Rats? Yikers!

Rats are everywhere not just here but we have disturbed the environment than has been a haven for creatures until we got here and began building.

Rodent damage to car.
 

My car was giving me problems hard shifting and a low power engine warning common to HHRs. Dealer found two cable bundles which had been chewed on and caused a short in a sensor. I never chase cats away that might be hanging out near my car after that.

I read on the internet that a new hunting club is starting up hunting all the wildlife in the villages. Rats, possum and coyotes better watch out.

Never seen a rat in TV and it's been 10 years. Don't know a neighbor or friend that has seen one either. I'm not saying they aren't here but Iam saying they must be pretty rare.

Seen few palm rats, about tripped over one at Miona rec center by the basketball court.

A neighbor had rats chewing into her birdcage. She doesn't have a pet and there was no food source there. Massey told her that the overgrown situation and banana trees (with little bananas) behind her were attracting them. And they were rattus rattus.

There has to be a source of interest (food) for rats to want to enter a lanai or birdcage. Nothing is full proof but I keep foilage low and open and away from my house. I keep my grill very clean to remove as much food odor that may draw them and I keep my garage door/screen down all the time

This place is loaded with rodents and all sort of other critters anywhere and everywhere and to ignore that fact may create future problems for you

Our two cats have now been put on patrol! They may not catch anything but what creatures come near seem to run away and go elsewhere.

We recently had problems with them on our lanai. We have no food source out there or anything that you would think rats would be attracted to. The side panel on our hot tub was off and they actually went in the hot tub and bored holes through the insulation and probably established a nest in there. We managed to get them out of the hot tub by trapping, but they are still chewing holes through the screens on the lanai and getting in the lanai. We found out our next-door neighbor has also had an issue with rats chewing the holes in their screens onto their lanai and they just have a hot tub on their lanai, again, no food source. And the neighbors on the other side of us have heard noises overhead in their attic which they are wondering are rats. They spoke to the Massey people who said there is a large infestation in one of the villages near Sumter Landing so these are not isolated cases. We live in a tropical environment and rats are certainly present. The reason people don't see them during the day is because they tend to be nocturnal.

Please do not let your cats loose outdoors.

It is dangerous for the cats as well as for the birds.

same problem also
 

When I cleaned my tub I found a lot of nesting material underneath it. Put some bait there and no more problems. Most rat bait now will cause them to leave and seek water. This helps keep them from dying in isolated spots with the terrible odor. They are also going to lookf or the tubs for the warmth as the weather starts cooling down.

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OuR cats are restricted to house and lanai where they hold court.

Our cat patrols the lanai and birdcage like a Roman centurion protects the Empire after watching Natural Born Killers.

Our cats patrol in opposite directions passing in the middle, pity the poor little lizard that might choose our lanai to enter.