breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,917
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Nov 8, 2016 16:41:40 GMT
Yesterday afternoon dd was staring out our patio door and told me there was a mouse out there. I went to see and didn't see anything, but stood there for a while and a twitchy brown nose poked it's head around some boards. I might have screamed...
We happened to have a rat trap so loaded it up. This morning there's a dead rat. DH is in a big hurry this morning and didn't have time to dispose of it.
I'm standing there staring at dead rat, debating whether I can will myself to go out there and take care of it myself and a 2nd LIVE rat pokes it's nose out, almost in the same spot as the one yesterday.
I know I should go out there, dispose of the first rat, and hopefully trap the 2nd but I'm having a really hard time making myself open the sliding door.
Meanwhile DH is sending emails confused whether the one in the trap is dead, and I'm trying to explain there is a 2nd rat, and DH is not getting that he needs to come home and burn down the house for me.
I think the kids spilled rabbit food out there and didn't clean it up. They will not be doing that again!
It is taking my mind of the election... but EWWWWWW!
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IAmUnoriginal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,894
Jun 25, 2014 23:27:45 GMT
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 16:46:26 GMT
Post by IAmUnoriginal on Nov 8, 2016 16:46:26 GMT
Oh, ick! No no no no. Every now and then, when news is slow, the Chicago stations will do a bit on the city's rat problem. It is so icky.
I wouldn't go get that rat. It would be there for DH when he got home. Or, I'd call an exterminator to come set multiple traps and get it all over with. I wouldn't be going near those nasty beasts. Nope, nope, nope.
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Post by mom on Nov 8, 2016 16:50:52 GMT
Go get another trap (or two..) and set it. DH can get them all when he gets home.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 8, 2016 16:51:17 GMT
Yikes! I would so NOT be going anywhere near the now full trap. As I noted in the 'spider in the car' thread a couple days ago, there is only one true answer and that is NAPALM. Yes, you have to fire bomb the entire house. Sorry. And then I'd be calling the exterminator as a backup plan. ETA: We have one of those long reach grabber things, and I wouldn't even touch it with that!
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 16:52:55 GMT
Post by chirpingcricket on Nov 8, 2016 16:52:55 GMT
Yesterday afternoon dd was staring out our patio door and told me there was a mouse out there. I went to see and didn't see anything, but stood there for a while and a twitchy brown nose poked it's head around some boards. I might have screamed... We happened to have a rat trap so loaded it up. This morning there's a dead rat. DH is in a big hurry this morning and didn't have time to dispose of it. I'm standing there staring at dead rat, debating whether I can will myself to go out there and take care of it myself and a 2nd LIVE rat pokes it's nose out, almost in the same spot as the one yesterday. I know I should go out there, dispose of the first rat, and hopefully trap the 2nd but I'm having a really hard time making myself open the sliding door. Meanwhile DH is sending emails confused whether the one in the trap is dead, and I'm trying to explain there is a 2nd rat, and DH is not getting that he needs to come home and burn down the house for me. I think the kids spilled rabbit food out there and didn't clean it up. They will not be doing that again! It is taking my mind of the election... but EWWWWWW! "Come home and burn down the house for me" -- OK, that's *the best*. ROFL!!!! I'm so happy to see you have your priorities in order.
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,917
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Nov 8, 2016 16:54:54 GMT
Go get another trap (or two..) and set it. DH can get them all when he gets home. Good plan! I just have to figure out how to get the new traps out there without actually going outside or opening the door.
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Post by mom on Nov 8, 2016 16:57:48 GMT
Go get another trap (or two..) and set it. DH can get them all when he gets home. Good plan! I just have to figure out how to get the new traps out there without actually going outside or opening the door. Personally, I would just suck it up and take a new out there. There is no way I am just leaving a rat outside to have more babies while I sit inside with a trap. No way in hell.
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breetheflea
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,917
Location: PNW
Jul 20, 2014 21:57:23 GMT
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Post by breetheflea on Nov 8, 2016 17:04:50 GMT
Good plan! I just have to figure out how to get the new traps out there without actually going outside or opening the door. Personally, I would just suck it up and take a new out there. There is no way I am just leaving a rat outside to have more babies while I sit inside with a trap. No way in hell. I was considering lowering a new trap from an upstairs window but the closest upstairs window isn't quite above rat-opia. Maybe I can open the door, fling it out there, and slam the door really quick. One of my kids is begging for a cat for Christmas and I've been telling her no way... we might be getting a cat for Christmas.
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 17:09:59 GMT
Post by bc2ca on Nov 8, 2016 17:09:59 GMT
I feel your pain. A couple of years ago we had friends over to watch the 4th of July fireworks. We are all facing the back fence and a couple of critters skitter along the top. OMG, please tell me those were squirrels was my first thought, but no they were rats coming in to snack on our grapes. Thankfully they never came further into the yard, but it was not easy getting rid of them.
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,682
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 17:21:31 GMT
Post by johnnysmom on Nov 8, 2016 17:21:31 GMT
DH is not getting that he needs to come home and burn down the house for me. I can kill spiders, but anything that needs more than a paper towel or flip flop, forget it! I know they make no-see mouse traps, do they make them for rats too? I might invest in a few of those so the rat-bastards can be killed without having to see the post-massacre evidence.
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Post by 950nancy on Nov 8, 2016 17:24:49 GMT
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Take a big ol' glove out and put that rat in the trash. Load up the trap for the friend. You can do it. It is just a rat. You don't need a man to save you!
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 17:35:19 GMT
via mobile
Post by hop2 on Nov 8, 2016 17:35:19 GMT
Personally, I would just suck it up and take a new out there. There is no way I am just leaving a rat outside to have more babies while I sit inside with a trap. No way in hell. I was considering lowering a new trap from an upstairs window but the closest upstairs window isn't quite above rat-opia. Maybe I can open the door, fling it out there, and slam the door really quick. One of my kids is begging for a cat for Christmas and I've been telling her no way... we might be getting a cat for Christmas. Not sure how much the cat will help with the outdoor rat issue unless you make your patio into a catio. The chipmunks here come up onto our deck ( 14' above the ground ) to taunt the dog thru the glass sliding door they only run away when I open the door. We even tried tying a rope to the door so we could slide it open from across the room when the taunted him but that didn't work.
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 17:37:45 GMT
via mobile
Post by Rachel on Nov 8, 2016 17:37:45 GMT
Oh hells no. And honestly I would have left the house already. I wouldn't come back until they were all dead and gone!
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used2scrap
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,036
Jan 29, 2016 3:02:55 GMT
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 17:40:34 GMT
via mobile
Post by used2scrap on Nov 8, 2016 17:40:34 GMT
Time to move!
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The Birdhouse Lady
Drama Llama
Moose. It's what's for dinner.
Posts: 7,174
Location: Alaska -The Last Frontier
Jun 30, 2014 17:15:19 GMT
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 18:21:05 GMT
Post by The Birdhouse Lady on Nov 8, 2016 18:21:05 GMT
Call up a friend and tell her you have a really fun project to do. Have her go outside and set a new trap! I wouldn't touch the trap with the dead rat in it either!
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Post by sawwhet on Nov 8, 2016 18:22:32 GMT
We've been in the same house for 25 years and had never seen a rat. I saw one last year in the yard. Dh set up some live traps because he didn't want the squirrels and chipmunk to die in the trap. I thought there was one. Is there ever one? Dh caught a few and dropped the live trap into a container of water to kill the rat. Dh is my hero LOL. He searched the yard and found a couple holes in the garden so he laid the trap near the hole. Are you ready? He killed 15 rats in my yard. OMG. The good news is that we've never seen another one since. Obviously, they are in our area but once they find a source of food and set up shop. My neighbour down the street was battling rats in his yard this summer which really wrecked their pool enjoying fun.
Advice, be vigilant. If you've seen one, there are 10. Seriously. Remove any food sources. Check for holes in the ground and that your shed is sealed. Set up a few traps and keep doing it until you have a week of no rats in the trap.
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 18:25:32 GMT
mom likes this
Post by femalebusiness on Nov 8, 2016 18:25:32 GMT
Barbecue tongs with the long handles. That's the best advice I have.
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Post by scrapmaven on Nov 8, 2016 18:34:55 GMT
Years ago I was alone in the family room watching tv one night. I looked down and a rat was watching tv w/me. I wanted to get dynamite, but dh, listening to me scream came running and set a rat trap instead. 2 hours later we no longer had a rat problem. I don't know how he got inside, but we do have rats in our area and I'm guessing someone left the slider open. I sanitized my entire front area. EW! I know a great realtor in case it happens again.
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 18:40:00 GMT
Post by mom on Nov 8, 2016 18:40:00 GMT
I just have to ask: is this a little mouse or is it a rat? Neither are good, but there is a difference.
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Post by gracieplusthree on Nov 8, 2016 18:42:28 GMT
I personally don't empty traps. I can set them, and I can trash them,but I do not empty them. So I say go buy another one or two or three and set another, if DH has to deal with 2 when he gets home he can empty them or dispose of them etc.
I set mousetraps on newspaper then easy peasy to just pick it up by the newspaper and get into the trash, trap and all. Mouse traps are like .50 each and worth that much to me to get rid of the mouse even if trap and all. Rats are a bigger more disgusting issue(I live on a dairy and some rats are HUGE) and yes the trap costs more, and to be honest rat traps scare me, but still yet, worth it to me to sacrifice the trap vs emptying it LOL.
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
Jun 27, 2014 18:02:10 GMT
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 18:48:42 GMT
Post by georgiapea on Nov 8, 2016 18:48:42 GMT
I throw away the traps, mouse and all. I'd do the same for a rat trap. But if it's a brown rat, could it be a pet? I'd then use a live trap and keep the little darling. Maybe someone's pets got outside.
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 18:49:42 GMT
via mobile
Post by anniefb on Nov 8, 2016 18:49:42 GMT
Ugh. I have disposed of dead rats the cat has brought in but I draw the line at setting and emptying traps. I did have a rat loose in the sitting room once (cat brought it in then lost interest) and I ended up calling the pest guy to come and lay poison,
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Post by threegirls on Nov 8, 2016 18:51:02 GMT
One hot, dry summer an apartment across the street from our house had a rat that lived in the front yard. The college girls that lived there were feeding it and lovingly named it Ratatouille. Yeah, my husband got a trap and caught it.
That same summer the 2 family across from us had a rat get inside. At 3:00 in the morning we were awoken by a screaming girl who flew out of the apartment. She slammed the door, screamed some more, yelled rat, got in her car and never came back! Her parents came a few days later and got her stuff. The rat found its way over to our front porch and decided to pay us a visit while we were sitting on the steps of the porch. DH grabbed the plastic recycle box and smashed the thing. Yes, right in front of all three girls and two neighbors!
Good luck. Set that trap!
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 18:52:25 GMT
via mobile
Post by minjoy on Nov 8, 2016 18:52:25 GMT
A rat? Seriously? I've only had the occasional mouse but never a rat!
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pancakes
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,993
Feb 4, 2015 6:49:53 GMT
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Post by pancakes on Nov 8, 2016 19:01:51 GMT
If it makes you feel better: We are doing renovation on our house and this past spring, they started demo of our 2nd floor. Somehow during the demo, they created a small hole somewhere that we couldn't locate. Long story short, I had a rat that was so big we thought it was a raccoon until we got a night camera. It lived IN THE HOUSE with us, hiding during the day and coming downstairs into our kitchen and beyond at night.
I removed all food sources but it started eating random stuff like chewing gum! It even carried a soup packet up the stairs.
We put out so many traps and so much poison. In fact, he ate enough poison blocks to kill 49 rats (according to the poison box) and still lived for two more weeks after that. It got so ridiculous that I was talking to the damn thing, warning it not to try to come downstairs while I was awake.
I lived with it for 4 or so weeks.
In urban locations, such as Chicago, you see them all the time. Doesn't matter how clean your neighborhood is. They will be scurrying around the alleys where you park your car or throw out your trash or just crossing the sidewalk in front of you.
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eastcoastpea
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,252
Jun 27, 2014 13:05:28 GMT
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 19:03:38 GMT
Post by eastcoastpea on Nov 8, 2016 19:03:38 GMT
There is no way I'd be emptying that trap.
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 19:05:26 GMT
Post by tamaraann on Nov 8, 2016 19:05:26 GMT
Rats are so smart, that if you leave the dead one out there in the trap, and other rats see it in the trap, they will realize the trap is a bad thing and not go in it when you put it back out there, unless they are stupid rats. But most rats are smart enough to learn from it.....
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MDscrapaholic
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,370
Location: Down by the bay....
Jun 25, 2014 20:49:07 GMT
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RATS!
Nov 8, 2016 19:09:53 GMT
Post by MDscrapaholic on Nov 8, 2016 19:09:53 GMT
I've dealt with mice before but never rats. I would move...today!
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Post by pierkiss on Nov 8, 2016 19:12:08 GMT
Grab a trash bag, Put on some rubber gloves, and throw the dead rat in the bag and tie it up. Bring along a heavy object. If the other rat pops out, hit it in the head with the heavy object Whack-A-Mole style. Then you'll have 2 dead rats. You can do this.
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scorpeao
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,521
Location: NorCal USA
Jun 25, 2014 21:04:54 GMT
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Post by scorpeao on Nov 8, 2016 19:25:08 GMT
I have had rats in my walls. I've seen them in my garage. I'll put bait out and they'll disappear for a while, but they always come back. The first time I saw a rat my dog was going nuts at the garage door. When I opened the door she flew out there and I saw the rat scurry from the rafters into the house...I have a two story, so it was between floors. I threw bait up where he entered the house. About 10 minutes later I could hear the bait scraping across the ceiling all the way through the kitchen and dining room. My problem is that I live in a condo, so my house is attached to another one...I think the rats realize my house is a hostile environment and then move to my neighbors until evicted back to my house. I even have a cat and all that effer does is stare at the ceiling.
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