[jbdlfan]

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)

[Jbirds99]

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.

[2BNTV]

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

Seriously, never saw a rat anywhere in two years.

[CFrance]

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.

[Sandtrap328]

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.

[JC and John]

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.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by CFrance

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.

///

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Spikearoni

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

We all have our reactions.

[Erika]

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.

[SouthOfTheBorder]

Originally Posted by Erika

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…..

Don