Comments on: I Smell a Rat!

By: Karen Friesecke

Karen Friesecke — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 17:49:02 +0000

Why would someone use bird seed for traction on a side walk? It’s pretty expensive and the old style kitty litter is way cheaper. Dexter has a very high prey drive so if we did have a rat in the house, it wouldn’t be there for very long 😀

By: melF

melF — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 03:56:37 +0000

Aw heck. I say neuter him and keep him as a friend for Honey. I would love to see a video of you click training with him too. C’mon Pamela! You know you want to do it! 🙂

By: Ann Paws

Ann Paws — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 01:19:41 +0000

I have a pet rat… well it’s cuter than that rat because wild rats are kinda ugly in my opinion. (sorry mr. rat!) As for whether or not they are smarter than dogs, I don’t know but they are probably pretty close. They are loyal and attached to their owners just like dogs. They can do tricks with clicker training. Too bad they only live to be about 2 years old. 🙁 That’s the only part I don’t like about them!

By: dawn

dawn — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:30:29 +0000

My cats are the locator and my dog Malarkey is the exterminator if any critter decides to come in from the outside. They tag team it.

Here’s a trap that worked for catching my hamster I had when I was younger. It also worked when my science teacher lost their pet hamster in their car. Take on of those tall metal popcorn cans, place it in a location where Mr rat can enter it easily and put birdseed or anything else he might find very appealing leading up to the can and then in the can. Use small amounts leading up so he doesn’t stuff himself. Hopefully, he will decide to go into the can to get the food inside, but won’t be able to climb out because the sides are too slippery. I would take him very far away and be real cautious. Rats can carry leptospirosis which can affect both people and dogs, so I do anything I can to discourage them from taking up residence in my yard and home.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:25:55 +0000

If you chose relocate….take him miles and miles and a river away, because they always, always return home.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

By: Flea

Flea — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:40:37 +0000

Clicker training – you made me laugh SO HARD! We have a ton of mice in the yard. I can’t put poison out because of my chickens and ducks. And something rather large is burrowing under the house. Of you figure out what to do, let me know? Neutering isn’t a bad idea. Though, I have seen my chickens kill and eat mice …

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:11:36 +0000

I have kept pet rats periodically over the years (usually males that were castrated, never spayed the girls) and find them to be very affectionate and social if handled properly and daily. They get lonely quickly and will bond with anyone… even dogs. That said I’ve never had the urge to adopt a wild one. Trapping one might not do you any good since they do live in colonies (like people ;-D). Have you thought about a sonic repellent? It’s a little device you plug in that emits a sound especially geared to irritate mice and rats. I honestly don’t know if the rat version would effect a dog but I do know most other species specific don’t and that they work. I had one for insects when I lived in a dump of an apartment building to prevent fleas. I never had an issue with any insects and very few spiders. Just a thought.

By: Taryn

Taryn — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:09:44 +0000

My dogs would be quite happy to dispatch a rat, esp. Jimmy. Small critters don’t last long if he gets them. Both my guys have a strong prey drive, but squirrels and rabbits still frequent our yard regularly. The bunnies are even dumb enough to nest in our yard. Their young don’t often reach adulthood 🙁

By: jan

jan — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:59:00 +0000

You could always just get a cat. Instant vermin control and you never know how it was done.

By: Sue

Sue — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 20:41:10 +0000

As long as they don’t come inside, we don’t worry about critters like mice, rats, or squirrels/chipmunks. Our 3 furkids have fun chasing the squirrels in the yard. The only critters we do anything about are the insect variety. That’s when I call our friends at Terminix.