Rodent Update

[hrj]

Execution has not yet occurred. Last night's damage was a chewed corner on a box of mango juice (which I'd left on top of the food cupboard figuring it wouldn't be attractive) and a second chewed up empty plastic storage bin that is a twin to the (now hidden) bin of bird seed. We have a learning process: "plastic storage bin = seeds". The peanut-butter-baited trap, however, was untouched. I've now upped the ante by embedding a few sunflower seeds in the peanut butter. Mr. Jaws has not yet discovered about pushing open (or gnawing through) the sliding doors of the food cupboard, of which I live in dread since it has all sorts of edible goodness in there. If I had more time, I'd pull everything out for the time being and put it somewhere even more rodent-proof.

Just finishing up breakfast and off to give my lectures. Wish me luck and endurance for my vocal cords!

Comments

[marymont.livejournal.com]

When we had a home invader of the same sort we found that the only thing that worked was a glue trap. If you can find the pathways that Mr. Jaws uses, put two or three of them down. He will want to run in the same pathways, and he'll get stuck.

The first night our invader fought his way out of the trap, leaving about 3/4" of his tail and a few hairs. We left the traps down, and the next night, he got well and thoroughly stuck. My hero (husband) took the trap, rat and all, outdoors. I heard a thump, but I did not ask what the thump was. I presume it was retribution for the thievery Mr. Nibbly had done to us. We have not had an invader since, however, I'd recommend and reuse the method.

[hrj.livejournal.com]

I find glue traps very distasteful. I prefer a quick, clean death.

[kahnegabs.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on that. I used a glue trap once. Never again. I wouldn't make any creature go through that torture. Killing is sometimes necessary. Torture is not acceptable.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the lectures! Also good luck in the rodent hunt. I've decided that my mouse must have come in via the airing cupboard in the next bedroom. I am busy moving all the scrap paper and taking the books off the bottom bookshelf. So far I've found more stashed peanuts, but no mousie.

The hunt continues...

[aastg.livejournal.com]

Good luck at your lectures - you're going to impress the snot out of those people!

When we had our rat, I put the box of rat poison in the middle of the row of cereal boxes he was working through, and that did the trick. The problem with the poison was (besides being a gruesome way to die) was that he died under the house just below the kitchen...a week later my kitchen window was full of blow-flies. Eccch.

[kahnegabs.livejournal.com]

If you have a cat who catches a poison filled rodent, it can be hazardous to the cat, as well.

[almeda.livejournal.com]

It might help to put out a small dish of peanut butter, untrapped, to teach Mr. Jaws that that stuff is SO YUMMY. Then he'll be motivated?

[albionwood.livejournal.com]

Trap location is all-important. I presume you already know to place it against a wall or in a corner, not out in the open. Rats can be tricky to catch, but I had great success with peanut butter as long as the trap was in the right place.

To kill, you must know your enemy, and in this case my enemy is a varmint. And a varmint will never quit - ever. They're like the Viet Cong - Varmint Cong. So you have to fall back on superior firepower and superior intelligence. And that's all she wrote. - Carl Spackler

[hrj.livejournal.com]

Ordinarily, yes, but at the moment I'm locating the trap in the place where the most desireable food was situated. (And to which the critter returned when I left out the "test for absence" pile of sunflower seeds.) If that doesn't work, I'll try the more traditional approach, but at the moment I know this spot is on one of his exploration routes.