HOPEFUL HEARTS...LIVING AGAIN AFTER THE LOSS Community Group

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Death & Dying
/ HOPEFUL HEARTS...LIVING AGAIN AFTER THE LOSS Support Group

RAT

hgsdms
hgsdms
OK, I had a rat under a plant in my backyard. Absolultely nothing repelled it.....moth balls, peppermint, etc. Can't put out poison because of my dogs. So I borrowed a neighbor's live trap. Set it last night and this morning there is this rat in the trap. I look at it and think how cute the face is.......I know I'm a sucker for animal faces and beauty IS in the eyes of the beholder you know! Now what to do with it..... The neighbor said he would relocate it for me. Well he did that for his wife with a pack rat they had and it kept coming back because he only took it about 3 blocks away to a nearby wash! I want this one far away, but I have to put it in my vehicle to haul it there. Have a SUV so can't just put it in trunk or bed of pickup. Don't want it peeing in my vehicle....ugh. Well, Darlene...put your big girl panties on and figure it out....maybe put the trap in a box and throw the box in the trash afterward??? I know my husband is "over there" shaking his head and laughing at me! AND maybe there will be a repeat performance tomorrow if this rat had a "friend"!!! Oh boy just what did I start here?

Hope I gave everyone a chuckle this morning with my huge problem! Going to brush my teeth now and think......
Darlene
Meboysmom
Meboysmom
Well since I have a pack rat in my mt cabin and have seen all the incredible damage he has done I do not have much of a heart for their cute faces. I cannot wait until he is dried or stuffed, then he might be cute. They are horrible destructive animals... they will return if removed, and at some point it will chew thru your wall or some other weak spot and move in. Then your life really becomes awful. You can set the trap on a big piece of plastic, but I would recommend you have someone put it down... there are lots of them out there and you will be doing your neighborhood a good thing by having it gone. Bonnie
hgsdms
hgsdms
I know very well the damage pack rats do Bonnie, and you have my sincere sympathy for all the damage you have in your cabin. This is just an ordinary rat and I plan on taking it out into the open country far from any houses. We have lots of coyotes and hawks out here so I'm pretty sure they will take care of it for me. I can understand your hatred of rats however. Even though I am a huge animal lover, I kill every spider and snake that is anywhere near me.
Community LeaderShrn
Shrn
I love animals, but tend to shiver at the sight of rodents instead of feeling warm and fuzzy. I remember once when a field mouse made his way to my kitchen. I yelled at him and he sat up on his hind legs and stared me down so I climbed on the table to wait for my husband to return. Guess I should never live on acres of land. Hope you had a chuckle over my confession. Sharon
hgsdms
hgsdms
I can just see you up on the table Sharon! I hope you husband came quickly! LOL At least between your confession and my "rat story" we may have lightened things up a bit today. We can all use a chuckle once in a while....Mondays are a good day for that! Darlene
tableforone
tableforone
Thanks for your mouse confession Sharon. I could stand a good chuckle today and that image ought to keep me smiling for several days to come!

The pastures on and around my place are perfect cover for mice and rats. Hardly ever see them, though there's a mouse in my shop that plays hide and seek with me. There are plenty of hawks, owls, coyotes and feral cats that do their part to control the population. I've even got several big racers (non-poisonous snakes) that live on my place and I'm always glad to see them. Rodents are the main thing on their menu.
hgsdms
hgsdms
Actually tableforone, I would much rather have the rat than the snake! Yikes!!
mel40
mel40
Yes.... I laughed. Lol!
sandeestttn
sandeestttn
I went to go out to hang laundry the other day. I opened the back door, he crawled in under my legs. SNAKE.. I almost reached down to grab him, and throw out. I froze, shut the door, he crawled into the bathroom off the utility room. I went out and hung them from the front door. I need to do laundry again, I bought new clothes to go to the drs today. I am afraid to go back in there. maybe he slithered under the washer/dryer?
handg
handg
I will take the snake and spiders over any rodents!!! Terrible phobia . The first house we had, we moved in the winter and since the chimney had no grid cover, birds would sit on the edge drift of and fall into the furnace and then find their way out into the basement.The day we moved in, 3 birds had been flying around in the house as the basement door was left open. The basement entry way had this horrible rust colored carpet on the walls (previous owners DIY!) Anyway one day I went to go down the basement to put away 2 jars of plum sauce I had bought and when I opened the basement door I saw a shadow go by (it was a bird) right away my mind thought it was a rat, I screamed threw the jars up in the air , grabbed my newborn baby and left the house. I was scheduled for a Dr"s appointment so I drove to my in-laws and took a shower there using the clothes I stopped to buy on my way there. Called my husband at work told him I was not going back into that house there was rat. He left work, went home , realized it was a bird , got it out and called me at his parents. That day a grid cover went on the chimney end of that problem. Scrubbing the plum sauce from that ugly carpet on the walls was another issue all together!
hgsdms
hgsdms
eewwww Sandee, I will take my outdoor rats over your indoor snake any day of the week! Guess I will count my blessings! LOL
Meboysmom
Meboysmom
Love the stories. This weekend was a good one.. we were at the cabin with my son and his new wife and her 4 yr old. Opened the door to the back porch and in flew our resident bat.... I thought my new granddaughter would have a fit but she loved it... the daughter in law....at least she didn't run around shrieking but it was funny. I have a stuffed bat hanging off a light to represent the resident bat as it just comes in occasionally, so it was a good chance to share with Sophie about wild animals. The pack rat should be history before long thanks to my son. Glad you only have a regular rat Darlene they are not as bad but anything mousey is nasty. bonnie
Community LeaderShrn
Shrn
To complete my story, my husband phoned. Thankfully I could reach it from the table by walking across 2 chairs strategically placed to answer the phone. He asked if I needed him to pick up anything on the way home and I explained my situation. He came home and my hero saved me while laughing at what he thought was absurd. Glad you enjoyed this, I still laugh remembering the day and my fear. Sharon
Community LeaderShrn
Shrn
OK Darlene, Where's the rat now?
hgsdms
hgsdms
In its new home out in the country 3 miles away. A friend joined it this morning. I'm taking out that plant ASAP! Lol
Jacuzzi63
Jacuzzi63
Been on vacation so off the board for a bit...when I first saw your topic I thought you were talking about a human rat, not a REAL rat! Gave me a good laugh!