My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

"Robert Allison" wrote:


My question is about rats.

SFWIW, D-Con worked for me.

As for the cat, quit feeding it.

When it gets hungry enough, it will figure out rats are a food source.

The neighbor had a couple of barn cats, they got a bowl of milk when
the cows were milked.

That was it, and nobody taught them how to be "mousers", but they
looked well fed.

Lew

"Robert Allison" wrote in message

rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

Anyone know?

Basically, you caught the stupid ones ... good lesson in "natural
selection".

And it sounds like this particular cat is not hungry enough ... good lesson
in "welfare".



--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 3/8/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Lew Hodgett" wrote

As for the cat, quit feeding it.

When it gets hungry enough, it will figure out rats are a food source.

The neighbor had a couple of barn cats, they got a bowl of milk when the
cows were milked.

That was it, and nobody taught them how to be "mousers", but they looked
well fed.

As an old farmboy, I can confirm that. We had a cat population on the farm.
There was no vet care, vaccinations or spaying and neutering. It was a
stable population that varied a bit from season to season. They got a bowl
of milk each day. That was it.

It was survival of the fittest. They fed on a wide variety of critters.
Those who survived to adulthood usually lived a few years. Both predator and
prey were fairly fit. Any sign of weakness resulted had dire results.

Swingman wrote:

"Robert Allison" wrote in message


rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.


Anyone know?


Basically, you caught the stupid ones ... good lesson in "natural
selection".

And it sounds like this particular cat is not hungry enough ... good lesson
in "welfare".




Well, he only has 3 legs, so I give him a break. He doesn't
complain about only having 3 legs, so I don't berate him for not
catching the rats.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

On Mar 27, 9:35 am, Robert Allison wrote:
My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

Try leaving the traps unset and baited for a couple of weeks, training
the "smart" ones to eat without consequences. Then.... Tom

"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:3yRGj.4816$Ew5.3001@trnddc04...
Swingman wrote:




Well, he only has 3 legs, so I give him a break. He doesn't complain
about only having 3 legs, so I don't berate him for not catching the rats.


3 legs huh? He does not happen to have a gun shot wound also does he? ;~)

On Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:12:33 -0500, "Swingman" wrote:


"Robert Allison" wrote in message

rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

Anyone know?

Basically, you caught the stupid ones ... good lesson in "natural
selection".

yep.. the early bird gets the worm, but the 2nd mouse gets the cheese..



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"Leon" wrote

"Robert Allison" wrote in message

Well, he only has 3 legs, so I give him a break. He doesn't complain
about only having 3 legs, so I don't berate him for not catching the
rats.


3 legs huh? He does not happen to have a gun shot wound also does he?
;~)

hehe ... reminds me of Larry the cable guy and his story about having to
shoot his horse with a broken leg.


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 3/8/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Leon wrote:
"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:3yRGj.4816$Ew5.3001@trnddc04...

Swingman wrote:



Well, he only has 3 legs, so I give him a break. He doesn't complain
about only having 3 legs, so I don't berate him for not catching the rats.



3 legs huh? He does not happen to have a gun shot wound also does he? ;~)



Heh heh! No, he got it chewed off by a pit bull,... and lived to
tell about it.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

"Swingman" wrote in message
...

"Leon" wrote

"Robert Allison" wrote in message

Well, he only has 3 legs, so I give him a break. He doesn't complain
about only having 3 legs, so I don't berate him for not catching the
rats.


3 legs huh? He does not happen to have a gun shot wound also does he?
;~)

hehe ... reminds me of Larry the cable guy and his story about having to
shoot his horse with a broken leg.

Reminded me of you telling me that story about Larry the Cable Guy. ;~)

tom wrote:
On Mar 27, 9:35 am, Robert Allison wrote:
My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

Try leaving the traps unset and baited for a couple of weeks, training
the "smart" ones to eat without consequences. Then.... Tom

Exactly. Rats are neophobic, e.g. they are wary of new things and careful
with their first experiences with them. If that inaugural experience is
finding
brother rat dead inside a trap, avoidance is the result. The idea is to
rotate types of attacks
and not set all traps to kill initially. But, of course, you could use
deadly devices--say
an unbaited field of set traps-- to channel the rodents into an area with
baited traps that are only later activated. Then again, there is a
mongoose....

Regards,

Edward Hennessey
activated.

"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:c0TGj.4427$Dv5.4310@trnddc02...
Heh heh! No, he got it chewed off by a pit bull,... and lived to tell
about it.

Ever thought about making him a WOODEN leg?

Dave In Houston

Decon haven't seen any after the first week. But don't put it where the cat
can get at it, sounds like it has had a rough enough life already.

--
Mike
Watch for the bounce.
If ya didn't see it, ya didn't feel it.
If ya see it, it didn't go off.
Old Air Force Munitions Saying
IYAAYAS
"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:Z0QGj.5712$rb6.3753@trnddc01...
My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

Robert Allison wrote:
My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?


I noticed that you said that you reset the traps. Assuming they are the
snap type traps, I was always instructed to discard a used trap as it
will carry a scent that rats/mice will avoid. I've always used a fresh
trap.

Victor, the maker of traps, suggests the same thing (question 18):

http://www.victorpest.com/faq_mouse_rat.htm#q18

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

Dave in Houston wrote:
"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:c0TGj.4427$Dv5.4310@trnddc02...
Heh heh! No, he got it chewed off by a pit bull,... and lived to tell
about it.

Ever thought about making him a WOODEN leg?

No need - just rename him "Tripod".

Dave in Houston wrote:
"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:c0TGj.4427$Dv5.4310@trnddc02...

Heh heh! No, he got it chewed off by a pit bull,... and lived to tell
about it.


Ever thought about making him a WOODEN leg?

Dave In Houston



Thought about it, but he doesn't even seem to notice that he only
has three, so I just leave well enough alone. He is kind of
inspirational in that way.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

Nova wrote:

Robert Allison wrote:

My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?


I noticed that you said that you reset the traps. Assuming they are the
snap type traps, I was always instructed to discard a used trap as it
will carry a scent that rats/mice will avoid. I've always used a fresh
trap.

Victor, the maker of traps, suggests the same thing (question 18):

http://www.victorpest.com/faq_mouse_rat.htm#q18


Well, I put out poison, reset the traps, sprinkled some talcum
powder in a few places to see if I could see any tracks. I went
out last night and sat in the dark with the pellet gun again and
never saw a thing. No tracks, no nibbles on the bait poison, no
sounds of movement, no signs of anything.

Perhaps I got them all. I just find it hard to believe that I
got them all in one fell swoop.

I will keep my eyes open and keep the traps and poison out. I
just don't want it to get any worse than it was.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

"Doug Winterburn" wrote:

No need - just rename him "Tripod".

Gotta lov it.

Lew

"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:NEYGj.4851$Ew5.447@trnddc04...

I just don't want it to get any worse than it was.


No, you don't. I used to keep my two four-wheelers locked in the shed
out at the ranch. gd rats chewed some of the wiring harness on one which
cost me several hundred bucks to get replaced. Hell, I had one of those
yellow extension cords on a timer and connected to a couple of trickle
chargers that were attached to the four-wheelers; only turned the chargers
on [maybe] two hours a day. F'ing rats chewed through the extension cord.
Too bad it wasn't during an "ON" period. I'm not out there enough to
control the rats so I moved the four-wheelers into town.

Dave in Houston

"Dave in Houston" wrote:

No, you don't. I used to keep my two four-wheelers locked in the
shed out at the ranch. gd rats chewed some of the wiring harness on
one which cost me several hundred bucks to get replaced.

Could have been worse.

Had a customer with a 1,200 amp switchboard to service the factory.

One cold winter night, a rat got into the switch board and created an
arcing ground fault which started a fire and burned the switchboard
down.

Factory was shut down for better part of two weeks.

My factory built a new board in less than a week witch included a lot
of premium overtime.

Could have been worse, at least the plant didn't burn down, thanks to
the quick volunteer fire dept response.

Lew

"Nova" wrote in message
news:mdUGj.4569$L92.1642@trndny07...
Robert Allison wrote:
My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?


I noticed that you said that you reset the traps. Assuming they are the
snap type traps, I was always instructed to discard a used trap as it will
carry a scent that rats/mice will avoid. I've always used a fresh trap.

Victor, the maker of traps, suggests the same thing (question 18):

http://www.victorpest.com/faq_mouse_rat.htm#q18

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA


i handle the traps with latex gloves, and after setting them, light matches
next to them and waft the sulfur smoke over them to mask scents. seems to
work really well for mice.

"charlie" wrote in message
...

"Nova" wrote in message
news:mdUGj.4569$L92.1642@trndny07...
Robert Allison wrote:
My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?


I noticed that you said that you reset the traps. Assuming they are the
snap type traps, I was always instructed to discard a used trap as it
will carry a scent that rats/mice will avoid. I've always used a fresh
trap.

Victor, the maker of traps, suggests the same thing (question 18):

http://www.victorpest.com/faq_mouse_rat.htm#q18

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA


i handle the traps with latex gloves, and after setting them, light
matches next to them and waft the sulfur smoke over them to mask scents.
seems to work really well for mice.

I've been using the same trap for about 4 years now and have great success
with catching mice. Usually whenver there's signs of a mouse having visited
an area, I put the trap down with a bit of peanut butter and there's usually
one in the trap by morning. I've caught mice within a couple of hours with
the same trap as well.

efgh wrote:
"charlie" wrote in message
...

"Nova" wrote in message
news:mdUGj.4569$L92.1642@trndny07...

Robert Allison wrote:

My question is about rats. I have a shop that has been invaded
by rats and I am currently without a cat that catches mice and
rats. My old cat kept them at bay, but the new one just likes to
watch them, apparently.

Anyway, I have set out rat traps and I have shot 2 with my pellet
gun. The first night with the traps I caught 3 rats. After 3
more nights with reset traps and new bait, not a single rat.

I am wondering if rats learn to avoid traps after they see what
they do, or did I get them all the first night? I don't know if
I am just lucky and there were only five rats, or whether they
all left after realizing they weren't welcome, or whether they
have learned to avoid being seen and to avoid the traps.

Anyone know?


I noticed that you said that you reset the traps. Assuming they are the
snap type traps, I was always instructed to discard a used trap as it
will carry a scent that rats/mice will avoid. I've always used a fresh
trap.

Victor, the maker of traps, suggests the same thing (question 18):

http://www.victorpest.com/faq_mouse_rat.htm#q18

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA


i handle the traps with latex gloves, and after setting them, light
matches next to them and waft the sulfur smoke over them to mask scents.
seems to work really well for mice.


I've been using the same trap for about 4 years now and have great success
with catching mice. Usually whenver there's signs of a mouse having visited
an area, I put the trap down with a bit of peanut butter and there's usually
one in the trap by morning. I've caught mice within a couple of hours with
the same trap as well.

That is my experience as well. I have never used anything but
the four traps that I have (one of them seems to be missing,
right now). They have all caught rats before, and they caught
the rats again, this time.

So far, so good. No mice footprints, no activity, no more
captures. I think they are gone.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:IgaHj.20$A87.3@trnddc06

That is my experience as well. I have never used anything but
the four traps that I have (one of them seems to be missing,
right now). They have all caught rats before, and they caught
the rats again, this time.

So far, so good. No mice footprints, no activity, no more
captures. I think they are gone.

Perhaps the rats have captured the device for study.
Even now, evil rat scientists may be engineering
fiendish countermeasures. Be afraid, be very afraid!

Greg Neill wrote:
"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:IgaHj.20$A87.3@trnddc06


That is my experience as well. I have never used anything but
the four traps that I have (one of them seems to be missing,
right now). They have all caught rats before, and they caught
the rats again, this time.

So far, so good. No mice footprints, no activity, no more
captures. I think they are gone.


Perhaps the rats have captured the device for study.
Even now, evil rat scientists may be engineering
fiendish countermeasures. Be afraid, be very afraid!


Hee hee! No, it was not with the other three when I went to go
get them. I may have used it for some scientific project and
forgotten about it.

That doesn't eliminate the possibility that it was captured by
the rodent regime and is even now being used to create weapons of
mouse destruction (WMD).

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

Greg Neill wrote:
"Robert Allison" wrote in message
news:IgaHj.20$A87.3@trnddc06

That is my experience as well. I have never used anything but
the four traps that I have (one of them seems to be missing,
right now). They have all caught rats before, and they caught
the rats again, this time.

So far, so good. No mice footprints, no activity, no more
captures. I think they are gone.

Perhaps the rats have captured the device for study.
Even now, evil rat scientists may be engineering
fiendish countermeasures. Be afraid, be very afraid!

Could be worse--they could be referring it to their lawyers for legal
remedy. After all, there are some things that a rat just plain won't
do.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"efgh" wrote in message news:OG9Hj.4489$9X3.2858@edtnps82...

I've been using the same trap for about 4 years now and have great success
with catching mice. Usually whenver there's signs of a mouse having
visited an area, I put the trap down with a bit of peanut butter and
there's usually one in the trap by morning. I've caught mice within a
couple of hours with the same trap as well.



Yep. same here. I discard them when they get messy. There's a week or two
in the fall when they come indoors when we catch them, then the rest of the
winter the traps are unused. Can be a real thrill to find one still set
under the corner of a rack of ash in the wood room, though. Especially when
you're barefoot....

Check out the Rat Zapper....

http://www.ratmousezapper.com/_inv/ultra.html

I have the Rat Zapper 2000.... had a minor infestation a couple years ago
through the dryer vent. Over 24 hour period, I killed 10 rats/mice. They
tell you that you may need to leave it in place for 2-3 days before mice
will be brave enough to enter. In my case, they ran into it within an hour.
It only kills one at a time, but it is very very nice in that you don't
have mangled bodies laying around and you can simply dump the dead rat into
the trash, pop a few chunks of dog food into it, set it down and leave it
for a while.

Found mine at Harbor Freight on sale for $30 and quite happy with it.
Neighbor used it to get rid of squirrel from his attic.

Oh.. word of advice. If you dump a dead rat into the trash, warn the wife.

wrote in message
...
Check out the Rat Zapper....

http://www.ratmousezapper.com/_inv/ultra.html

I have the Rat Zapper 2000.... had a minor infestation a couple years ago
through the dryer vent. Over 24 hour period, I killed 10 rats/mice. They
tell you that you may need to leave it in place for 2-3 days before mice
will be brave enough to enter. In my case, they ran into it within an
hour.
It only kills one at a time, but it is very very nice in that you don't
have mangled bodies laying around and you can simply dump the dead rat
into
the trash, pop a few chunks of dog food into it, set it down and leave it
for a while.

Found mine at Harbor Freight on sale for $30 and quite happy with it.
Neighbor used it to get rid of squirrel from his attic.

Oh.. word of advice. If you dump a dead rat into the trash, warn the
wife.

I love how they rate the battery power. 30+ rodents per set of D batteries!
That is better than my flashlight.

Which raises the question, just how much juice is required to send said
rodent to the great beyond?