Rats....

[WNYresident]

So... of all the useless grants, departments and stuff we hear about... has the county ever assembled a rat patrol?

Each town has an issue with rats and I'm wondering why wouldn't something like that be a regional issue? A rat is a rat.

[Night Owl]

Within the first year of the City making the "blue buckets" manditory for resident to use for garbage, the rodent population dropped (something like) 65% even in areas of the city that would be considered delapitated (sp?) And the decrease still continues. The rats are moving out of Buffalo.

Each home was given (not totally free*) 2-3 blue buckets to use for garbage collection a few years back and it has made a difference in the city of Buffalo. When a resident moves that cans remains at that address. Home owners are fined if the Blue Buckets are not used for weekly garbage collection.

*this is in part a result of the garbage user fee tax that all property owers pay for.

[Bfloguy14207]

Do you mean the furry ones you see at nite or our elected ones. Any way if everyone bought some traps & set them out and cought their own rats, We could be rat free. Why wait for our elected rats to get rid of them.:D

[granpabob]

rat patrol didn't they ride arround in jeeps with machine guns mounted
I could see them killing more then just rats. we have enough trouble with out someone riding arround shooting at anything that moves. I picture Mr.T and Hanible Jones running amok driving through back yards shooting at shadows

[atotaltotalfan2001]

I think the county planned to be the point man on the rat issue, because you're right, it is a regional problem. But I think the funding was cut during the budget meltdown last year.

[ESP]

Does anyone have any good tips for getting rid of rats? Even though the population is down, I still see a few...

In fact, just last week, I noticed an odd smell in my van. I looked inside of it, under it and on my tires (in case there was some freshly ground in road kill.) I decided it was just something in the air and ignored it.

A few hours later I went to add some wiper fluid into my van and there was a dead rat and his stash of sunflower seeds rotting into a puddle on my battery...

Rat poison doesn't seem to work as well as I imagined it would. Seems as if the rats are smart enough to not eat it. They also seem to avoid the conventional rat traps (maybe they don't like my bait.)

So, any ideas for home-made traps, good rat trap bait or poison (short of calling in an exterminator) that actually work?

[farmall806]

Just find where the rats are making their nest. Then hit them with a shovel.

[WNYresident]

Pest Control (http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/info/rodents/rats.htm)

http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/images/logos/logo_sm.jpg

---------------------------------

Multnomah County Health Department Rat page (http://http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/health/vector/rats.htm)

---------------------------------

Some rodent trap information and a cool electronic type device (http://www.victorpest.com/canada/rodents.asp#Victor%20Electronic%20Traps)

http://www.victorpest.com/canada/M690unit.jpg (http://www.victorpest.com/canada/rodents.asp#Victor%20Electronic%20Traps)
[/URL]
----------------------------------

[URL="http://www.pestproducts.com/protecta.htm"]Protecta Rat Bait Stations (http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/health/vector/images/hdlogocolor_150.gif)

[granpabob]

you used to see cats everywhere. they served a purpose now cats are decorations trophies and moving stuffed animals that have nothing to do except eatting and filling a litter box. they are even all fixed now so they cant enjoy life anymore. nature controls rats with more nature, quit locking up the best rat controll we have. so what if we lose a few birds most will fly away. rabies shots are needed for all cats now so why not turn them loose to do what they were made to do.

[ForestBird]

Well, I won't let my cats roam in the city, for fear of getting squished by cars, attacked by dogs, or just the fleas. However, cutting off the food supply of rats & praying for HAWKS has worked wonders ! (the hawks appeared on their own, I know) :)

Buffalo's garbage-can plan has been great, too.

[buffy]

I was talking to someone on my deck last week and all of a sudden a hawk came down pretty close trying to catch another bird

[granpabob]

good ratter wil take on most dogs and win .seen my cats scratch many a dog and it was the dog that ran away. as for fleas collars and drops work great. drivers actualy try to hit cats not sure why must be the bonus points that get. cats are the greatest con artist ever to exist. they get us to do everything for them and have nothing to do .watch them with a dog they will find a place where a dog has to approach them head on and then lure the dog to them. when the dog is right where they want him they lash out with Jabs Ali would be proud of. four or five quick jabs and blood is trickling fron the dogs nose as it runs away. even a house grown cat will do this after a few encounters with a dog. in my case my six and seven toed monsters will beat any dog and never even drop the rat in there teeth.
I have seen one of my cats limb and fall down as a dog approaches just to get it close enough for all three cats to hit it at the same time. not many dogs will stay long enough to hurt them. and if they do the cats are too fast for the dog anyway. my neighbor was dumb enough to call the dog catcher on my cats for hurting his dog.. he found out there is no leash law for cats and had his dog picked up for running free. he actually complained that his dog was getting scratched when it came into my yard.

[granpabob]

good ratter wil take on most dogs and win .seen my cats scratch many a dog and it was the dog that ran away. as for fleas collars and drops work great. drivers actualy try to hit cats not sure why must be the bonus points that get. cats are the greatest con artist ever to exist. they get us to do everything for them and have nothing to do .watch them with a dog they will find a place where a dog has to approach them head on and then lure the dog to them. when the dog is right where they want him they lash out with Jabs Ali would be proud of. four or five quick jabs and blood is trickling fron the dogs nose as it runs away. even a house grown cat will do this after a few encounters with a dog. in my case my six and seven toed monsters will beat any dog and never even drop the rat in there teeth.
I have seen one of my cats limb and fall down as a dog approaches just to get it close enough for all three cats to hit it at the same time. not many dogs will stay long enough to hurt them. and if they do the cats are too fast for the dog anyway. my neighbor was dumb enough to call the dog catcher on my cats for hurting his dog.. he found out there is no leash law for cats and had his dog picked up for running free. he actually complained that his dog was getting scratched when it came into my yard.

[ForestBird]

Okay, okay - so my cats are sissykitties. Trudy and Chester probably wouldn't know how to handle a sparrow, let alone a RAT. Lucky for me, my only rodent infestation (mice) was ended by a good ol' alleycat - the tough and merciless Mrs.Foo, who killed every mouse who tried to live here, about 18 years ago . She also beat the crap outta every stray cat within a block, I swear.

But lately, my spoiled pussycats have left it up to the natural predators.

[granpabob]

Lazarus he has came back from the dead many times
Ralph he had many hairballs when he was a kitten
George she has a personality problem we thought she was a he at first
Kelly she died last summer in a drier mishap (grandkid didn't know she was asleep in there and turned it on luckily she went to school before we found the cat
all of the were great old farm cats its amazing how many rodents are out there. they each bring one home every day. rats squirrels chipmunks mice gophers .everything but moles they must taste weird never had a cat bring one home. they are out doors most of the time coming in only to eat. but still want scratching. they climb on your lap all the time.
my point is even outdoor cats are pets but my rodents run scared usually on three legs but they still run and hide away from my house