Poison the rats or what can anyone suggest.

[AussieTrees]

:?:

Edited April 9, 2016 by AussieTrees

[thelerner]

I admire your ambivalence.  It shows humanity.  I've felt the same. then used poison/traps.   I simply don't want mice in my home/business.   There might be third alternatives, live trapping, but in truth do that and set them out in the winter and its the same as killing them.

 

Its a nasty business, up to each of our consciences.  It made me a little queasy.  I'm live and let live in there habitat but not in mine.  That being said, doing what I can to seal up small entrances not keep food out helps.  On the third hand, as a gardener I probably give 1/3 of my produce to the wild. 

[C T]

some thought could be given to getting a cat. Cats can be great deterrents, just from being around. 

 

or this... 

 

http://lifehacks.stackexchange.com/questions/7445/how-can-i-get-a-mouse-out-the-house-without-causing-it-any-harm?rq=1

 

 

there's also a company called Havahart that produces humane animal/rodent traps. 

[AussieTrees]

some thought could be given to getting a cat. Cats can be great deterrents, just from being around. quote]

 

Thankyou CT,

 

We used to have a cat years ago,when walking around the garden,we would find little bundles of rosella feathers.

Our cat was killing and eating our local birds,so we decided not to get another cat after our cat eventually had used up his nine lives.

 

When it is cold weather,the mice find their way inside,much less traffic during the warmer months.

So the weather is warming now,will these house bound creatures now leave?

 

My views have changed during these nightly noisy neighbourhood rat mice activities.

Initially there was disgust and revulsion,just thinking of these intruders.

 

Now there is concern,they are living normally,doing what rats and mice do.

The rats have now been seen,twice witnessed running from shed to house.

 

No tail,mmm,bit of searching,found local to our area,a native rat like creature called antikiner.

Apart from no tail,look much like a rat.

 

Will continue no poison and just see what happens.

[thelerner]

Makes sense, later you'd need to get something to rid yourself of the cat problem. 

Then it'd bigger and bigger predators until finally they'd be after you. 

[Basher]

Or get a Cat & put a loud bell on it's Collar, to let the Birds know it's around !! 

[Nungali]

Welcome to ratsville .

 

We had a long rat thread running here somewhere , it became amusing.

 

I have lived with the little buggers for over 20 years , on and off. I will share my rat gnosis with you. 

 

Bush rats - get rid of em!  Antichinus are not as bad. 

 

I have a 'deal 'with them ; any food inside is rat proofed, so dont bother, I throw stuff outside for you guys and create habitats ... if you come in here, eat cockroaches then leave.  If you start rustling around inside I will set a live trap for you and you will be removed to the other side of the river.  If you persist then the snap trap comes out. If you still resist then I will out poison.

 

In 20 years I have never found another dead animal that looks as if it ate a poisoned rat.   Some might think that is cruel, but I have also let nature 'take care of it '  - put a large python under the lounge or in the cupboard ..... that must be a horrible way to go !  I have watched the process - ugh!   

 

When the rats go quiet from your ratgong , that means they know you are aware of them ... try it ;   focus your awareness and hearing and zone in on where the rat is and they instantly go silent ....   de-focus and put your awareness somewhere else and they will start up again.

 

At first they are not much bother ... then they breed ... and breed .... you dont get them under control, before you know it they will be running across your face at night and eventually biting your earlobes and other tasty bits. 

 

I dont know about you, but for me that is not on ! 

 

Smart little buggers too  ( thats why they use them in science experiments )  - rule  1 of removing a rat ; you have to be smarter than a rat is .  And in my experience, not many people are, the rat outsmarts them.   They can safely set off a trap then eat the bait. One has to constantly change trap  types, baits location . 

 

I have noticed that, at first sign of one, if I attack smash and loudly wack and scream the walls they might instantly bolt and not return ... but I have a solid wood cabin,  exposed rafters, poles and wooden board interiors, plasterboard wont handle that ....  but I often wonder what the neighbors think ... sometimes it sets the dogs off across the river . 

 

I won't have a cat either - for the same reason .  I used to wake up here to the sound of lyrebirds ... not anymore    .

 

Its good when the snakes come in, I much prefer them , but they eat one rat and sleep for a week .    Pet house ferret ? 

 

IN many cases an antichinus will eat other rats ... I used to hear them chasing them in the roof, catch . squeal .... crunch  crunch ( bones being eaten )  ... once I had a dead mouse in a trap and it looked really weird , on closer inspection I saw that ( probably from an antichinus) its skull crown had been removed and the brains eaten out  

 

viscous little buggers 

Edited October 29, 2015 by Nungali

[Nungali]

Or get a Cat & put a loud bell on it's Collar, to let the Birds know it's around !! 

 

That doesnt actually work .... what works better is attaching a house brick to its collar 

[AussieTrees]

Antechinus marsupial.

 

The ones at our place have no tails,or thin short ones.

They abound in the local area,digging large colonies along the creek and surrounds.

 

The vigorous sounds we audienced may relate to their reproduction cycle.

The males are at it until they perish,the offsprings birth is timed to coincide with the warmer weather when there is an explosion of insects hatching.

 

Last night was very quite only very modest scratching about.

Maybe all the males are done for,and maybe what's left will soon depart for hunting insects,hope so.

 

One other point,our jack russel Bella passed away about six weeks ago,aged 14yo,so animals have moved in.

[soaring crane]

IN many cases an antichinus will eat other rats ... 

 

These little guys?

 

 

 

 

What a crazy way to go out! Admirable, really :-)

[AussieTrees]

Last night again very quiet,started practicing ratgong but really no need.

 

So if we had bought rat bait,then when the rats had become quiet.

Success would be attributed to the poison.

 

Happy not using poison.

Tolerance is not always easy.

 

There is less objection after we discovered the rats were native marsupials,also relief we did not poison them.

 

Impermanence has triumphed.

A case of doing without doing,can occur when letting go of ones anxiety.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Aussie

[Nungali]

I love those moments of rat     free ed ness  . 

 

Now that its quiet you can enjoy some light reading ;

 

http://www.dagonbytes.com/thelibrary/lovecraft/theratsinthewalls.htm

 

 

 

[AussieTrees]

Well the saga continues,now receiving pressure from partner.

Poison the rats,"just do it".

 

Last night there was only moderate noises coming from the walls,mostly scratching.

The ratgong seems to silence them briefly,but they always start again,sleep soon creates an escape.

 

Gestation for ante-chinus is about four weeks.The scenario of logic suggests that after another 2-3 weeks the mother marsupials will soon depart,they will leave to feed on the soon to begin hatching insects,thus feeding the newborns.

 

Surely it is worth the wait,poisoning is effective usually good results after a weeks use.

So will reconsider in about 4 weeks,or sooner depending on the pressure.

 

There is plenty of room for further obfuscation,to delay,to pretend,there will be no baiting,well that is the aim.

[Nungali]

LIve trap .  Catch mum before she lays those marsupial eggs  (   ) ... and take her somewhere nice and release her .

 

They like p-nut butter . 

 

That would satisfy both humans ? 

 

(P.S.  ... here is some 'ammo'   ;  antichinus won't eat rat poison , that's for domestic rats     ) 

Edited November 3, 2015 by Nungali

[AussieTrees]

Thanks Nungali,

 

Should get some live traps,peanut butter for bait,good one.

Ante chinus don't lay eggs,like monotremes,the only two are platypus and echina lay eggs.

 

Marsupials give birth to very small embryonic looking hairless babes,they then latch onto mum for next few months,she carries them everywhere,including out hunting for insects outside in the wilds,not sleeping with us.

 

Poisons you say won't be eaten by ante chinus just European rats,are you sure?

 

Thanks for the support.

[Nungali]

Thanks Nungali,

 

Should get some live traps,peanut butter for bait,good one.

Ante chinus don't lay eggs,like monotremes,the only two are platypus and echina lay eggs.

 

Marsupials give birth to very small embryonic looking hairless babes,they then latch onto mum for next few months,she carries them everywhere,including out hunting for insects outside in the wilds,not sleeping with us.

 

Dude ! 

 

remind me to never try to weird out a tourist about 'drop bears' when you are around !    

 

rat eggs  

 

 

 

 

 

Poisons you say won't be eaten by ante chinus just European rats,are you sure?

 

Dude ... I was supplying you with lies to tell your wife ?  

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the support.

 

 

   .... if you get busted ... dont you dare tell her it was from me  

Edited November 3, 2015 by Nungali

[Apech]

That doesnt actually work .... what works better is attaching a house brick to its collar 

 

Oi!  less of that please.

[Nungali]

Then stop killing birds ..... you dont even want to eat them  .... you got enough food in your bowl anyway. 

 

Or you get the brick and  a   'scuba-diving'   lesson .  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2015 by Nungali

[AussieTrees]

Ante chinus,witnessed again this morning.

No tail,that's not very rat like.

 

Searched a few times,can't find any pictures of ante chinus with no tails.

Maybe they are yet unreported,a new species.

 

Still hear noises of animal activity when it is bed time.

Ratgong practices help reduce personal anxiety,doesn't do much to the antechinus,they seem to respond briefly,instant quiet when recycling chi energy through them,then they return to their activity.

 

This ratgong started as an experiment,has anyone else have practices that involve animals.

[Aetherous]

I don't know if someone has suggested this already...

If you have ethical concerns about taking lives of animals, then you can simply set up a bucket with a ramp leading up to it...above the bucket hang a soda can with food on it, but positioned in such a way that the rats will fall into the bucket when trying to reach it. Then just take the bucket outside away from the house when you catch one.

[Nungali]

They are getting more confident  ..... mark my words , you dont take a stand early, and like any animal .... they will be 'all over you'. 

 

Maybe its tail got bitten off ? 

[AussieTrees]

I don't know if someone has suggested this already...

If you have ethical concerns about taking lives of animals, then you can simply set up a bucket with a ramp leading up to it...above the bucket hang a soda can with food on it, but positioned in such a way that the rats will fall into the bucket when trying to reach it. Then just take the bucket outside away from the house when you catch one.

Thanks Aetherous,catching mice alive,would have to be high sided bucket as they jump.

 

First saw this type of trap in south australia,during the mouse plague 1981,they would fill the bucket with water and used a beer bottle plugged with cheese,then placed on a chair with cheese overhanging the bucket below.

 

The mice only venture inside during our winter,not really a concern.

 

The only difference these days is our approach,there were plans to buy poison,this did not occur,and more thoughts on the subject,has really been a change in response.

 

It's the invasion of the roof space above our bed that causes concern,less concerned now,they will soon depart,returning to the wilds.

The issue is much less anxiety provoking than it first was,and they have not brocken through the plaster,and not very noisy now that the males are gone.

[AussieTrees]

They are getting more confident  ..... mark my words , you dont take a stand early, and like any animal .... they will be 'all over you'. 

 

Maybe its tail got bitten off ? 

Thanks Nungali,

 

The ones seen recently are similar to the ones seen at nearby creek,no tails there either,unless they have all developed a taste for each other's tails,haha.

[AussieTrees]

The poisons used to exterminate creatures is really devastating,and has wider implications than the target species.

 

One personal story,years ago soon after we moved to our current home.A new friend locally born and raised farmer,gifted us four doves.

 

Construction of an enclosure had already occurred when converted the kids sandpit into a small aviary,well after a few years we had about twenty doves,even after we had gifted many doves to others.

 

Then we began finding dead doves,partly eaten carcass found nearby rathole in the corner of the aviary.So we bought some rat bait,very effective,even found several rats,they would still be alive,just sitting there in their delirium,they were dying.

 

A few weeks later,we were shocked to find all our doves dead,well my darling partner discovered this event whilst this author was at work,she had completed the task of burying the doves,many thanks to her.

 

Well the poisons come in a wax block form,and is excreted by the rodents,leaving also potent droppings,this is what we believe has killed our doves.The doves had ingested the poison thinking it was a seed or a grain of sand.

 

Have now converted the once converted sandpit/aviary into a shade house for our garden plants,works really well keeps pesky birds from digging in our potted plants.

 

Only memories of the cooing sounds from those doves.

[AussieTrees]

I admire your ambivalence.  It shows humanity.  I've felt the same. then used poison/traps.   I simply don't want mice in my home/business.   There might be third alternatives, live trapping, but in truth do that and set them out in the winter and its the same as killing them.

 

Its a nasty business, up to each of our consciences.  It made me a little queasy.  I'm live and let live in there habitat but not in mine.  That being said, doing what I can to seal up small entrances not keep food out helps.  On the third hand, as a gardener I probably give 1/3 of my produce to the wild. 

Thankyou thelerner,

 

You post now echoes in our household.

 

Last night again very noisy with scratching sounds and antechinus chatter,our tolerance is waning,we hear the noises and now better able to ignore them,with sleep not far away there is relief.

 

Well no poison yet,the urge is to do is not yet overwhelming.