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PSM 09-18-2014 14:34

Pack Rat!
 
I've been at war with a pack rat that has built a nest under our wood pile. I've lost every engagement so far. I don't know how big it is because my game cam wakes too slowly to catch it. So, last night I put out a large trap and a small trap. The damn rat ate the bait on the large one without tripping it and STOLE the small one. :mad:

Pat

PRB 09-18-2014 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 563123)
I've been at war with a pack rat that has built a nest under our wood pile. I've lost every engagement so far. I don't know how big it is because my game cam wakes too slowly to catch it. So, last night I put out a large trap and a small trap. The damn rat ate the bait on the large one without tripping it and STOLE the small one. :mad:

Pat

Yeah, they are bad this year. I've had them eat bait out of a hair trigger rat trap...how quick are they, there was one finger in the trap.
I sometimes (away from the house because of dogs/dead PR bodies) use a poison cube that is secured in a plastic box...locks shut with a hole large enough for PR's.
Works great but you don't want a poisoned PR in the yard for your dog I'm thinking.
I've a few nice car rewiring bills from the little bastards.
BTW, if you get rid of the PR get rid of the smell (urine/feces) as it attracts other PR's...I use undiluted pinesol spray...

PSM 09-18-2014 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRB (Post 563132)
Yeah, they are bad this year. I've had them eat bait out of a hair trigger rat trap...how quick are they, there was one finger in the trap.
I sometimes (away from the house because of dogs/dead PR bodies) use a poison cube that is secured in a plastic box...locks shut with a hole large enough for PR's.
Works great but you don't want a poisoned PR in the yard for your dog I'm thinking.
I've a few nice car rewiring bills from the little bastards.
BTW, if you get rid of the PR get rid of the smell (urine/feces) as it attracts other PR's...I use undiluted pinesol spray...

I found the small trap under the wood rack. It tripped but no rat and no bait. I tossed several of the Tomcat blocks under the rack but they haven't worked yet. I'm going to put some more out tonight. Fortunately, the dog won't mess with dead things.

I've been checking the vehicles and they are clear so far.

Thanks for the Pinesol tip!

Pat

The Reaper 09-18-2014 18:52

Don't handle the carcasses with your bare hands.

TR

PSM 09-18-2014 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Reaper (Post 563152)
Don't handle the carcasses with your bare hands.

TR

Haven't gotten that far yet. :D

Pat

mark46th 09-20-2014 15:40

1 Attachment(s)
I'd spray the area with an insecticde, too. Triatoma(Kissing or assassin bugs) live in pack rat nests. In Mexico and Central America, the bite from these bugs can carry Chaga's disease, which causes a heart infection. The only cases I have heard of up here were in Texas.

Lan 09-20-2014 16:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRB (Post 563132)
I've a few nice car rewiring bills from the little bastards.

Happened to us once. We got an outdoor cat at the shelter and the only rats we see now are dead ones. Properly placed glue traps work well too.

PSM 09-20-2014 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark46th (Post 563334)
I'd spray the area with an insecticde, too. Triatoma(Kissing or assassin bugs) live in pack rat nests. In Mexico and Central America, the bite from these bugs can carry Chaga's disease, which causes a heart infection. The only cases I have heard of up here were in Texas.

I remember those dudes from living in Texas and Oklahoma. Haven't seen any out here, though. Didn't know that they bit humans, either. Fortunately, we live in a migratory bird lane and have very little trouble with bugs. Plus, the nighthawks and bats are very efficient in the evening and at night. We also have tons of lizards, some about 9" long.

Pat

PSM 09-23-2014 10:57

Got one! Had to go to the big guns. With this heavy duty trap they have to put their head through the trigger to get to the bait. Snapped a little after midnight.

Pat

PRB 09-23-2014 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lan (Post 563343)
Happened to us once. We got an outdoor cat at the shelter and the only rats we see now are dead ones. Properly placed glue traps work well too.

I'd do that but outdoor/barn cats don't survive here....coyotes or horned owls will get them....my neighbor went thru 3 from the pound in 6 weeks, gave up.

Ambush Master 09-23-2014 16:43

Also, Peppermint Oil will repel ALL rodents!! Put some on a Cotton Ball and put it where you don't want them to go (several under the hood and around ubder the vehicle)!!

PRB 09-23-2014 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambush Master (Post 563574)
Also, Peppermint Oil will repel ALL rodents!! Put some on a Cotton Ball and put it where you don't want them to go (several under the hood and around ubder the vehicle)!!

Shit, I'll try anything......

PRB 09-23-2014 21:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brush Okie (Post 563585)
If they are in a confined space try chemical warfare.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/271598615601?lpid=82

The hardware store has them for less than they are selling here.

No, I'm looking for a really small, like cartoon sized, suitcase nuke....a mushroom cloud about waist high.

PSM 09-23-2014 21:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRB (Post 563599)
No, I'm looking for a really small, like cartoon sized, suitcase nuke....a mushroom cloud about waist high.

This is what I used: http://www.zoro.com/i/G4389917/?utm_...PWIRoCQZvw_wcB Got it at Lowes. Not a SADM, but maybe a 175mm. :D

It does have this on the toothy end: 對大鼠此方 :D

Pat

Ambush Master 09-23-2014 21:41

I have not personally used the Peppermint Oil, but I do know several Folks that have, and I TRUST them. They said it worked,...........For Me, It Works!!!

PSM 09-23-2014 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ambush Master (Post 563603)
I have not personally used the Peppermint Oil, but I do know several Folks that have, and I TRUST them. They said it worked,...........For Me, It Works!!!

We can wash our vehicles in the hippie favorite: Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap Organic Peppermint Soap. :D

Pat

Lan 09-24-2014 11:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRB (Post 563557)
I'd do that but outdoor/barn cats don't survive here....coyotes or horned owls will get them....my neighbor went thru 3 from the pound in 6 weeks, gave up.

California coyotes must not work well together! From the looks of this map the subspecies we have here is different than the subspecies in Arizona, but from my research, the hunting techniques the coyote species uses are consistent. Must be the terrain, or how reliant the liberal coyotes out here are on their government.

We have coyotes and owls but I've only lost 1 cat to what I assume was coyotes because we had a pack of them who liked to hang out near our old house. We have a problem raccoon at our current house. Got into a fight with our dogs a while back on our deck. The dogs kept him away for a while but he was back a couple nights ago eating our cat food and the damn thing broke the cat bowl in the process.

PRB 09-24-2014 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lan (Post 563664)
California coyotes must not work well together! From the looks of this map the subspecies we have here is different than the subspecies in Arizona, but from my research, the hunting techniques the coyote species uses are consistent. Must be the terrain, or how reliant the liberal coyotes out here are on their government.

We have coyotes and owls but I've only lost 1 cat to what I assume was coyotes because we had a pack of them who liked to hang out near our old house. We have a problem raccoon at our current house. Got into a fight with our dogs a while back on our deck. The dogs kept him away for a while but he was back a couple nights ago eating our cat food and the damn thing broke the cat bowl in the process.

The packs around here are pretty aggressive....they take small dogs too.
One Coyote runs at a barky dog (small 20 lbs or so as Coytes won't attk a big dog)...then turns and runs away getting the mutt to chase him...right into the pack where they tear him apart.
Neighbors about 15 acres over didn't know about that and lost their dog the first week here.

PSM 04-20-2016 22:04

New pack rat: This one has stolen 2 armed mouse traps and my wife's sun visor that she left out on a table on the deck. He couldn't get the visor in the nest, though. :D Kind of hate to kill such a resourceful little dude.

Pat

PRB 04-20-2016 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 607184)
New pack rat: This one has stolen 2 armed mouse traps and my wife's sun visor that she left out on a table on the deck. He couldn't get the visor in the nest, though. :D Kind of hate to kill such a resourceful little dude.

Pat

I've been successful with Victor rat traps placed on firm ground so the the little bastards get the full shock....I'm in a constant state of war...

JJ_BPK 04-21-2016 05:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 607184)
New pack rat:

Pat

Breed the little bastards,,
Start an off-shore mail-order food company,,
Venezuela could make you a fortune..

Taste like chicken.. :]

2018commo 04-21-2016 10:37

rats
 
I use a rat sized Havahart trap with only one end open, use a can of cheap cat food for bait. do not open the can, but put several holes in it and secure it to the back of the trap. After capture the rats get a bath, and after the bubbles stop and the rat is declared "clean" they get fed to the pond turtles.

Team Sergeant 04-21-2016 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2018commo (Post 607198)
I use a rat sized Havahart trap with only one end open, use a can of cheap cat food for bait. do not open the can, but put several holes in it and secure it to the back of the trap. After capture the rats get a bath, and after the bubbles stop and the rat is declared "clean" they get fed to the pond turtles.

Excellent idea!!!

(Why didn't I ever think of that.......)

PSM 04-21-2016 10:57

Got him using the Tomcat trap. I'll miss the little prankster. :D

Pat

PRB 04-21-2016 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 607200)
Got him using the Tomcat trap. I'll miss the little prankster. :D

Pat

Hell, what's your address and I'll tell the rat community here...

2018commo 04-21-2016 18:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant (Post 607199)
Excellent idea!!!

(Why didn't I ever think of that.......)

It's an old trick, suspect you're wired to go High Ordnance first!

PSM 04-21-2016 18:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRB (Post 607202)
Hell, what's your address and I'll tell the rat community here...

You've got a better playground for them than we do. :D

Pat

Team Sergeant 04-21-2016 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2018commo (Post 607218)
It's an old trick, suspect you're wired to go High Ordnance first!

LOL, A friend asked me to kill the rats in his horse barn when I was 14-15. Killed a bunch of rats with a pellet rifle. Shot between the horses legs etc. The job got done. This was before great rat traps I'm sure. ;)

PSM 10-12-2018 18:20

A damned pack rat stole my pack rat trap! It was armed but something small ate the bait so it was possible to haul it off without tripping it.

PRB 10-12-2018 21:08

TomCat rat /mice (for the babies) traps work exceedingly well....I bait them with rat poison too...they love the crap.

Been getting about one packrat a day

PSM 10-12-2018 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRB (Post 646741)
TomCat rat /mice (for the babies) traps work exceedingly well....I bait them with rat poison too...they love the crap.

Been getting about one packrat a day

It was a TomCat rat trap that it stole! I just found it funny, really. The coyote has been doing a good job of dealing with the critters, but I haven't seen it recently. I think that you have more feed issues that increase your problems. We've done away with that problem. We only had one rattler and it was actually in the "snakes live" zone but Nancy ran over it with the mower...twice. :D She mows a walking trail around the BLM land that surrounds us. The city-girl likes her little John Deere D-105. :lifter

PRB 10-12-2018 23:41

I've killed two Green Mojave's this year...one at my front door. Our Coyote's are lazy Democrats on the dole…..bastiches!

PSM 10-13-2018 00:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by PRB (Post 646743)
I've killed two Green Mojave's this year...one at my front door. Our Coyote's are lazy Democrats on the dole…..bastiches!

:D

The Mojave's are mean bastards. Nance had a friend tell her to just shoot water at snakes and they would retreat. The first Mojave she ever encountered she turned the hose on. It charged her faster. He called for me to bring her gun. I did and she dispatched it quickly. Had another one the next day, but she was carrying at the time.

PSM 07-18-2020 22:25

A new pack rat found our hidden spare key and moved it to it's nest. BUT, it removed the Marvin the Martian keychain that was on the split ring! I can't find Marvin or the spilt ring, the bastard. It also stole a small mouse trap but brought it back in exchange for Marvin. Now the pack rat trap is gone. Geez.

Intel NCO 07-18-2020 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 660813)
A new pack rat found our hidden spare key and moved it to it's nest. BUT, it removed the Marvin the Martian keychain that was on the split ring! I can't find Marvin or the spilt ring, the bastard. It also stole a small mouse trap but brought it back in exchange for Marvin. Now the pack rat trap is gone. Geez.

I'd say get a cat, but you'd hope there's be enough bobcats around these parts to handle that.. seen at least 2 in my backyard lately here in SV.

PSM 04-25-2021 22:18

1 Attachment(s)
Quote:

Originally Posted by PSM (Post 660813)
A new pack rat found our hidden spare key and moved it to it's nest. BUT, it removed the Marvin the Martian keychain that was on the split ring! I can't find Marvin or the spilt ring, the bastard. It also stole a small mouse trap but brought it back in exchange for Marvin. Now the pack rat trap is gone. Geez.

He (or a different one) brought Marvin back after 3 and a half years. But the spilt ring is still missing.

ETA: Forgot to mention that it took the rat trap I set for it again. Fair trade, I guess. I just don't know what it has planned for the trap.

JJ_BPK 04-26-2021 07:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK (Post 607189)
Breed the little bastards,,
Start an off-shore mail-order food company,,
Venezuela could make you a fortune..

Taste like chicken.. :]

Forget my old recommendation,,

This must be at least the 3rd or 4th successive generation Pack-Rat you're dealing with, across this epic battle.

THEY need to be isolated and their DNA extracted to use for a new Super Rat Warrior.

Have youy setup any game cams to capture their image(S)??

I have a friend that runs a very discrete lab in Yunnan, China :munching

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20380897/


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