Rodents & Vehicles

[rgr33]

[

I can't believe people live trap rodents and transport them to other places. I suppose they also stop along the way and hug a tree. Jesus - get a life and face reality.[/QUOTE]

My wife insisted we trap and relocate 38 squirrels last summer, not too happy to have my neighbors witnessing the release. Pretty sure they are all back this year, fat and happy

 

[dfkrug]

We have been overwhelmed with wood rats in the past year here in the Santa Cruz Mtns. Last year, we started having problems with them climbing the stucco of the house, then biting holes in the screen. When I would hear them, usually at 3AM, I would get up and shine a flashlight on them.

This year, I was getting nests in the BBQ, up on my deck. Clear them out, and they would be back, sometimes only a day or 2 later. So I started trapping them. Made a bucket trap to supplement my conventional rat traps. Sometimes, the bait would be gone, but no rats in the bucket. So I bought a game camera, and here is one of the first videos. My rat count is now 20, over the past month or so. I sometimes get 2 in one night. wood rat 18AUG18 - YouTube

To the OP: I park most of my vehicles indoors, but a friend had $1200 rat damage done to his new SUV 7 or 8 years ago, and the only solution that has worked for him is to park it with the hood open.

 

[Doofy]

We don't have wood rats. Red Squirrels are our big problem. They chew and ruin any wire they find, even live wires. We thought about rat traps but we have a ermine that keeps the red-backed vole population down so we don't want to trap him. Subsonic .22 is our remedy.

 

[oosik]

dfkrug - if your wood rats(pack rats) are anything like what I'm getting here - they are either intensely stupid or amazingly brave. In the last month I've killed four. One in a trap and three with my 22 pistol. I have been able to get within ten feet of the three I shot - fortunate, because in the pitch black of night a long shot would probably miss. Spotlight them with my big 'ol Makita flashlight and then "BANG".

Doofy - about 25 years ago we had one pine squirrel around the place here. Nothing before or since. I think I might have killed him - with kindness. I bought a bag of unsalted peanuts, filled a plastic Shed Spread bowl half full - set it out in a pine tree about half a mile from the house. Pine squirrel found the nuts - ate them all - we never saw hide nor hair of him again.

I initially used some yuppy designed plastic rat traps. They were somehow getting the food and not being trapped. I, just today, bought some good old Victor wood rat traps. Wow - what a difference. One misfired while I was setting it and it darn near took my thumb off. I'll get to see if they work any better, in the morning. I'm trying new bait also - across the trigger/foot - a spread of peanut butter and sprinkled and pressed into the peanut butter - salted sunflower seeds. Heck - its taking all my willpower to keep from licking the bait off the traps myself.

It just doesn't make good, common sense. I know the rats have always been out here in the country - but this is the first time in 36+ years that they have moved in and are building nests in my two vehicles. I have changed nothing in the 36 years and do nothing, now, that should attract them. I quit burning my garbage 25 years ago because it was attracting the raccoons. Maybe just a natural population explosion - who knows.

This certainly - by far and away - is the worst year I've ever had for pocket gophers. One large section of my lawn looks like a practice area for the light infantry mortar brigade.

Lord help them if they so much as lay a paw on my tractor. Out comes the 12 gauge - number two shot with high based loads and 70% nitro ditching powder.

So far they are only building nests and crapping everywhere. My resolve will increase directly proportional to their actions.

 

[Doofy]

oosik,
For 20 years we had just one squirrel and he never acted out and never came to close to the house. He ate a little bird seed and a few peanuts but never chased the birds like this new crop.

 

[oosik]

I though about various forms of poison but I have an 8 month old Chocolate Lab and EVERYTHING outside goes in his mouth - for a taste, at least. Fortunately - the other day he found that hot, green, steaming cow s h i t was not to his liking. I almost passed out - I laughed so hard. And surprisingly - like all the other stinking things he finds to roll in - he didn't roll in the fresh pies.

 

[Jstpssng]

I though about various forms of poison but I have an 8 month old Chocolate Lab and EVERYTHING outside goes in his mouth - for a taste, at least. Fortunately - the other day he found that hot, green, steaming cow s h i t was not to his liking. I almost passed out - I laughed so hard. And surprisingly - like all the other stinking things he finds to roll in - he didn't roll in the fresh pies.

Oh, you're in for a treat. :laughing:
My last dog loved to roll in stinky stuff, usually on the right side of her neck. Then she would come up next to me so that I would scratch her neck; I think she did it just so that I would look down at my hand and go "EWWWW!"
One time I gave her a bath just before heading off to New York; I thought "Great, there aren't many moose there so she will stay clean for a while. That lasted about half a day; I was eating my lunch when she found a nice big pile of otter s*** to roll in.

Getting back on topic, have any of you who use .22's on smaller varmints ever tried the shotshells?

 

[oosik]

Jstpssng - long time ago I tried 22 shot shells. Work good out to about 20 to 30 feet. Beyond that the spread is just too big. My current - up close - adventures with the pack rats is very unusual. Usually its me and my Winchester Model 9422 - out on the porch making a fairly long shot. The rare skunk or porcupine or chipmunk. I usually let EVERYTHING go on its merry way - as long as that is there intention. Its been MANY years since I've found it necessary to shoot anything. Except these dam pack rats.

 

[Ritothebull]

My daughter got a cat about 5 years ago and this cat liked to chew those soft I-Phone charger cords. After replacing 3 or 4 cords I started wiping them with Louisiana hot sauce and that was the end of the cord chewing.

 

[oosik]

Never had an INSIDE cat here. Many outside cats but they eventually go the way of - barn owl, great horned owl or coyote. Some have even lasted 6 to 8 years but eventually they become brave(stupid) and go out beyond the influence of the big 'ol yard light at night. This is the realm of the coyote and owl - the cat always looses.

However - an old friend came to help the other evening. Yesterday I backed the Jeep out of its carport stall and there was a fresh pile of coyote poop. Looks like they have come in to greet the pack rats also. They are more than welcome - never have been a problem for me. Wish they would take a look at my pocket gophers also.