[nanci2539]

Tell me it's not true - rats don't live in Palm trees, do they???????

[handieman]

Originally Posted by nanci2539

Tell me it's not true - rats don't live in Palm trees, do they???????

Hang on, I'll shimmy up mine and check

Handie :joke:

[graciegirl]

Dear friends.

Here is what I heard about rats in TV from the person who will be cutting our lawn. He said that the new areas have been practically shaved down to the sand and any wild life, flora, fauna are gone and will not quickly reinhabit, and those do not include rats, this nice friendly person said. HE said, there are no rats in TV. There may be opossum and there are squirrels, and deer and snake and alligators, but no rats. He said he grew up in Florida, his mother lives north of 466 and has for seven years. He really seemed to know of what he spoke.

However. He did say that snakes could get in trees.

[nanci2539]

I had dinner with a friend last week who has lived here for ten years. She told me that rats do live in the palm trees. Last night, coming home from dinner at Cane; there was a large mouse running across the street.

[chacam]

We have seen rats at the West side of the tunnel at Savannah Center and at the postal facility at Summerhill near the shuffleboard courts.

There are rats in TV ! ! Not many but they are here ! !

[nONIE]

If they are there,they will multiply! uggg >

[Muncle]

Originally Posted by chacam

We have seen rats at the West side of the tunnel at Savannah Center and at the postal facility at Summerhill near the shuffleboard courts.

There are rats in TV ! ! Not many but they are here ! !

Yes, there are rats in TV. There are also feral cats and snakes, which tend to balance out the rats. Anywhere there are human beings, there are rats. They're like politician in that if there is anything at all on which they can forage, they'll be there.

I'm a bit concerned about Chacam's comment about rats being specifically on the west end of the Savannah tunnel. Is the implication that they are so big that they cannot pass thru the tunnels, and thus stay on one side only? That worries me a tad. Our tunnels down south are much larger and would likely accomodate even the largest of these rodents.

[graciegirl]

I am not listening. I have my hands over my ears. I am going to smack that lawn person. I don't want rats.

RATS!!!!!

[Boomer]

I almost did not click on this one because it is a particularly hideous subject. But now I have gone and done it, so here I am, creeped out with a really bad case of the willies. And I am reminded of something that I might as well tell you about.

About a month ago, I wrote about Carl Hiaasen's new book The Downhill Lie: A Hacker's Return to a Ruinous Sport. The book is about golf, mostly.

Of course, while I was writing about the new book, I felt the need to digress and so I confessed to all of you that Carl Hiaasen is one of those men with whom I am hopelessly in love. Just because he can sure turn a phrase. Ah, phrase turning, the ultimate aphrodisiac.

I don't know why I am always confessing these shameless loves of mine to all of you. But I just do. I have told you all about Charles Kuralt and me, and also about Judd Hirsch. But I only love Judd when he is being Alex on Taxi. But I am digressing again so it seems. Anyway, back to the rats. . .

In the book, my man Carl has included a chapter titled "Rodent Golf." It seems that a rat chewed the wiring in his Chevy Suburban. He said that his insurance company paid for the damage. He learned that rats in Florida consider automobile wiring to be delicious and that insurance claims are common.

As it turned out, later Carl found the rat's nest and he did battle with that devil rat and won. He used something called "the Momentus, basically a foreshortened 6-iron that's weighted heavily to build muscle strength. . .and it tips the scale at a formidable 40 ounces -- a full half pound heavier than Barry Bond's baseball bat." He went on to say that his swing was "more Lizzie Borden than Sam Snead."

Carl had bought this thing called the Momentus from an infomercial on the Golf Channel. After he smashed the rat, who had wickedly fought back, he said that he thought about writing a "sunny blurb for future infomercials: Forty ounces of rat-smashing power! I highly recommend the Momentus swing trainer for anyone trying to groove their golf swing or battle a stubborn vermin infestation."

You know, Carl Hiaasen lives in Florida.

You might want to stay up late and see if you can catch the number on that Golf Channel infomercial tonight.

Sweet dreams,
Boomer

[samhass]

Oh Boom..that was yucky!!!

[Muncle]

If you're going to follow Boomer's advice for rodent control, be very careful. I saw Hiaasen's description of his encounter with his pests and thought I'd follow suit with some gnawers around here. Unfortunately, I did not read it closely enough and instead of grabbing the Momentus Training Club that seems to weigh about 50 lbs, I grabbed the Medicus Dual-Hinged Training Club. The key to this infomercial jewel is that if you don't swing correctly, it kinda comes apart in your hands. Twelve stitches in the back of my head and the damned rat got away.

[Hancle704]

Rats are in TV for sure. Food dropped on ground around various eating establishments. Missed shots into waste baskets at mail stops also attracts them.

Various fruits from palm and citrus trees left to rot on ground are a major food supply.

Then there are foodstuffs left around the former buffalo enclosures, another source of rodent food.

Lastly all those uneaten birdseeds that fall to ground around the feeders folks have in their yards are frequently picked up by rats and mice. Nice thing about those bird feeders, after they attract rodents, the snakes and hawks follow.

Favorite nesting places for rodents are those huge clumps of pampas grass and shrubs.

Welcome to Florida. Mickey and Minnie aren't the only rodents in the State.

[uujudy]

Originally Posted by Muncle

Twelve stitches in the back of my head and the damned rat got away.

Hahahahahaha!LOL 1rnfl 1rnfl
I'm so sorry about your stitches, Muncle, but you have us both in stitches. We laughed so hard at your close encounter with the rat we had tears running down our faces! 1rnfl 1rnfl

[chuckinca]

Keep more feral cats around and don't worry about rats, mice, lizards, small snakes, yippy dogs, etc.

[samhass]

Muncle, I saw a big moccasin yesterday. He had a big thick body and was about 4' long.
Fourteen of us came back from dinner to find this guy in the yard. He stood his ground, too.
I went as close to him as I dared to look at his eyes and head. We finally went inside so he could leave. He was thick. I am not afraid of snakes at all, but he was impressive. He had 2 nicks on his back..like he had been run over or hit. He moved well despite his injuries.