[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Robinson

And you called an exterminator for a "few iddy biddy microscopic" ants?

An ant trap or terro would have solved the problem without the use of contaminating chemicals that never dissipate.

No, not yet but we are going to. Glad you reminded me. We have a contract with Deans. Nice folks. They are very careful to not put anything out the kitties could hurt themselves on, they do put carefully placed ant traps..

AND they are PITH ANTH!!! I don't like them in my bathrooms. They can use their own.

[jazzeoneaj]

Originally Posted by springfield

A few days after Irma left, I thought I saw a rat run through our living room. I looked but didn't see anything so I thought I just imagined it. The next day I heard scratches behind our built in tv cabinet. Like I usually do to fix anything, I banged on the cabinet and the noise stopped. Thursday my husband walked into our pantry and met eyes with The Rat. Our Massey man came out yesterday and set a lot of traps, thought problem would
be solved. But it gets better...last night when I started to load the dishwasher I saw what looked like a mouse in the dishwasher. I closed the door, and husband and I had a committee meeting of two to decide how to catch it. I donned my leather gloves and planned to catch it with a towel. When we opened the door it wasn't moving, I guess I killed it when I closed the door. Now the dead mouse was jammed in the hinge of the door. This wasn't one of my finest moments trying to pull dead mouse out.
Our Massey guy said a lot of animals were displaced due to the storm and will seek shelter and food. He said we have two types of rats here, Norway and roof rats. They can squeeze into a very tiny space He said to look for droppings because they "drop" a lot. We still haven't caught The Rat, we are hoping he has moved on and not started a family. Bottom line, keep an eye out for evidence...and be careful when you close the dishwasher

Rats come in looking for food........yes, we have them here in The Villages.. people that have fruit trees and feed the birds outside..invite these critters to that area..I know cause I just had a ratzy caught in the box..that Massey brought. Just one that looked like a 'large hamster'. The Roof Rats, we have them in California, and they have very long tails ..that's how you can tell them apart.

Check the 'cuplings' that go into your wall..in back of dishwasher, fridge, stove...could be it wasn't sealed and therefore, the critters can get in that way..just like roaches get in bathrooms because the caulking isn't there around the cuplings (sp?) under the sink and in back of the toilets where the hoses go into the wall. Thts the first thing we do when buying a new home, here, check the caulking!! and seal up any holes. Many a time there are large gaps. That all should be done by the contractors but they don't..unfortunately.

[Carla B]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

What pond is that?

On Kenya golf course along Morse Blvd. Here is his picture...

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

There has been a rat hanging out in the shrubs in front of Starbucks at LSL in the mornings, probably waiting for some of those expensive sandwich crumbs. Actually he looked like a hamster with a longer tail. Looked nothing like the infamous NYC PIZZA Rat ...... this on had a tan .... he must be retired and moved down here.


For those who have never seen NYC Pizza Rat:

At least rats like the taste of NYC pizza.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Carla B

On Kenya golf course along Morse Blvd. Here is his picture...

Thanks Carla.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

There has been a rat hanging out in the shrubs in front of Starbucks at LSL in the mornings, probably waiting for some of those expensive sandwich crumbs. Actually he looked like a hamster with a longer tail. Looked nothing like the infamous NYC PIZZA Rat ...... this on had a tan .... he must be retired and moved down here.


For those who have never seen NYC Pizza Rat:

A lot of restaurants have a "resident" outdoor cat who is very happy to earn a meager living ridding the area of vermin. As they are not house pets they usually avoid human contact.

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[Wiotte]

I’ll bet that slice of pizza tastes better at the bottom of the staircase than any pizza you can eat around here.


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[rubicon]

Originally Posted by Carla B

A few years ago I saw a mouse scurry from the living room through the kitchen to the laundry room. I think he squeezed under the dryer. I rolled up a rug under the kitchen/laundry room door to block his way. The next morning all the weather stripping under the door to the garage was chewed up, but he wasn't able to squeeze through. My husband put a trap by the garbage drawer under the kitchen sink and that's where we caught him.

We had to remove the door to the garage and reinstall the weather stripping. That door must weigh a hundred pounds!

I hate reading rat stories! I thought I saw one in the yard yesterday, right after we saw a big alligator in "our" pond for the first time. Good luck Springfield. Hopefully no more rats come to call.

I suggest you ask for a bait box from your pest control company . My pest control guy told me that if I saw a rat in my yard then they were living within 100 square yards of my property line. I have two bait boxes
The boxes do not draw them but if they are looking for food better you invite them to the bait box rather than....

[springfield]

We do have a bait box. This morning The Rat woke me up with scratching under my bed. Moved the traps close to the bed, still no Rat. I will probably forget and stick my toe in one of the traps.. our neighbors had one chew through the screen, there was a dead one outside of their lanai and a poor squirrel caught in the trap so a mercy killing was needed.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by springfield

We do have a bait box. This morning The Rat woke me up with scratching under my bed. Moved the traps close to the bed, still no Rat. I will probably forget and stick my toe in one of the traps.. our neighbors had one chew through the screen, there was a dead one outside of their lanai and a poor squirrel caught in the trap so a mercy killing was needed.

springfield
Senior Member
*
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Springfield Illinois
Posts: 333

this could be a deal breaker for me

We hope to move to TV but if I can't plant my veggies...I don't know. I plant eggplant, peppers, and summer squash among my ornamentals. They are quite attractive with lovely flowers and shape. I would hate for the plant police to tell me I couldn't do this. Who makes these rules?

I was wondering after reading this past post from you, if you did plant veggies and that could be the reason you have rats?

[springfield]

Veggies don't attract rats, rats are just part of FL. I love it when people mix veggies with ornamentals.

[kstew43]

get your own or borrow a CAT........

hearing mice or rats under your bed is just not acceptable, anywhere.......

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by kstew43

get your own or borrow a CAT........

hearing mice or rats under your bed is just not acceptable, anywhere.......

Poster can borrow my cat when she is awake.



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[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by springfield

Veggies don't attract rats, rats are just part of FL. I love it when people mix veggies with ornamentals.

Read this. University of Florida disagrees;


SSWEC120/UW120: Control of Roof Rats in Fruit Trees

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Read this. University of Florida disagrees;


SSWEC120/UW120: Control of Roof Rats in Fruit Trees

Good read. Thank you it is helpful. Interesting that U of Fl dispelled the belief that having a dog or cat solves this particular problem .

I know of one homeowner here who had a dog entry on his front door and guess who also used that doggie entrance

I wonder if ARC would have any qualms/set rules concerning tree guards?

Personal Best Regards: