Rats in Summerland

[twobits]

They are up and down the valley. We stopped counting and no bird feeders any more. Can't do anything about the neighbours though. Sheds are great hiding places so cleaned ours up big time. So far lately no traps have been sprung.

Yes they are up and down the valley. They have been for hundreds of years. You are missing the point though in that their numbers only get out of hand when they have easy food. Cleaning up your shed only dissuaded them from making a home in your shed. It did nothing to their food source and why they are there to begin with in such numbers.

[Fancy]

Can't control what the neighbours are doing.

[twobits]

Can't control what the neighbours are doing.

No we can't and unfortunately that is a problem. The new fad of backyard composting is the bulk of the problem in urban areas. People just don't know how to do it properly. I was at a home in Skaha Estates a cpl of weeks ago and the old gal living there was complaining about the number of rats too as she threw her vegetable peelings, fruit, and leftovers in the garden to compost.

[Fancy]

The signs that talk about bears in the area and look after your garbage should add "rats" too.

[twobits]

The signs that talk about bears in the area and look after your garbage should add "rats" too.

Agree.

[RandyDandy]

Another LARGE one yesterday bringing this hood's total to 52.

[twobits]

Another LARGE one yesterday bringing this hood's total to 52.

Without giving away your address, where are you in Summerland? Is there ag land bordering? Commercial dumpsters near? Restaurants? Food processing?
Something in your area is providing a food source for those numbers that goes beyond garbage.

[RandyDandy]

53 as of this morning.

[rustled]

That's a lot of rat. How many for the cat?

[southy]

53 as of this morning.

Have you considered discussing this rat issue with your mayor and council? Oh wait .. what the hec am I thinking. Speaking of rats. But then again, rats have been with us for many many years after all how about these lesser known literary quotes:

Gone with the wind - Margaret Mitchell
"Frankly my dear, I don't give a rat's *bleep*"

A tale of two cities - Charles Dickens
"They were the best of rats, they were the worst of rats"
(Obviously referring to Statty and Nimbus)

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - S.T. Colleridge
"Ratties, ratties everywhere
And all the house did stink
Ratties, ratties everywhere
Too many rats you'd think"
or:
"As idle as a painted buck
Upon a painted hammock"

Romeo and Juliet - Shakespeare
"O Ratty, Ratty! wherefore art thou ratty?"

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in
possession of a good fortune must be in want of a rat"

[Chimera]

Discovered a squished rat in the IGA parking lot this morning. The rats are everywhere, most people just don't know it

[RandyDandy]

Another one this morning. Last 2 have been mauled by something, can't tell what. Lots of owls in the hood these days.
Cat stuck at 17. We live in an agro-industrial area, semi-rural you might say.

[twobits]

Another one this morning. Last 2 have been mauled by something, can't tell what. Lots of owls in the hood these days.
Cat stuck at 17. We live in an agro-industrial area, semi-rural you might say.

I think your cat is stuck at 17 because everything gets tired of even turkey after three days. My dog used to think deer were fun to run off the property. Now he barely opens one eye when they graze in the yard. You need to have a serious look around your neighborhood and figure out the food source that is causing this spike in rat population. If this is a phenom only in your area and not Summerland in general, there is definitely an identifiable reason. The City or Gov't is not going to do that work until health issues force them to act.

Edit to add- Is there a neglected orchard near you? I have see more than a few in Summerland this year where the trees have just been ignored completely. Now the entire crop is just laying on the ground. And rats can climb tree very well so they could have been feeding on these neglected properties since the apples were walnut sized. An unripe apple is still loaded with carbohydrates and more than perfect for rats.

[fluffy]

Penticton saw a spike in rat population anywhere near the oxbows a few years back. That would indicate that water sources make a big contribution.

[nepal]

.
Cats kill Rats.

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