|
Post by Tarponator on Jun 10, 2024 22:30:51 GMT -5
One of my cats is a certified rat killer. Has gotten 3 so far on our porch.
The other just likes to play with them.
|
|
|
Post by One Man Gang on Jun 10, 2024 22:33:00 GMT -5
Rich, how long have you lived there? How long have you been feeding the birds? How long have you had a rat problem? Have you had a rat problem before? Are you letting your fence line or landscape get out of control? Are your neighbors doing anything that might be facilitating a infestation? What has changed if you haven't had a rat problem before?
|
|
|
Post by bullfrog on Jun 10, 2024 23:00:06 GMT -5
Those Tomcat chunks will get rid of rodents better than anything. That's all I use. I may be wrong but I think it causes a powerful thirst in the animal that ingested it and drives them to seek water. That can make them vacate your home to find a drink before they die. At least that has been my experience. Maybe just a wives tale. I dunno, but it works for me. That's how it is with traditional rat poison, which is just a blood thinner that makes them hemorrhage (but treats high blood pressure in humans). The poison in Tomcat chunks is a neurotoxin to my knowledge. I've never had visible collateral damage with it. And I have very predatory dogs and chickens. I take care where I deploy it to avoid direct poisonings from non-target animals. I would only cry over my dogs. I'm not going out of my way to kill anything. But if the wild rodent predators were worth a darn, I wouldn't have mouse issues to begin with. It's probably a bonus if it kills some of the accursed grey rat snakes and venomous snakes around. All things in moderation. Rat poison included.
|
|
|
Post by tonyroma on Jun 11, 2024 0:44:14 GMT -5
Food equals varmints , plain and simple. My neighbors feed cats. Cat food left out equals varmints. Cat food left out equals my dogs eating cats and raccoons.
I’ve told my neighbors stop feeding the varmints and my dogs will stop eating the heads off the cats. Headless cat leads to interesting banter over the privacy fence.
Remove the bird seed and the rats will move on.
|
|
|
Aww Rats!
Jun 11, 2024 2:19:54 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by whitebacon on Jun 11, 2024 2:19:54 GMT -5
Food equals varmints , plain and simple. My neighbors feed cats. Cat food left out equals varmints. Cat food left out equals my dogs eating cats and raccoons. I’ve told my neighbors stop feeding the varmints and my dogs will stop eating the heads off the cats. Headless cat leads to interesting banter over the privacy fence. Remove the bird seed and the rats will move on. I didn't have a cat problem in the states. But down here they are thick, just like the derelict street dogs. I got my daughter the strongest bb/pellet gun I could find. Taught her how to load, shoot, and be safe. You know she's my stepdaughter but she's mine, bad attitude and all. She clipped all the dogs first. Twenty pumps, and then shoot. Needless to say, they didn't come back. Then she went after the cats. It was ugly. I swear half of them she killed outright with head shots. I wouldn't call her Annie Oakley, but she doesn't miss. I feel guilty, but no too much. Was a great bonding moment for us. Her mother and I remain separated. But she's mine, always will be. Took her out many dozen times for target practice. She could group three inside of 2" at 100 yrds, no matter the rifle. Taught her with a 243 and a 30'06.
|
|
|
Post by Captj on Jun 11, 2024 4:26:52 GMT -5
Bad ass cats will put an end to the rat problem. Doesn't matter if you feed them or not if they are killers. Every cat has a different personality (like dogs), but if they're outdoor cats the rodents will stay away.
|
|
|
Post by olmucky on Jun 11, 2024 4:52:59 GMT -5
My neighbor has this indoor fluffy cat. It’s been her princess and child Never been out of doors (Chicago city cat) Now that she moved down, she let the cat out in the backyard Cat was skittish. But now will go out freely. She’s turned into a stone cold rat killer. She brings them into the house dead and starts meowing her little butt off.
Female.
|
|
|
Post by stc1993 on Jun 11, 2024 5:05:34 GMT -5
Cats like to bring you presents. Our feral cat that we started feeding puts squirrels on the front porch.
|
|
|
Post by johngalt on Jun 11, 2024 5:53:13 GMT -5
Feral cats are an invasive species.
|
|
|
Post by richm on Jun 11, 2024 5:56:31 GMT -5
We do have some black snakes. Mostly smaller ones. Last one i saw got taken by a migratory hawk.
I also do understand the landscaping and not having places for em to hang out aspect of it all. Planning on dropping a tree and opening up the back yard more once dad goes w my sister for a bit. Otherwise don't have time for a manicured yard and the rats and such have plenty of places to hang out.
We did an area of weed block so could park a utility trailer and the weeds still persisted - gotta get a better grade - or double up on it.
|
|
|
Post by richm on Jun 11, 2024 6:15:27 GMT -5
Rich, how long have you lived there? How long have you been feeding the birds? How long have you had a rat problem? Have you had a rat problem before? Are you letting your fence line or landscape get out of control? Are your neighbors doing anything that might be facilitating a infestation? What has changed if you haven't had a rat problem before? We bought 20+ yrs ago. Feeding birds for about 5 years - find it peaceful and a stress relief to watch a badass mourning dove go after a blue jay or a titmouse to spin upside down on a branch as it is pecking on a sunflower seed. Fun stuff. If the rats and squirrels aren't raiding the feeder itself down the birds eat about 2.5 red solo cups worth of seed a week. Trouble birds are the blackbirds and wood pecker - knock seed out to get peanut chunks in there. The doves usually clean up the seeds on the ground. Rat problems - we have had some rats in the past - I've shot some off the bird feeder w pellet rifle but mostly we trap a few here and there. Never had the flare-up in numbers like this. One of the issues is neighbor - he has a car graveyard going on. 6 cars in front yard and more along side and in back including a limo and a nice el camino. I'm sure that's where the nesting is - little buggers chewing his wires and tearing up the seats... neighbor put a stockade fence up down the property line (posts on my side and nice fence side on his) - that was a long time ago and it is very derelict. I'm gonna get stuck replacing it, but not before it totally falls over onto his side - put a few fence posts in to make sure of this. Also need to be careful about having a new fence just pop up cause code officers watch him closely. Another issue is that I had to choose between yard maintenance and time with dad. About 1/2 of my backyard is a mess. It is on my to do list. Dad is headed north for a couple of months. Have a camphor tree to drop and a bunch of weed whacking and brush killing to do. Probably should rent a walk behind brush hog after get the tree out. Last issue is that i have a shed that's up on blocks and has and underbelly. Once the tree is gone, a new shed will find a concrete slab to sit on and old shed will be gone. Doesn't take much to facilitate a problem and 1 issue doesn't do it, the pieces started falling into place when mom died 2 yrs ago, a tree limb fell on existing shed, and neighbor filled his front yard up with cars. The cats wife feeds typically stay out front but do wander around the back but do stay out of the side yard where the stuff is. We did order a flip-type bucket trap for the rats. Figure it is easier than the other types of traps and hopefully the little buggers get to using it.
|
|
|
Post by jcbcpa on Jun 11, 2024 7:26:23 GMT -5
Rich, how long have you lived there? How long have you been feeding the birds? How long have you had a rat problem? Have you had a rat problem before? Are you letting your fence line or landscape get out of control? Are your neighbors doing anything that might be facilitating a infestation? What has changed if you haven't had a rat problem before? We bought 20+ yrs ago. Feeding birds for about 5 years - find it peaceful and a stress relief to watch a badass mourning dove go after a blue jay or a titmouse to spin upside down on a branch as it is pecking on a sunflower seed. Fun stuff. If the rats and squirrels aren't raiding the feeder itself down the birds eat about 2.5 red solo cups worth of seed a week. Trouble birds are the blackbirds and wood pecker - knock seed out to get peanut chunks in there. The doves usually clean up the seeds on the ground. Rat problems - we have had some rats in the past - I've shot some off the bird feeder w pellet rifle but mostly we trap a few here and there. Never had the flare-up in numbers like this. One of the issues is neighbor - he has a car graveyard going on. 6 cars in front yard and more along side and in back including a limo and a nice el camino. I'm sure that's where the nesting is - little buggers chewing his wires and tearing up the seats... neighbor put a stockade fence up down the property line (posts on my side and nice fence side on his) - that was a long time ago and it is very derelict. I'm gonna get stuck replacing it, but not before it totally falls over onto his side - put a few fence posts in to make sure of this. Also need to be careful about having a new fence just pop up cause code officers watch him closely. Another issue is that I had to choose between yard maintenance and time with dad. About 1/2 of my backyard is a mess. It is on my to do list. Dad is headed north for a couple of months. Have a camphor tree to drop and a bunch of weed whacking and brush killing to do. Probably should rent a walk behind brush hog after get the tree out. Last issue is that i have a shed that's up on blocks and has and underbelly. Once the tree is gone, a new shed will find a concrete slab to sit on and old shed will be gone. Doesn't take much to facilitate a problem and 1 issue doesn't do it, the pieces started falling into place when mom died 2 yrs ago, a tree limb fell on existing shed, and neighbor filled his front yard up with cars. The cats wife feeds typically stay out front but do wander around the back but do stay out of the side yard where the stuff is. We did order a flip-type bucket trap for the rats. Figure it is easier than the other types of traps and hopefully the little buggers get to using it. Not to change the subject but that sentence stood out to me. Good for you for making that choice. I wish I had spent more time with my Dad when I could. I read in the fishing section your reports with your Dad and I'm envious in a good way. Now back to the rat problem. I know you love your bird feeders and we do too, but before we moved we lived by the lake and had a couple of bird feeders and like you enjoyed identifying each one and watching them with coffee or a drink in the afternoon. Eventually the damn chipmunks and woods rats took over. We just took the feeders down for 2 or 3 weeks and decided to just trap rats and chipmunks. We caught a few, shot a few, but they eventually stopped coming around. Good luck.
|
|
|
Post by cadman on Jun 11, 2024 7:32:01 GMT -5
if you going to use a trap, go with this kind. guaranteed to kill every time. Also, a pest control guy taught me to put out the trap, bait it, and not set it. Rats are cautious and will be hesitant. Give them the first taste for free and then they will dive in for the second taste and snap goes the head. Wash the trap after every kill and reuse it. You guys who hate poison better not drive around your town, there are poison bait stations outside at almost every restaurant and most businesses around here. They look like stones to disguise them.
|
|
|
Post by ferris1248 on Jun 11, 2024 7:48:33 GMT -5
Feral cats are an invasive species. Get them spayed and let them roam. They are great predators and keep nature in balance.
|
|
|
Post by richm on Jun 11, 2024 8:43:01 GMT -5
Feral cats are an invasive species. Get them spayed and let them roam. They are great predators and keep nature in balance. I agree with spayed (or shot). They are indiscriminate killers of everything that's fun to catch or chase. The cats got a baby red thrasher this year - would like to know which one did it.
|
|