait per pound body weight, meaning that a 30 lb dog would have to consume 630g bait (or 15 packs of bait) to receive a lethal dose. Ingestion of rodents that have consumed bromethalin does not cause toxicity in the dog. Thus bromethalin is a safer rodenticide for use where dogs are present than the anticoagulant rodenticides.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Giorgiann on Jan 07, 07, 12:43:30 AM: Thank youFunkyGorilla!!
And thank you, too Surfer_Dude, that is useful information!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 07, 07, 01:23:31 PM: thanks everybody, my dogs, all 3 are well over 30 lbs...
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 07, 07, 04:07:21 PM: I am going to try some non chemical stuff first.

I cleaned my garage, got rid of all piles of anything, swept all the junk he left me up and I am leaving my hood open so it is not a place where it can hide. I have placed dryer sheets on my tires and the area they have chewed in my car so we will see how the night goes... I read that they do not like the smell of dryer sheets.

With gas thieves in our village I don't want my car out...

I am going to also get rid of all cardboard boxes as they seem to like to eat them and replace with plastic sealed containers.. I am also going to put my bird seed in a sealed container. He seems to like the sunflower seeds alot!

Wish me luck!!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Jan 07, 07, 07:23:36 PM: I have a stack of 4"x4"X10' foot Boards stacked 4" off the ground and rats took dog poop :o, grocery bags, A home depot red flag, dog hair and made a nice little nest under it :-X
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: MtnDude on Jan 07, 07, 07:55:56 PM: Quote from: FunkyGorilla on Jan 07, 07, 07:23:36 PM
I have a stack of 4"x4"X10' foot Boards stacked 4" off the ground and rats took dog poop :o, grocery bags, A home depot red flag, dog hair and made a nice little nest under it :-X

And that was just in your bedroom!!! :o ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: KWBoy on Jan 07, 07, 08:22:56 PM: No it was right next to my cage ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: michael on Jan 08, 07, 08:14:00 AM: I am constructing a home in Pinon Hills at present. The tubs are in place (cast iron) and filled with water. There are three tubs.

Two of the the three have dead rats in them. There is something to the bucket of water with a ramp to it idea. They simply can't resist the water, don't see worth a diddle, and dive in. There is no escape. Dead Rat.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 16, 07, 10:46:48 AM: Ok, it's war...... The dang rat chewed a huge hole in my CERT bag and in my vest!!!!! He also chewed up a bag with Mogli's stuff in it........ So I found an old trap under the house and I set it and WHAM, DEAD RAT...... he was pretty big, about 6 inches...... Him and the trap were disposed of, I am not sure how someone can touch a trap to take it out after they are dead, I couldn't.

I am going to buy some more and put them out to see if there are others....
Title: Incoming Wildlife
Post by: Nolena on Oct 15, 07, 06:52:11 AM: Rats!
Or, rather, rat, singular. One of the native ones. Hiding in the living room.
Why do they do this to me before I've had enough coffee?
Title: Re: Incoming Wildlife
Post by: Hillbillies on Oct 15, 07, 07:25:35 AM: I saw a rat Saturday night on top of the fence between my neighbor's house..... First time I have seen a live one up here. We have had problems with mice in our crawl space.
Title: Re: Incoming Wildlife
Post by: fiendishsquirrel on Oct 15, 07, 07:44:47 AM: OOOhh, no I hope you got to finish your cup first! ::)
Title: Re: Incoming Wildlife
Post by: WWMtnGal on Oct 15, 07, 08:11:22 AM: Our son lives up against the Heathcreek wash and he has had a problem with rats for awhile now!

YUCK!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Calindy on Oct 15, 07, 10:41:10 AM: Too bad I could not ask our owls (we have 2 right now) living on our property to come there and have a rat snack! Owls are the best for rodent control. I think Wildman knows where there are some owls, maybe he can send them your way ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: SoCalGal on Oct 15, 07, 01:24:56 PM: To everyone having rat problems - the County of San Bernardino has some help for County residents (sorry L.A. residents): the Vector Control office operates in almost the whole county for unincorporated areas, and has an 800 number: 800-44-ABATE, and they can rent traps for a deposit which will be returned. I worked for them for over seven years. Most of what they do is education, not extermination, although an intervention-type trapping can happen if anyone has evidence they were bitten. They have leaflets that help direct the efforts to exclude rats and mice from houses, and how to tell the native Woodrats/Packrats from the non-native Roof Rats and Norway/Wharf Rats. (Quick note: a Norway rat usually has a tail shorter than the body. A Roof rat has a tail a good bit longer, but they are often shortened in injuries. A Woodrat is not as streamlined, and has larger ears, more cartoon-mouse-like, than the foreigners.) All three do carry disease. Incidentally, raccoons sometimes carry roundworms and spread the sticky, drought-resistant eggs in their feces.

The Agriculture office, if the number is still the same, can give information on pesticides, herbicides and their safe use, at 909-387-2105. They sell some gopher baits - general rodent baits also, if I remember correctly. They also rent gopher traps if anyone is so afflicted.

We used to call bird feeders "squirrel feeders" in Vector. If you keep food like seeds and nuts, they strongly recommend that you get METAL containers to keep out rats. Not feeding them, not watering them (fix drippy spigots), not sheltering them (clean up branches and refuse, keep wood off the ground in a rack) and doing strict exclusion (the earlier mention of steel or aluminum wool around pipes was perfect) is what the Vector office recommends. Rats can squeeze through a space that will allow their skulls to pass - about a quarter in most cases, but of course the youngsters are smaller. Woodrats are the main chewers of car wiring and other insulation - leave the hood up and it won't appear so safe a place to them. When I was on field trips in Geophysics, we had to lay our hundreds of feet of wire and sensors for seismic data out in the desert. We would inspect it before layout, and in almost every location, we would find that rabbits or rats had chewed up insulation in places, often as soon as a half-hour after it was on the ground. During the day. But seriously - rat chewing can start attic fires from exposed, shorted wiring. Take care of as much of the above precautions as you can, soon!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Oct 15, 07, 01:57:27 PM: I herded it into a trash can and took it to a wildlife-friendly place.
Happy thing for both of us. :)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: thevampy1 on Oct 15, 07, 02:32:06 PM: You have such a good heart, Nolena!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Oct 15, 07, 09:19:22 PM: No. I'm just really familiar with rats. ;)

But enough about my social life..... ;D
Title: Crispy Critter
Post by: Chesslike on Oct 25, 07, 10:31:49 PM: Well I think I found out who has been chewing up the insulation in my engine compartment. This guy either fell asleep on the radiator hose or somehow got stuck and was cooked by the heat of the hose. He was pretty crispy and pretty well stuck to the hose when I removed him. I hope he is the only one who had a taste for engine insulation, or at least that his buddies got the message that the engine compartment is a pretty inhospitable place when it warms up.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Chesslike/P1020012.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v652/Chesslike/P1020010.jpg)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: TaiChiMe on Oct 27, 07, 05:48:33 PM: Okay, BostonBob, What is that? I keep looking at it and cannot figure it out!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Oct 27, 07, 05:51:26 PM: I think it's one of his relatives.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chesslike on Oct 28, 07, 10:49:52 PM: Quote from: TaiChiMe on Oct 27, 07, 05:48:33 PM
Okay, BostonBob, What is that? I keep looking at it and cannot figure it out!

Not sure which picture you were talking about, but the first one is of the expired rat on the radiator hose of my car and the second picture is of one of the areas that the rat chewed on the insulation on the engine hood of my car. Hope that answers your question.

Quote from: Nolena on Oct 27, 07, 05:51:26 PM
I think it's one of his relatives.

(http://www.efmoody.com/images/chicken%20not)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Jul 11, 08, 03:15:49 PM: It's my understanding that a number of rats are out at night- running through town near the elementary school.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Suhijita on Jul 11, 08, 03:23:36 PM: (http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u51/suhijita/raton.jpg)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Jul 17, 08, 03:58:14 PM: I have yard rats at night. I saw a BIG one on the fence one night. I am going to some traps.

Can anyone advise on what I should use for bait? Thanks!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jul 17, 08, 04:00:40 PM: uh Cheese LOL ;D

I used Velveeta (easy to cut) when we had them a few years back in the East Cyn.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Hillbillies on Jul 17, 08, 04:33:15 PM: Quote from: Angelwolf on Jul 17, 08, 04:00:40 PM
uh Cheese LOL ;D

I used Velveeta (easy to cut) when we had them a few years back in the East Cyn.

LOL! I know..... :D

I was just wondering if anyone was having better luck with something else. I have good luck catching mice with peanut butter. Thanks for the velveeta tip!

I have not had mice or rats in the house, but our crawl space door was built by an idiot who did not construct the door with a tight seal. I have seen droppings inside this door, so I know they are under my house. Maybe in my walls?! :o I have since sealed the door better.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Jul 17, 08, 05:34:57 PM: Rats can be much trickier than mice. You've also have to be careful when using snap traps so the birds can't get to the bait in the traps.

Peanut butter has worked for some while a full peanut carefully attached with string/dental floss to snap trap sometime works.

The county vector control also furnishes traps.
Title: Rats!
Post by: Nolena on Jan 26, 09, 08:31:37 PM: Another one made its way in.
It's a native species, which isn't as dirty as the Norway rats.
I don't know if the cats dragged it in from the garage, or it came in by itself.
Both cats and both dogs are currently going nuts about it. I tried to catch it, but failed. :'(
One or more of my animals will not be hungry in the morning... :P
I've seen more rats this year than in previous years.
Why is that? :eyebrows:
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Jan 26, 09, 09:25:32 PM: Nolena, I think you should change your avatar and tag line to something ratty, instead of squirrely! ;D

After over 31 years in this house, I saw my first rat ever up here, a few weeks ago, out on the back deck. It ran one direction, then the other. I had my little dog in my lap when I saw the rat, therefore my dog saw the thing run by. Of course, she (the dog) immediately wanted out to chase it, but it was long gone. I dunno where it went..... :-\ :P
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: cookiesforthree on Jan 26, 09, 09:33:04 PM: We had mice on our decks and in the attic this summer. Put some traps out with peanut butter and some sticky traps. Caught a few and haven't seen any more since. We also had a few scorpions on our decks this summer too. Ewwwww! Scary!!! We've not seen any rats though. I noticed that the mice were attracted to our entrance floor mats. They were made of woven matterial. Got rid of those and replaced them with plastic.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Jan 26, 09, 09:40:21 PM: ForestGal some of those rats in town could take off with your little dog ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Keltnip on Jan 26, 09, 09:41:35 PM: A few months ago we had a rat who would come up to the window and make faces at the cats. Drove them crazy! So they told the dog, who is allowed outside. The next day the dog goes racing out the door, down the steps, crunch, snap, dead rat. Dog got a new bone for her efforts and the admirations of cats and humans alike. Funny we haven't seen a rat since. It is amusing that dogs share our distaste for rats. Birds, squirrels and chipmonks are welcome. No Rats.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: pinetrees on Jan 26, 09, 09:51:14 PM: Maybe Nolena can enlighten us about the difference between Norway and local rats? Are the Norway ones multi-colored?

I have not seen any in WW - my only experience was in LA where my cat and I (armed with Windex) were chasing a mouse - I did not want her to catch the mouse out of concern that the mouse might have diseases - finally cornered the mouse and stunned it with Windex - swooped it up in a dust pan and relocated it to bushes outside. So, if you are chasing a critter, for good results, one idea is to be armed with household cleaner. ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Agape_is_love on Jan 26, 09, 11:22:18 PM: I just moved to WW less than two months ago and have been introduced to the RATS in the last week...ewwww

I went out to throw my trash and one was sitting outside my garage...HUH?!?! It quickly ran into a nearby gutter. I made the hubby put out traps that night. He found two by the following morning.

We still kept the traps out (garage, under the house, cover spaces) and thankfully we haven't caught anymore since..YUCK!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mikeswave on Jan 27, 09, 07:40:53 AM: So far i have gotten 6 rats with my traps. The best was 2 on one trap it was like they both went for the peanut butter at the same time. I still have 2 traps set under the house. What gets me is when you hear them chewing on something inside the walls of your house that kinda gets to me.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Stitches on Jan 27, 09, 08:39:37 AM: I've been here over 11 years and have not seen a rat yet. Knock on wood. Lots of squirrels, coyotes and feathered creatures, even a racoon and a deer.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: tallgal on Jan 27, 09, 09:10:07 AM: I was renting a house over Mockingbird for awhile and the former tenant said she had issues with rats under the house. I didn't when I moved in until I had to put down my cat who was a great mouser, then like Mikeswave, I could hear them in the walls at night. Major creep out, the scratching and clawing. Could be the area of town where the rats like more than other parts.

Now I am trying to help an elderly friend of mine with some kind of mouse/rat issue. "Something" walked out of the sticky trap we set with the added peanut butter treat. Yikes!!!!

I really think that the presence of a cat in the house is a huge deterant to rodents.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lobo19 on Jan 27, 09, 11:16:55 AM: I have had a rat problem this year too. We had to buy a new fake Christmas tree because of them. Last year while running in the gym at serrano one ran in front of me and some other coaches. It looked like a small dog. We caught it a few days later, nasty!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 27, 09, 12:10:43 PM: I live in East Cyn, never had one in the house but I always have a few in the yard. The dogs usually take care of them for me.

Mogli is living on the deck during the day due to his leg injury and the other 2 dogs are there all day too and there was this rat that hung out with them. I know because I always had 3 cats sitting at the sliding door watching him. He would run around and the dogs ignored him. Well the other day I found him dead so he must have pissed them off. :)

I used traps last summer when I had a few in the garage. I used cheese cubes with peanut butter it.

With 4 cats there has never been one in the house.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: snwbnny on Jan 27, 09, 08:08:02 PM: Wow, didn't realize this was a big problem. We had one small mouse back in 2002. And we had "something" making a noise under the old house last January, but only for a few days then it was gone. Haven't noticed anything except racoons at this house . . . . at least not yet.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Jan 27, 09, 08:09:51 PM: Norway rat

(http://www.holdfast.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/images/Roof_Rat.jpg)

dusky-footed wood rat

(http://mnhc.ucsc.edu/Images/Mammals/woodrat2.jpg)

Family CRICETIDAE
Neotoma fuscipes macrotis Thomas
Dusky-footed Woodrat
This subspecies was widely distributed along the coastal slope of the mountains from the coastal sage belt, at roughly 1600 feet, up to 6500 fet at the lower edge of the yellow pine forest and was most common in the chaparral association.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Jan 27, 09, 08:20:11 PM: Quote from: Wrightwood on Jan 26, 09, 09:40:21 PM
ForestGal some of those rats in town could take off with your little dog ;)

I don't know whether to say ;D, :o, or :P! Eeeeeekkkkkk!!!

Nolena, what kind of rat was the one we saw over here that day? I think it looked more like the wood rat...... I don't think I want my tiny Heidi to tangle with one of those, although dachshunds were bred to hunt badgers. A rat couldn't be as nasty as a badger, could it? :-\
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 27, 09, 10:21:49 PM: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/roofrat.gif&imgrefurl=http://doyourownpestcontrol.com/rats.htm&usg=__AWZ0iy4SbOH-Dl-6r1QOU41_kqQ=&h=165&w=262&sz=19&hl=en&start=16&tbnid=d0qMLg6Cq3pfnM:&tbnh=71&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Droof%2Brat%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/roofrat.gif&imgrefurl=http://doyourownpestcontrol.com/rats.htm&usg=__AWZ0iy4SbOH-Dl-6r1QOU41_kqQ=&h=165&w=262&sz=19&hl=en&start=16&tbnid=d0qMLg6Cq3pfnM:&tbnh=71&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Droof%2Brat%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG)

I had a roof rat, figured it out by the droppings. The droppings on my deck were small...

We had one whitish one and one dark grey.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Jan 28, 09, 11:38:36 AM: "Nolena, what kind of rat was the one we saw over here that day?"

I think it was a wood rat.

Intro to Roof Rats

The roof rat's scientific name is Rattus rattus. Historically, they are associated with having spread the plague or black death during the Middle Ages. The roof rat is also known as the black rat, even though it is not necessarily black in color, but rather is usually dark brown. Your typical roof rat is between 13 to 18 inches long, including its tail. In fact, it is distinguished from other rats by that tail, which is longer than the rest of its body. Roof rats are sleek, slender, and agile. Their have large ears.

(http://www.holdfast.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/images/Roof_Rat.jpg)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: angelwolf326 on Jan 28, 09, 12:53:43 PM: Wow :o, mine was not that big. I would say he was about 6 inches and the tail was definitely longer that the body, it hung way off the shovel I picked him up with.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: budnett on Jan 28, 09, 06:31:33 PM: I would like to see WW have a mandatory trash service for each resident...it would help limitate the rat population/diseases.

I know that one of my neighbors can not afford trash service...so i offered for her to use mine which she now does weekly.

I will never understand the mantality of why so many residents here in WW throw and leave their trash bags piled in the yard.

HELLO... wonder why we have RATS among us!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Scout on Jan 28, 09, 09:26:42 PM: I and others have said it before,,,, Cats (and some dogs!) are great hunters but OWLS rule! If you insist on lighting up (and thus polluting) the night sky with bright outdoor lighting, you are moving the owls further away and inviting the rats and mice in to party!
Keep it dark and keep it clean.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: free2bee on Jan 30, 09, 07:04:17 AM: The bright lighting is intended to keep the rats that steal cars and break into homes away...but if it keeps the owls from catching rats...what is a person to do?? :-\

We had a huge invasion of wood rats a few years ago. It was revenge because I ignorantly destroyed a condo of theirs that probably housed up to 20 of them. As my helpers were removing the last of their stack of sticks (5 fit high) ... the proprieter stood at the doorway staring me straight in the eyes. He might as well have said , "Lady, IT'S ON!"

He brought the whole family to the garage! And a few made it into the attic.

It took two years to discourage them... live traps, timber rattlers,
and I'm sorry to say we had to resort to poison :'(
That was the only thing that worked.

Unfortunately, we wiped out some ground squirrels, but they are coming back and the rats (so far) have not. I also pray that we did not effect any domestic pets or coyotes or bobcats...

YIKES! O My Gosh...the OWLS! O dear... :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: free2bee on Jan 31, 09, 07:18:12 AM: ;D There was an owl on our property last night!!! :2thumbsup:
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: pinetrees on Feb 01, 09, 06:44:21 AM: Thanks Nolena for the photos - the dusky footed rat seems to have white feet - some WW folks have described to me rats they have seen in the wash - those have large white areas of fur on their chest and tummy - I thought maybe those were Norway rats but doubtful now that there is a photo of one which shows no white fur on it.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chuck on Feb 01, 09, 11:03:23 AM: I think I know why there seems to be a problem on the East side. BBob didn't want to kill them so he has been catching them in a friendly squirrel cage, then transporting them over to Wright Mountain Road, releasing them there.

Apple Street Norway Rat
(http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d180/chuck3195/norwayrat.jpg)

I'm sure this is a county violation! :alert: :alert: I guess we know who is the biggest RAT.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Feb 01, 09, 12:22:53 PM: A couple months back we had problems with rats. I attribute the problem to a suet bird feeder on the from porch hanging in a tree. The suet the birds would drop on the ground attracted the rats.

It took a while to get rid of them with aggressive trapping. (Glue traps, spring traps and rat zapper). Peanut butter and a single peanut in the shell worked best for bait. Caught 8-10 of them before it was over.

Here's the last one that was caught in early January.

(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/nature/Rat2.JPG)

(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/nature/Rat1.JPG)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chuck on Feb 01, 09, 01:46:19 PM: Norway Rats!

Look into the eye and see Wrightwood himself!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Feb 01, 09, 05:34:20 PM: Dang, Chuck, do you have any friends at all? ;D ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chuck on Feb 01, 09, 08:19:49 PM: As Mr. Rogers would say "would you be my friend". Oh, wait, you are my friend. I'm happy!!! :elefant: :drummer:
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Feb 01, 09, 09:13:30 PM: Here's a new species recently seen on Wrightwood roofs.

(http://images.elfwood.com/art/k/c/kctigerlag/ratman.gif)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: SoCalGal on Feb 02, 09, 03:26:57 PM: Wrightwood, your excellent pictures are of a woodrat - in Vector Control, we only had to tell a woodrat from a roof rat, and tell either from a Norway rat, so I can't tell the species. But that definitely is a woodrat. There are at least three species that would be found around this area - they have wide and overlapping ranges.

A Norway rat has a tail shorter than its body. These can get ridiculously large near seacoasts, but would not be as large in these parts. A roof rat should have a tail longer than its body, and ears slightly larger than Norway rat ears - also larger in proportion to its own eyes. Color isn't reliable for identification - roof rats especially can easily interbreed with escaped colored domestic rats, and be multicolored. Body color can be caramel to almost black, with or without a white belly. Both of these types usually have coarse 'guard hairs' that are longer than the pelt in general.

Woodrats, or packrats, are very common in the local forests. They make nests that are huge piles of sticks, leaves, fluff and maybe a few shiny objects that they found somewhere. They store food in them, which attracts bugs. The rats are often host to ticks, which can carry Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, ehrlichiosis or babesiosis; and fleas that can transmit plague. They transmit Hantavirus, as deer mice do. Their head is more distinct from their body - they have more of a 'neck' than a roof or Norway rat. They have bigger ears - more of a 'Mickey' effect. The tail is often just a bit longer than the body, but it varies - it will be bare though, like on other rats. Their fur is softer and more plush than other rats, and usually they don't have the coarse guard hairs. They can have a white belly or not, and white feet on some species. They get pretty fat if they can live off human trash or petfood. If they nest in an attic or house, the nest will be big and messy, and dust from cleanup is a Hantavirus hazard - spray with a mix of bleach and water, clean it up as a wet mess, no vacuuming, and use gloves and a dustmask.

Disposal of any rat from a trap is best done without touching the animal. Shoveling it into a bag is good, or if necessary handle only with gloves. Double-bag the body for disposal.

I always thought of them as a little 'cuter' than roof rats, but they carry just as many diseases and are just as much a health hazard. Vector Control tollfree number - 800-442-2283, for information on exclusion and identification. Website: http://www.sbcounty.gov/dehs/vectorcontrol/vectorpublic.htm
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Feb 02, 09, 03:38:00 PM: Great information SoCalGal!
I'm glad we haven't seen any further signs of them. We do butt up to the forest so the wood rats 'wood' make sense.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Feb 06, 09, 06:45:09 PM: Anybody have a rat-sized live trap?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Feb 06, 09, 07:03:20 PM: Quote from: Nolena on Feb 06, 09, 06:45:09 PM
Anybody have a rat-sized live trap?

Yep! I got it for ground squirrels, but you can borrow it. Come to think of it, I think I have a rat in my garage, so I would want the trap back. Didn't think of that until I saw your post just now.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Feb 06, 09, 07:38:55 PM: Nolena... if you relocate him or her rat, please make it no closer than Lone Pine Canyon :thumbs:
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chuck on Feb 06, 09, 08:04:29 PM: Quote from: Wrightwood on Feb 06, 09, 07:38:55 PM
Nolena... if you relocate him or her rat, please make it no closer than Lone Pine Canyon :thumbs:

All the way down Lone Pine Canyon!!

Do wood rats chew on wood framework? I have seen where it looks like something is knawing on wood.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Feb 06, 09, 08:06:15 PM: I just set the trap in my garage. I used peanut butter on a cracker, and a couple of whole peanuts, as bait. I hope he/she likes tomato and basil flavored wheat thins, those are the only crackers I have on hand. ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: mototman on Feb 06, 09, 11:18:33 PM: it is actually illegal to catch and release rats, they are vermin, who's neigborhood do you let them go in?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Stitches on Feb 06, 09, 11:39:31 PM: NIMBY.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Chuck on Feb 08, 09, 03:36:06 PM: Quote from: mototman on Feb 06, 09, 11:18:33 PM
it is actually illegal to catch and release rats, they are vermin, who's neigborhood do you let them go in?

You hear that Nolena & BBob? You can't release them on someone else's property. Just put on some rubber gloves and strangle the little suckers. You might want some earplugs too, I understand they can cry! And don't look them in the eyes! :o :o :o :o :bigcry: :bigcry:
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: ForestGal on Feb 08, 09, 05:26:57 PM: Quote from: mototman on Feb 06, 09, 11:18:33 PM
it is actually illegal to catch and release rats, they are vermin, who's neigborhood do you let them go in?

Nobody's neighborhood, I didn't catch it, but even if I had, I'd take it halfway down LPC or something. Assuming I would want to take the trap with a rat in it, in my car. Oh puke! :P Maybe I'll just re-think the issue and get some of that sticky paper, although I caught a little field mouse on that stuff once, and it almost broke my heart to watch it struggle. :'(
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Feb 08, 09, 05:40:00 PM: Quote from: Wrightwood on Feb 06, 09, 07:38:55 PM
Nolena... if you relocate him or her rat, please make it no closer than Lone Pine Canyon :thumbs:

Actually, I've always left them up on Linnet just east of the camp. I hear that the people there really like rats.
I leave them there with a little rat condo and a trail of food leading to the east, on the south side of the road.... ;D

Happy rat residents. ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: pinetrees on Feb 08, 09, 07:10:40 PM: If I were dealing with this issue and could use bait to entice them to go into a cage, I would relocate the critters to a natural environment - like miles out in the wooded forest far away from residential areas where they can make friends with other wild animals. ;D
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Surfer_Dude on Nov 13, 10, 10:27:37 AM: Well, it looks like we are unique in our rat problem - a mammalogist from Berkley told my new neighbor who is a disease biologist that we have the highest elevation of roof rats known to them. My neighbor has trapped a few and has taken blood samples which he has sent to lab. They are trying to determine the exact species of the rats and if they are carriers of any thing we all should be wary of. I hope the rats realize they don't belong here and all run back down the hill.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Nov 13, 10, 01:51:33 PM: Hmmm. Roof rat.
I think I dated him. ;)
Title: Roof rat info
Post by: SoCalGal on Nov 22, 10, 06:52:22 AM: More rat info: A couple of the things they can carry are Rat Typhus/also called Murine Typhus; Plague (there are several forms - it may attack skin or especially the lungs, Pneumonic Plague - Bubonic Plague is when the lymph glands are infected, swell and turn purple, and eventually burst open); and even Hantavirus. :P :o There are others, but those have been found in San Bern. County Vector Control trapping. The fleas transmit disease even if the rats are dead and gone.

First: take in pet food when the pet is not eating. Any feeder that the pet can get food out of, the rats can get food out of - they are really clever. They can fit through any opening that their head can go through - that is, a diameter a little smaller than a quarter. Second, though not so much at this season: take in any fruit that falls off trees in your yard. Keep an eye on bird feeders - might want to take those in at night. Third - trim tree branches and leaves so they don't touch the roof. Ideally the branches would be at least 3 feet from the roof, or any fencing, and not overhanging them - rats can jump that far or drop from overhangs. But in Wrightwood, where houses and trees are dense, I know that would be tough for many. It might be worth putting metal no-climb bands around tree trunks if you can see them using a particular tree.

Go around the house and yard and search for those little openings into sheltered places where they could nest. A clue might be a dark streak on paint or masonry surfaces - their fur is greasy (!) and it leaves grease streaks where they run through most often. Watch especially for those streaks near openings or cracks. Those are good places to set traps. And about bait - just use something firm in texture. Peanut butter is great stuff, but if used alone they will just lick it off without setting off the trigger. Crackers, nuts or fruit slices are good if firmly pushed on or wired on.

Wear gloves for sure if handling a trap with a live rat in it. Transporting further than 500 feet, or about a tenth of a mile, and releasing them is indeed illegal in California. Those who have the nerve to do the rats in would be doing the world a service, but it does take nerve. I'd say try and get the kind of traps with toothed spring jaws that do an instant guillotine action - the animal dies instantly and doesn't suffer, and in some brands the corpse is enclosed in a box so you don't see it. Be sure and spray pesticide around the trap area afterwards, and even more if cleaning up a nest, so that fleas and eggs all die.

If allowed to get densely populated with rats, a neighborhood is more likely to contain diseased rats - so the catch-and-release is not doing anyone a favor. They know that living near man's habitats is much easier than roughing it in the wild, so they will just come back to houses. Call in an experienced neighbor, or a professional, if necessary. More info from the County is available from the Vector Control Program, phone 909-388-4600 or at 800-44-ABATE. They rent traps, and can send out techs to an area to help identify rat hideouts or areas that need repair/cleanout. If nothing else they have pamphlets and info on disease transmission and findings.
Title: Re: Roof rat info
Post by: Mrs. Hillbilly on Nov 22, 10, 07:00:20 AM: We had a problem with Hood Rats a couple of years ago... When handling Hood Rats, it's best that the gloves come off. ;)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Stitches on Nov 22, 10, 09:40:57 AM: I saw those rats that Jason had problems with and the gloves did need to come off.

Thanks for the tips SoCalGal. I haven't seen one yet but that doesn't mean they don't live here in my house.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mrs. Hillbilly on Nov 22, 10, 10:52:43 AM: Quote from: Stitches on Nov 22, 10, 09:40:57 AM
I saw those rats that Jason had problems with and the gloves did need to come off.

Lol!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mrs. Hillbilly on Nov 22, 10, 11:49:16 AM: Hood rats have become more of a problem these days. In case some of you don't know what a hood-rat looks like. I did a google image search and found you all picture. This is your quintessential hood-rat but they also come in many shapes and colors.

(http://photos2.hi5.com/0008/669/093/3BTrE1669093-02.jpg)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mrs. Hillbilly on Oct 14, 12, 08:48:39 PM: While trying to set a rat trap today, I noticed a huge Black Widow under my deck. I paused and turned to fine my daughter filming me. She has a fun video app as you will see... ha ha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmfTEZnoyuc
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mrs. Hillbilly on Oct 18, 12, 09:06:15 AM: I have now set a trap FIVE times under my shed. Each time I check it, the bait is gone, the trap has snapped but the trap is empty!!!!!! >:(

I am starting to think I have some kind of special forces rat living on my property... :eyebrows:

Anybody having better luck with different traps.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: sharyn on Oct 18, 12, 09:25:12 AM: You need the traps that are an enclosed rectangle. The rat has to go inside head first so it snaps on their neck. The wooden snaptraps are useless. At least that is what I found out with mice.

Victor makes an electronic trap the I was told works well.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lagomorphmom on Oct 18, 12, 09:25:59 AM: Rat zapper is the only way to go. Get the new model that has infra red so they don't have to step on t oth sets of plates. That makes it work great for mice, too!! You may think its pricey but they are reusable save for batteries. I think i got mine on Amazon I've caught a couple dozen rats and mice his summer alone (they eat the weather stripping on the garage door). Kettle corn is a great bait.

Also, they make a remote wire for the new one so if you put it in an attic, you can see if it's tripped.

Don't get the Victor brand, it's inferior (and a knock off) in many ways. I got it first and liked it a lot, had their mouse units first. Won't go back, the RZ works for both, also the 'sucess' light blinks for more than one day.

Oh, and they look very peaceful. You may vicariously wish for more gore but it makes cleanup a breeze. I use garden gloves when I handle them.

Can you tell I love the product???
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Oct 18, 12, 09:26:16 AM: My best luck has been to use a full size peanut on the snap traps.
On the metal plate there's a small tab that you can poke into the peanut. Once you get the technique down it works very well.
I've also tied the peanut on with dental floss.

(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/news/snaptrap1.JPG)

lagomorphmom is right on about the Rat Zappers but some people just don't want to spend that much money and the snap traps work fine when baited properly.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lagomorphmom on Oct 18, 12, 09:34:00 AM: I know some people glue dog food on the traps also. For ME, I didn't have as much luck. Plus I was always worried the dogs might get into one. Aside from misery for me and the pooch, can you imagine how many RZs you could buy with that vat bill?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Oct 18, 12, 09:36:31 AM: Jason if it's under shed and it's being tripped that many times are you sure it's not a squirrel?

Another view:

(http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/news/snaptrap2.JPG)
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: sharyn on Oct 18, 12, 10:30:39 AM: When I used the wooden ones for mice, I'd have a problem with the mouse just getting a foot caught and dragging the trap around leaving blood behind.

This works well for mice. I've never had rats (yet :-\ so I haven't tried a rat version.) http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1279062&cp=2568443.2568444.2598676.2602605.1305668
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: jadensdad on Oct 18, 12, 10:59:09 AM: smearing peanut butter on the trigger mechanism seems to work well as it forces the critter to stay on the trap and lick the bait off!
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Mrs. Hillbilly on Oct 18, 12, 12:20:44 PM: I have two victor snap traps that I smear with peanut butter. I set one under the deck and the other under the shed a few weeks ago. The first night I caught one under the deck, and the one under the shed was empty. Not getting a bite under the deck at all now, and the shed rat is getting away everytime!

I'll try the whole peanut tonight. If that doesn't work, I'll cough up the cash for the RAT ZAPPER! :thumbs:
I think Mtn Hardware sells them, or maybe it's a similar style trap.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Wrightwood on Oct 18, 12, 12:52:41 PM: It's worth mentioning that a snap trap needs to be placed perpendicular to one of the surrounding perimeter walls.
(bait side closest to wall) Rats and mice move around the sides of walls rather than just visiting open space in the middle of a room.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: tcaarabians on Oct 18, 12, 03:13:27 PM: Oh, just 'ewwww' ... I only have a rat problem in the chicken coop.. I want to pick up rats in a bait/springer trap like I want to to fly to the M.E. and negotiate with the Taliban. Today,, we put out 'rat bait' in the coop. I've used it before .. it works. Course, it is on the other side of my property here and I don't have to worry about the dog eating a rat that was poisoned. The chickens seem to

So,, what is more humane? Tricking them with peanut butter and a trap that slowly strangles them to death.. or just feeding them poison that also kills them but a bit more quickly? I dunno. Do rats have rights? I will vote no on that.. and continue to kill them with poison. cheryl o7o
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Oct 18, 12, 03:45:26 PM: Kangaroo rats have rights. Seriously, if that's what you have, be careful who you tell you've killed one.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lagomorphmom on Oct 18, 12, 04:21:26 PM: > I don't have to worry about the dog eating a rat that was poisoned. The chickens seem to
Cheryl, if I have this right, the chickens eat the poisoned rats? Then do you eat the chicken eggs???
Plus, even if your dog doesn't eat the poisoned rats, other creatures might eat them if they wander off, like owls, or other critters that eat carrion.

>So,, what is more humane?
Electrocution is the most humane. The traps are easy to empty (place over trash can and invert). Have left them for awhile and then had to clean them out, but if you inspect them regularly you won't have that problem. Reusable and they won't take you thumb off. Least humane are the mouse sticky traps, imho.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: tcaarabians on Oct 18, 12, 05:47:47 PM: I would never kill a kangaroo rat. Do they look like kangaroos? Just so I know in case.

The chickens do not eat the rats. They seem to hold them in high disdain .. epicureans that they are. Lilly and Laila (the chickens) pretty much no longer lay eggs. So, I just feed the darlings and enjoy them. Plus, I almost never eat eggs. And, I can see that my previous message was truncated and why you might have thought I was saying the chickens ate the rats. Sorry, just dealing with a family emergency here today.

As for the rats wandering off... well.. they really don't get that far. Do the electrocution traps run on batteries? Enough on rats for me now.
cheryl o7o
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: SkierBob on Oct 18, 12, 09:52:57 PM: This reminds me of the time I setup webcam viewing rat bait with a web activated electrocution button.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: kew on Oct 18, 12, 11:05:21 PM
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: tcaarabians on Oct 19, 12, 08:25:53 AM: Thanks Ken. I'm pretty sure I've never seen one of those little critters here. I do have squirrels and those little guys that look like chipmunks. They pretty much stay on this side of the property and share in the wild bird largess I put out.

SkierBob: I am speechless.

cheryl o7o
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: sharyn on Oct 19, 12, 08:48:33 AM: When we lived in Palmdale we'd get Kangaroo rats. Usually because the cats would bring them in and let go. They'd usually end up behind my dresser, we'd catch them and let them loose hopefully where the cats didn't notice. First time I saw it I was a bit confused as to what the critter was. Long skinny legs, no neck, pointy nose and 2 bulging eyes staring up at me. I invented a kangaroo rat catcher...shoe box with the end cut off and a stick to guide the critter into it. Works well for the ones behind the dresser but useless otherwise.

In that pic you can't see it, but they have very long back legs. We also learned that they hop very high...and putting them for safekeeping in a bathroom trashcan does not work unless you cover it.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: jek134 on Jan 26, 13, 10:19:16 PM: I'm freaked out. I went to clean my oven and found what looked like mouse droppings on a cake pan. I dismissed it thinking there was no way a mouse could have gotten in my oven. I then noticed the same droppings on my nightstand. I guess I'm going to Wrightwood Hardware tomorrow for some traps. It'll be another week before we come back. I'm not looking forward to what we'll find when we do. :P
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: LovesAnimals on Jan 26, 13, 10:45:05 PM: Quote from: lagomorphmom on Oct 18, 12, 04:21:26 PM
> I don't have to worry about the dog eating a rat that was poisoned. The chickens seem to
Cheryl, if I have this right, the chickens eat the poisoned rats? Then do you eat the chicken eggs???
Plus, even if your dog doesn't eat the poisoned rats, other creatures might eat them if they wander off, like owls, or other critters that eat carrion.

>So,, what is more humane?
Electrocution is the most humane. The traps are easy to empty (place over trash can and invert). Have left them for awhile and then had to clean them out, but if you inspect them regularly you won't have that problem. Reusable and they won't take you thumb off. Least humane are the mouse sticky traps, imho.

Yes, the glue/sticky traps are horribly inhumane. There's no reason to make them suffer in pain for a week or longer.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: lagomorphmom on Jan 27, 13, 10:55:56 AM: Quote from: LovesAnimals on Jan 26, 13, 10:45:05 PM
Yes, the glue/sticky traps are horribly inhumane. There's no reason to make them suffer in pain for a week or longer.
Thanks for the quote!

Jek you are in a jam for this weekend if you are interested in the electric, *don't* get the Victor. Get the Rat Zapper (available on Amazon). Far better unit for less money. Also works for mice. They have a website.

Next thing you need to find entry point (often where pipes come in) and stuff it with steel wool.

Good luck!!!
Kerin
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: cedar on Jan 27, 13, 03:16:42 PM: The new guidelines after the hantavirus outbreak in Yosemite says not to use glue traps. The animal in the glue trap is traumatized and will pee and poop. That is the carrier of the virus. Snap traps or other quick kill devices are recommended.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: jek134 on Jan 27, 13, 03:41:22 PM: I bought some quick kill traps this morning. I'll set them tonight before leaving. I thoroughly cleaned the cabin to look for entry points, but haven't found one. I did find more droppings here and there, however. Two or three in a bed. One on the couch. Five or six in the guest bathroom. One in the kids' bedroom. I'm hoping and praying there is only one (ha ha, right?) and that the infestation isn't too bad because we had not seen any droppings before this weekend. We hadn't been here in a couple of weeks so they couldn't have been here longer than that, I hope. I'll keep you posted. I'm afraid of what I'll find next week. :-\
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: jek134 on Jan 27, 13, 04:06:59 PM: Btw, Wrightwood doesn't have any confirmed cases of the hantavirus, right? I mean, just because you have rodent droppings and urine in your house doesn't mean the virus is in your house, right? I'm getting freaked out because I have kids. Just asking for peace of mind...
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: TimG on Jan 27, 13, 04:31:53 PM: I'm pretty sure there haven't been any confirmed cases in WW, but last time I looked there were a few in every direction (Yosemite, of course, plus some east toward AZ, some south by San Diego). We woke up to mice and droppings all over the kitchen earlier this fall, and no one got sick.

You mentioned your droppings were in the stove -- ours, too, and we eventually found that they were coming in through a hole where the gas line comes in. The line itself was a perfect little bridge. Yuck. I still get nauseous thinking about it.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: YardBird on Jan 27, 13, 04:40:58 PM: A quick, cheap and effective way to close the holes around water and gas lines is to stuff them with steel wool.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: jek134 on Jan 27, 13, 05:02:34 PM: How did you check behind the stove? Pull it out? Our water heater box recently flooded due to a burst pipe. I wonder if the mice were living there, but were forced out becsuse of the gushing water...

Yardbird, do you just buy steel wool and stuff it in any space? Duct tape or anything to keep it I'm place?
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: jek134 on Jan 27, 13, 05:23:01 PM: Okay, I think we just found their entrypoint. Our back mudroom had a lot of droppings...like 50 or so. There's also a bunch of stuff on the floor like sleds, snowboards, recycle bottles, Christmas tree, ornament boxes, etc. That back door leads to the backyard and is right next to our water heater enclosure. It is a bit drafty. You can see spaces and feel air coming through. When we bought the house in 2011, we thought of replacing the door, but didn't because remodeling costs were adding up. I guess we skimped on the wrong thing. For now, I'm going to stuff a towel between under the door between the mudroom and house. I'll decide what to do about the backdoor over the week. Sigh...
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: TimG on Jan 27, 13, 06:57:45 PM: Yeah, just pull it out some and look behind. They need about a nickel-sized hole to get through, and my hole was the size of a freaking electrical box. I looked all over the house at every pipe and crack before thinking to check behind the stove. Never realized the pipe was coming out of a hole in the wall. I stuffed the hole with steel wool, then duct taped over that temporarily, before eventually adding drywall patch.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: Nolena on Jan 27, 13, 08:25:41 PM: Keep in mind that rats and mice have sliding skeletons, which means they can squish through spaces smaller than their actual girth.
Title: Re: Rat problem in town
Post by: YardBird on Jan 28, 13, 05:10:27 AM: So that's how it happened!! I thought they were crazy!

I didn't know about the sliding skeletons but my hubby walked into his office one morning and found the secretary speechless and standing on her desk pointing at the floor. They both watched as the mouse went UNDER a filing cabinet.