Ahhh, the good ole days!

Rats and aligators... by BEST MOM
 

BEST MOM was concerned about rats and aligators around the Ashland
pool and mailboxes. All the responses seemed to focus on aligators ...
Aligators are a part of Florida, for sure . And maybe rats are too.
However, I would consider rats a danger
as they may carry rabies. I would think that The Villages
would do something to get rid of them .

Utube says that video is no longer available because the account has been "terminated." Sounds ominous to me.

This thread is now over two years old. In retrospect, I think Best Mom was absolutely correct. After removing my slightly rose tinted glasses, I have seen the rats around also. :doh: As for the gators, I still like to see them but am amazed at how many we have here in TV.

Rats are something usually associated in getto areas. In my 62 years living on LI, I can't ever remember seeing a rat in any place other than pet stores and at an old industrial building I used to work in. Rats scare me. I can't believe they are populated in the Villages. Ewwww.

I've seen them on the golf course and I've seen them on the cart paths (multi-modal). They are around.

We have a lot of wildlife preserves in TV. Rats, snakes, rabbits, feral cats, eagles, coyotes, and many large gators have been spotted .. and even the occasional black panther.

Maybe we should pave them over. :jester:

Been here eight years and have yet to see a rat and maybe a half dozen alligators and they were very small (4-5 ft,)

methinks folks are seeing things...........
However I must be honest, I don't think you could see a gator because of all the dogs here.......
I for one wouild not be opposed to a GATOR DOO RUN..........

fumar

I think it was posted before that there are a type of plam rats that live up in the palm trees.

Picture worth a few words......
 

Bigger than 4-5 ft in pond on Buena Vista on the Palmer Course.

Just because everyone hasn't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

I've never seen a rat in TV either, but believe the multiple posters that they may exist.

http://i968.photobucket.com/albums/a...Gator_0002.jpg

Muskrats
 

OK, OK, SO I FORGOT ABOUT MUSKRATS !!!!!

fumar

I've only lived here 5 months, and I've seen some rats. Rats live everywhere, just like snakes and bugs, and people! While swimming in the Chula Vista pool the other night we saw the cutest oppossum! Face it folks, we and the animals are all in this world together.

Some folks don't think it is important to clean up after their pooches. But rats are attracted to and eat dog feces. So, the next time you walk your dog TAKE A PLASTIC BAG WITH YOU!

"...Unsavory as it may be, according to the experts, about forty percent of dog feces are undigested food products. When dog owners don´t pick up after their pets, they are literally leaving a rodent buffet."
-- Source: Chicago Streets & Sanitation Quarterly News

Back in 2008 when this thread originated, I'll bet they could have eliminated the rats if everyone had been picking up after their pets!

When you live here for awhile, you learn more. I still haven't seen a rat or a mouse and no one of my neighbors have mentioned them so I am guessing that because this area is two years old they haven't found their way here yet after the place was cleared right down to the sand before building.

It was a while after moving in that we saw our first gekko, but the ants were the first welcoming committee. Snakes have been reported and we have three trillion dragonflys right now.

After re-reading the old posts on this thread I think that K9-lovers have hit the reason for the attraction for the rats. Yucky.

My relatives had a place for many years in Venice, Florida and they never mentioned rats and we didn't see any during our frequent visits. So as tpop pointed out on another thread, we come to our life conclusions by our own experiences.

I would guess that the developers are in charge here of ridding this place of critters that are a threat to health and safety and I don't know how that works. I don't know how long or how hard it was to get the exterminators to take care of the rats, but apparently they did...until they come back again.

I have had good experiences for asking for things from them and getting them. Here is my recent experience. When we returned the plantings near the wall in back of our house that separates us from the Odell center was just filled with big ugly weeds among the ornamental grasses. I knew that I had seen people weeding there before but bein' a farmin' Ohioan, I took them on and was soon covered with little itchy picky seeds. Sweetie joined me but we both stopped when we saw that we would have to wade into the planting beds. We couldn't see our feet so we figured we couldn't see snakes either. So I walked over and to Odell and told the manager about the problem.

She apologized, said that some team of inspectors from The Villages had told her the same thing and she said that whoever was supposed to do it would do it or would be replaced. In two hours two fellows were out there getting themselves all hot and sticky and seedy pulling those weeds.

However, I don't know since we are on the newer side that help is faster to come. I certainly do not put weeds on the level of rats.


Correction added two hours after original post. Girls in neighborhood just had driveway chat. Massey was there this morning at neighbors house for mice. Mice officially in Hadley.

Random Thoughts
 

I live south of 466 and have seen dead rats on several occasions while driving my cart. At one time I lived in south Fla and witnessed rats as well as bob cats, snakes, alligators and frogs that were deadly to dogs. When I lived up north we had a serious problem with racoons and coyotes. As a matter of fact my dog was stalked by a coyote as we walked on our lawn. Personally I'm more concerned with red ants and wasps both of which have attacked me in my yard here in TV. When I moved to Miami I was attacked by a purse snatcher while at a Mercerdes dealership. He jumped out of a tree on top of me and ran off with my purse. boom: Such is life. I do what I can to take precautions and since living in TV, my quality of life has never been better. The closest I've come to danger in TV is when small children driving golf carts swerved into my lane. I love being close to nature and feel blessed. I do admire the Morse family but we're also active members of the POA. My motto is better safe than sorry.

I admire your attitude. :clap2: And you make a good point. There are dangers and inconveniences everywhere. Of course there are snakes and rodents and wasps in The Villages. Such is life.

The Villages is as close to perfection as it gets. :thumbup:

First and only rat I've seen was at the Arnold Palmer Pro Shop....it just walked by on the sidewalk that goes in the front door. It was mid afternoon. Frankly, I was surprised and I don't know why....we had rats, specifically roof rats in CA and they were really a pain in the butt. Luckily they never made it into our attic, but goodness, they tried.

One can expect rats, mice and all other sorts of wildlife creatures almost ANYWHERE they live these days.....we're encroaching on their territory. It's the responsibility of individual homeowners to make their property less attractive to rodents. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't and that's when steps must be taken....they do carry diseases...to make sure illnesses aren't spread from rodent to human.

Damnation, that rat was bold though.... :D

Barefoot, Gracie, Russ, Duffy, Pooh etc.
This post was not about animals you find in wildlife preserves or on private yards or in nature. If you read this post it was about a major infestation at the Ashland pool and mailboxes in 2008. Gracie, Ashland is south of 466. The infestation was many rats. Yes, it was because there is water and dog feces there but the main reason is because the Developer had decided to eliminate a full time exterminator. This became so bad that a professional exterminator was called in. A professional exterminator can use much stronger poisons than what they were trying to use. The pool and mailboxes were cleaned up and new traps are set every month.
Pooh, for every rat you see, there are about 10 unseen. Once you start seeing them in public places there is a problem. My only reason to comment is these recent posts didn't seem to understand the difference between animals in nature which are natural and an infestation in a public area which could have become a major health problem. Rats carry many diseases. Hope I helped clear up the confusion.

As you mentioned this was two years ago.

Is everything under control now?

Thanks,
Russ

Well, yeah, but did he slow the pace of play? :22yikes:

Boomer

RATS BOOMER!!!!!!

Buy ya books and buy ya books......

If he had slowed the pace of pay he would have been eliminated immediately!
This is a golf community!!:a20:

I hope I did not marginalize your post.

I just cracked up..thanks for making my day!!:a040:

roflmao

Welcome to the forum. Hope you enjoy the discussions here.

Larry touched on another problem that occurs all too often and is much easier to prevent: dog feces in the public areas. I have not observed many dogs running free, so that doggie doo must be coming from dogs being walked by their owners. As distasteful as it may seem, let's all make an extra effort to police up after our mongrels. Less food means less rats and one problem partially solved.

As far as our colorul gators go, Northerners new to Florida shouldn't be overly concerned about the gators eating your pets. I would imagine the incidences of gators gobbling up pets on leashes are as rare as UFO sightings.

Never heard of a Roof Rat - must of a SoCal critter.


.

I understand these rodents are the same and come from the same phylum, subphylum that the ghetto rats do.........or not? Aren't they called citrus rats? Doesn't that make them a little less...........awful?

Can some scientist show us a picture of both? Please see that the citrus rat has a Mickey costume on.

I know this thread is about rats and gators. I'm just hijacking for a second. The last two mornings I found many large worms in our birdcage. I call them snake-worms because they are very large and if you touch them, they wriggle and throw themselves about like snakes.

I'm wondering if other peeps get these visitors when it rains. I am not planning to call our Pest Company. I think the large worms are normal for Florida. But I'm not sure.

Darn. Your link has been terminated.

Link? Mine? Bares?

rats in the Villages
 

:(Lots of rats running around on the golf cart paths and golf courses...what's going on????...

Welcome Patlyn.

Are you someone who used to be someone else or are you someone who plays in front of rats? Do they hit into you?

Patlyn. I apologize, someone on this forum who I just absolutely love and respect has pointed out that I have been rude to you in asking if you had changed names. I honestly, did NOT think of it as being rude, until she said so. I think that a lot of people come on with new names from time to time, and I see no harm in it. I was just wondering if you had a new name, or if you were someone who used to post a long time ago and had some sad or angry interchange. I will not ask anyone new again the same question. I would not have done it at all, if I thought it was rude. Tony called me for it some time ago, and frankly I was confused and discouraged as to why he did. But now since someone I know well, and respect completely has pointed out I should not question new posters, I will not do it again. EVER.

OMG - I'm not coming back - I hate rats.

Someone call my realtor please:)

The original post I'm sure you noticed regarding rats was in 2008. Personally haven't seen any.......

Either it's mating season or the current date crop on the palms is ripe.

Does the developer or county do anything re the rats
 

Does the developer or county do anything about the rats?
Or is it totally left up to the home owner to hire a rodent specialist?

A few years back, my innocent inquiry re the same exact problem was met with not so happy campers at this forum.

I had only asked the question after our experience in Venice Florida. They were there, in all the condo walls, in the sewers, in the waterways, in the toilets, running around the airconditioning units, in the PALM TREES..........in the attics, etc., chewing through the wires in first floor of two story condo units. It appeared they were running rampant. Venice was a beautiful "Main Street U.S.A." designated hometown..........originally, it was a planned community with beautiful boulevard leading to the Gulf of Mexico beach and the Esplanade. A lovely town. But those rats were visible. Even return tourists would tell us how the rats would go from palm tree to palm tree.
None of this had ever entered our minds.

The exterminators told us, the realtors admitted it, the citizens of the town admitted it. Just wish we had done our research before totally revamping a condo. It was in the newspaper.

Whether or not you call them citrus rats, fruit rats, palm tree rats or voles, they look like rats and creeped me out.

It seems a new wave of people are not afraid to speak out and tell the truth about these rats, as I've just read all the earlier posts about them by the pools, the mailboxes, the golf cart paths, the golf courses.

Awhile back I was made to look foolish....just for asking a serious innocent question.............I have since been told by realtors all over that YES THERE ARE RATS IN FLORIDA........but they try hard to keep them out of the house.
Ditto for Mount Dora.....as I was told.
.
I'd rather have an honest answer than beat around the bush. All places have something or other. Better to be truthful and upfront about it.
One of the realtors at Top of The World said that the rats have been here long before we have.......

p.s. The reason I had asked on this forum awhile back is that we were told that the rats ARE ON ALL THE BARRIER ISLANDS from the Carolinas down to Florida and around to Texas......we were told they were especially bad on Longboat Key and Siesta Key which are down by Sarasota. You can find this information at any Florida university site.

Thus, now that we were considering THE VILLAGES for retirement, I was simply doing my homework. Exterminators also told us about huge snakes in toilets in single family homes in the Venice area. I guess it's just something one has to "live with" if they want to live in a warmer climate. I'd hate to be an exterminator. As the one person said, it's one thing to think of them as "citrus" rats...........but rats do carry disease. I think that the developers should at least eliminate them from the golf courses and the pool areas..........before they get into the homes or attics............or multipy.

they came in with the cockroaches. the chamber of commerce changed the name to palmetto bugs. but a cockroach is a cockroach by whatever name you give it. much like the fruit rat or rattus rattus. its all mother nature florida style. beats snow and ice !!!

Are palmetto bugs also called love bugs???

Back in 1973 we lived on the east coast of Florida for one year; the house was on a canal a block in from the intracoastal waterway and the beach.

Never ever thought of a rat. Never crossed our mind, even with the dock and the canal. Never saw one. But we did see, only when we shut the lights out late at night to watch t.v.........the "palmetto bugs" run across the carpeting.........we had sold our home up north and were renting this one for a year........the landlady, a retired Air Force General's widow, did pay to have an indoor exterminator and an outdoor exterminator come to treat the place.

I think it was monthly. He would tell me not to let my 2 year old son nor my 5 year old daughter out on the grass for a few days....due to the chemicals. He never mentined rodents of any kind (but the Venice exterimators did, over and over again).

While on a hike our little boy , holding my husband's hand, did trip and fall into a red ants nest and got bit up on his legs. They were FAST. (Years later, my elderly mom got bit by red ants in Venice).

Another time, we had taken the children very early in the morning to have a picnic by a nearby lake.......we held their hands and waded into the lake, but not too far.......had our picnic and returned home before 10 a.m. as it was HOT. A short while later we read how a young teenaged girl had been killed by an alligator while swimming in that same lake. HOW NAIVE WE WERE in our twenties. This is why I check everything out now.

We went to Disney World for years, every single school vacation in April and I never once thought about rats or alligators........a realtor at Top of the World told me that he had a friend who "worked the perimeter" of Disney World to keep the gators far away from the hotel areas and the park.

They are also out there !!!!!!! Years later, we visited D.W. in September and all the pools were closed due to encephalitis.........and the LOVE BUGS were out in full force..........so yes, although FLORIDA is better than ICE AND SNOW.........one does have to consider everything they are willing to live with.

Later, after the kids were in high school, we'd vacation on Sanibel Island which was known for their Ding Darling nature preserve...........there were alligators all over , even on the beach. They got around.
We never saw or heard of any rodents on Sanibel and it never crossed our minds at all,if truth be told.
The condos were all new construction. We also stayed in a single family home that had a long dirt road to the Gulf of Mexico Beach..........the owner of the home just "smiled" when we asked him about alligators. After subscribing to their newspaper, we found out that sure enough the alligators roamed freely. Our daughter would tell us to be careful as alligators can "sprint" and were pretty fast.

I think with your hang ups, you maybe should stay where you are.....that is eden, right?

They aren't hangups. We've come to terms with it in our minds.
Not a problem.

p.s. I'm not the one who said they were running around the pools and mailboxes and on the golf courses and golf cart paths....and tunnels.

.