Please give me the skinny
 

I have read about rat problems in many posts. It seems that there are Palm rats galore. How widespread is the problem of Palm or other rats in Tv? I was told that in some communities near the sea, there are rat traps set up on the entire periphery. Regarding Palm rats, if you don't have any Palm trees on your property, does that mean you need not worry about rats or do they migrate?

Thanks in advance for your input. I really have a phobia regarding rodents. I imagine some of you will come up with humorous replies and I am looking forward to those as well as the serious ones.

They exist but really aren't that bad. I've mainly seen them as roadkill on the golf cart paths. Given your phobia, I'd make two suggestions. One, no Palm trees in your landscaping. Two, get a cat just to be on the safe side.

Have never seen a rat here in 6 years.

As for "some communities by the sea", we're not by the sea. It's 85-90 miles away, at least.

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11 palms around the house for 11 years.....no rats.

We only have 2 palm trees but never had an issue with palm rats.

When we first moved here there was a big thread about rats at the Ashland Pool. Lot of arguing, lot of stuff that was probably overstated. I have gone to so many of our public pools over the seven years we have been here and haven't seen anything that remotely resembled a rat.

I have seen one rodent, a palm rat, in seven years and he was under a palm tree at a cart parking lot at Bogart. Just one.

We don't have palm trees on our lot but neighbors do, haven't seen any palm rats. We did see some bunnies last night as we sat out on the lanai as it was getting dark.

I think a lot of negative and worrisome posts are placed here on purpose by people who don't live here, for their own purposes and their own agendas. AND Some people who do live here don't like the growth, and would like to discourage new people, and some people who can't live here are jealous, and some people who are involved in other developments are really not happy. And some people have grown to be old and nothing has ever been right.

Many of us try to quell rumors and correct misinformation out of pride in our town and to protect our own investment.

However saying all that, we do have visible alligators and I have seen three snakes in the time that we lived here. Also big birds of prey are dangerous to small domestic animals. Drunks in golf carts are dangerous too. AND BAD DRIVERS ARE RAMPANT. Another thing to consider is this..... I have NEVER seen so many old people all in one place.

I had a rat problem.My garage is so full of junk that our car is parked outside 24/7.In the winter time here rats where climbing up into the engine compartment and chewing on the wires.My check engine light came on and thats how I found out it was rats doing the damage.Put some rat poison on a tray on top of the engine and that stopped the problem thank goodness.

Never seen one, had one, even never have heard about any. Never even seen road kill. I would guess they must be around someplace, but none around about my place.

I put up a "Rat Free Zone" sign and so far so good!

I've never seen a rat, but I have several beautiful black racers who live in the monkey grass that lines the sides of my house. They are wonderful at keeping the rats and poisonous snakes away.

I've lived here for three years and have never seen a rat dead or alive. I've been a member of this forum for about two and a half years and only recall seeing one post about rats when people were talking about planting fruit trees.

Maybe your rodent phobia is getting the best of you.

We have little lizards running around that we see all the time and a black racer snake that I've seen about six or seven times since I've been here. I've seen a few dead snakes and one other live one in three years, but never a rat.

Ever thought of calling 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

And we're all driving, so LOOK OUT!! We're a bigger nuisance than the rats, none of which have I ever seen driving.

I have lived in Florida for 32 years with palm trees and never seen a Palm rat.

I realize that The Villages is not by the sea as its location is in central Florida. I alluded to "some communities by the sea" as I was aware that there is a rodent problem in those areas. I just didn't expect one in central Florida, particularly in TV, until I read the posts. I truly am terrified of rodents. We had a mouse in our northern home many years ago and I slept in the car, in the garage, in the dead of winter, until the mouse was gone. RATS would do me for sure!

How do you know about Queen Palms being their favorite? Cockroaches???? Oh my, oh my.......

OP, the skinny is like the "snipe" never seen one of those "so called" Palm Rats.

Junk = rats. Maybe time to clean out that garage?

Not sure if rats are attracted by the palm trees or from the fruit that some palms produce.Years ago a gentleman who owns a nursery/landscaping business that serves many Village clients told me that rats are attracted to citrus that drops and are left on ground. They are enjoy seeds etc. that drop from bird feeders. They also like things that are left around restaurant dumpsters and trash bins at mail stops. He also stated that rats and mice attracted to these things serve to attract snakes. All part of the food chain. He also advised that pampas grass planted in many areas serves as a natural nesting place for rats. Best way to avoid them is to not provide them with food or nesting areas.

If you are that afraid of rodents, there isn't anyplace in the world for you to live.

I suggest you stop over-blowing what little you have read and listen to the posters here.

Saw 2 small ones today while waiting to play Southern Star. Thought they were little bunnies at first but then saw their long tails. They were not the least bit afraid of us.

Get a cat.

7 palm trees...7 years...never saw a rat.

IMHO, the OP is explaining the intensity of the fear and not "over-blowing" what has been stated here.

Our property has 8 palm trees. We have yet to see a rat, much to the disappointment of our cats, who adored catching the field mice occasionally making their way into our previous 2 homes. I have 2 suggestions for you: 1) get a pest control company who will come to the house monthly and inspect; 2) consider a cat.

I always read back on the previous posts of a poster if I am skeptical about their post. There are only nine. She is looking for a rental, doesn't like Sarah Palin, knows about cruise ships, wonders if Dunedin is closer to Ocala or The Villages Hospital/

There has only been one post in the last few months on rodents that I can find, so there is not a lot of posts as she says...her quote; "I have read about rat problems in many posts. It seems that there are Palm rats galore."

Welcome to the forum Ericka. I was given the same scrutiny when I was a new poster and was thought to be a troll by many.

I will reassure you again that I have seen one palm or citrus rat since we bought here in 2007. Outside, near a palm tree.

If so, then I apologize. My initial thought was if you had to sleep in a cold garage due to fear of a mouse, it would be a problem anywhere.

I've seen fox, a coyote, feral pigs, alligators, turtles, snake, hawks, herons, cranes, ibis, but not 1 rat.

About every three or four months we see a rat crossing the cart paths on our way home. Not a big deal. We might have seen one or two ever in the daytime and never near our home. (inside or outside of The Villages)

It's FL folks where there are a lot of fruit trees. They are not the kind of rats like we are familiar up north. I have lived here and in S.FL for the last 13yrs. We saw one rat and that is because we had a mango tree on our property.

I've seen a couple of the two legged variety. :D

Seriously, never saw a rat anywhere in two years. :smiley:

I go back to my main point, though. If OP is that afraid of even a mouse that she will sleep in a cold garage, FL and its palm rats might not be the place for her. She won't be able to guarantee to see no rodents. But I do not think she will see them in her garage or house.

I've never seen one, but we don't have any palms.

I have two queen palm trees and three citrus trees. I pick up any fallen citrus, of course. Not seen a rat on our property in five years. No problem with roaches or palmetto bugs either.

Lots of mockingbirds in our area. Beautiful singing and fun to watch them hunt for bugs.

Saw a small rat run across the fairway into some tall grass last week while playing golf on Turtle Mound golf course here in TV. It was twice the size of a house mouse but not as big as city rats I have seen up north. Assume this was what they call a palm rat.

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We all have our reactions.

Thank you all for your comments. I genuinely appreciate your sincerely offered suggestions. I will definitely seek advice from a pest control company also but I wanted to hear what you all had to say first, as I don't know whether rats can be successfully deterred by using chemicals. I have a dog, so a cat is not a possibility right now.

Here is some good information that may help you learn more about roof (palm) rat issues in the southern states including Central Florida.

Short answer is eliminate their food source, in this case primarily the fruit from citrus and/or palm trees, and you shouldn't have any problems with these unwanted guests. It's not the tree that attracts them, it is then tree's seed/fruit. Regular/routine landscape maintenance should keep any infestation away from your and your neighbor's homes.

TV is such a great place to enjoy life. I hate to hear about anyone coming here with major worries that will interfere with all TV has to offer. Come on down, I'll bet sleeping in the garage in your car will become a distant memory.

Now if you are afraid of dog p**p, that is another matter….. :D

Don