[Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
Don Boekelheide
dboekelheide at yahoo.com
Mon Dec 24 10:20:15 EST 2007
LOL! Great holiday post topic! After just watching a rerun of Heidi, it's so grounding to read about gassing rats.
I agree with Jack's post, and would just add two things:
Rats are part of the human/urban ecosystem, like it or not. We have to think ecologically when dealing with them, as Jack says. You can help avoid creating cover and nesting places by avoiding thick "foundation" shrubbery (like foundation garments, something of an anachronism) and overgrown areas - unless you manage them so rat predators are also welcome (rat snakes come to mind, maybe urban cats but they do a number on songbirds). Also, keep those familiar garden institutions scrap wood piles and under sheds up high, where rats can't hide under or within them.
And make containers rat-proof where you don't want them feeding, as much as you can. That's means inside seed containers etc as well as outside compost piles (not easy in urban areas), and most of all dumpsters.
It doesn't hurt to do a rat check in the garden and compost pile, too, just before any visit by people (big funders) you know will be squeamish come to call. Spring Gillard's tells this tale better than anyone in her timeless "Shit!" essay in Diary of A Compost Hotline Operator, but I can also verify that somehow rat carcasses somehow manage to materialize whenever important visitors come to visit. A quick walk through right before is the only way I know to keep such surprises at bay.
Last in this holly jolly holiday post, strychnine baits are the 800 pound gorilla at the table. People use 'em. Of course keep kids away from them, and just be very very careful if you have have pet dogs that hang out at your agency or in your garden. (I hear Jack Russel terriers are really fierce ratters, and that in some cities there are once again rat catchers with their dogs who will come clean you up for a fee. Might make an interesting income generation project for a CG?)
Happy Holidays!
Don
"Rudolph, the red-nosed rat snake..."
----- Original Message ----
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To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 8:46:41 PM
Subject: Community_garden Digest, Vol 325, Issue 1
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Today's Topics:
1. 3 methods of Organic Rat Control (Alliums)
2. Re: 3 methods of Organic Rat Control (Mike McGrath)
3. Re: 3 methods of Organic Rat Control (Powellharris at aol.com)
4. Re: 3 methods of Organic Rat Control (Mike McGrath)
5. Re: 3 methods of Organic Rat Control (GivenTrees at aol.com)
6. Re: 3 methods of Organic Rat Control (Jack Hale)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:10:05 -0500
From: "Alliums" <garlicgrower at green-logic.com>
Subject: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
To: "'List Serve'" <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Message-ID: <8935040F9C6D4C99A7ACC454BB4BF4C0 at GreenLogic>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi, Folks!
Found this on a local farming list - since we've discussed the problem
here,
thought folks might be interested:
1)*Quintox* [ cholecalciferol / Vitamin D] is safe to use around
birds & mammals.
It is manufactured by Bell Labs, and available mailorder from
www.doyourownpestcontrol.com 800-476-3368. It is toxic to rodents such
as
mice
and rats because they can not metabolize vitamin D -- cholecalciferol
is an
ingredient in human ad avian vitamin supplements, safe for "us" to use.
If your rodents don't especially like Quintox, mixing the pellets with
peanut
butter takes care of their lack odfinterest.
2) Remove animals from the vicinity. Plug up any tunnel entrances you
can find. Get some flexible tubing and attach one end to the tailpipe
of a tractor with duct tape, push the other end into one tunnel.
Start the tractor up, and watch for escaping exhaust from any missed
tunnels. Also watch for groggy escaping rats.
3) Get a bucket and put it in an area where you know the rats are
going. Tie a piece of paper shopping bag securely on top of it -
drum-style and leave grain on it for a few days. You may want to prop
something against the bucket to act as a ramp. When you see that the
rats are eating the grain, cut an "X" in the paper and fill the bucket
3/4 full of water. This is the riskiest way because an early rising
chicken may be caught instead of the rat.
Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and
Labyrinth
A mission of
St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA
19460
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Message: 2
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:34:18 -0500
From: "Mike McGrath" <MikeMcG at PTD.net>
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
To: "Alliums" <garlicgrower at green-logic.com>, "'List Serve'"
<community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Message-ID: <008c01c8459a$cf6a27e0$3500a8c0 at mikedell4100>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
ixnay on the exhaust gas; that 'trick' has badly sickened many a
user...
Better safe, McG
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alliums" <garlicgrower at green-logic.com>
To: "'List Serve'" <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 2:10 PM
Subject: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
> Hi, Folks!
>
>
>
> Found this on a local farming list - since we've discussed the
problem
> here,
> thought folks might be interested:
>
>
>
> 1)*Quintox* [ cholecalciferol / Vitamin D] is safe to use around
> birds & mammals.
> It is manufactured by Bell Labs, and available mailorder from
> www.doyourownpestcontrol.com 800-476-3368. It is toxic to rodents
such as
> mice
> and rats because they can not metabolize vitamin D -- cholecalciferol
is
> an
> ingredient in human ad avian vitamin supplements, safe for "us" to
use.
>
> If your rodents don't especially like Quintox, mixing the pellets
with
> peanut
> butter takes care of their lack odfinterest.
>
> 2) Remove animals from the vicinity. Plug up any tunnel entrances you
> can find. Get some flexible tubing and attach one end to the tailpipe
> of a tractor with duct tape, push the other end into one tunnel.
> Start the tractor up, and watch for escaping exhaust from any missed
> tunnels. Also watch for groggy escaping rats.
>
> 3) Get a bucket and put it in an area where you know the rats are
> going. Tie a piece of paper shopping bag securely on top of it -
> drum-style and leave grain on it for a few days. You may want to prop
> something against the bucket to act as a ramp. When you see that the
> rats are eating the grain, cut an "X" in the paper and fill the
bucket
> 3/4 full of water. This is the riskiest way because an early rising
> chicken may be caught instead of the rat.
>
>
>
>
>
> Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator
>
> St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and
Labyrinth
>
>
>
> A mission of
>
> St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA
> 19460
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------- next part --------------
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>
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> _______________________________________________
> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of
> ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA
and
> to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org
>
> To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
>
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
>
>
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:59:01 EST
From: Powellharris at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
To: MikeMcG at PTD.net, community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Message-ID: <cbf.1bf7adad.34a01805 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Please! None of the 3 methods of Organic Rat Control sound very
humane or
organic. You may need
a permit to use our method, but it is effective (if only in knowing
that it
can be accomplished yields
satisfaction).
1) Secure a "Hav-a-Heart" trap.
2) Bait the trap with peanut butter or other substance.
3) Trap the rats.
4) Release at or near the home or place of business of your worst
garden
adversaries.
5) Leave ear corn or some other proven rat delight food to insure
that the
rats enjoy their new home.
Much of the satisfaction from using this method results from knowing
that it
can be accomplished. You may even be able to borrow the traps from
animal
control.
**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
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Message: 4
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:12:05 -0500
From: "Mike McGrath" <MikeMcG at PTD.net>
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
To: <Powellharris at aol.com>,
<community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Message-ID: <009701c845a8$7a8c81b0$3500a8c0 at mikedell4100>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=original
I applaud your Buddhist attitude here, but I personally cannot condone
the
release of vermin who have plagued (literally) mankind for untold
centuries.
I do agree with the trap, but then a trip to the vet for a fast and
professional...well, you know what.
Because although you obviously respect all living creatures, I
don't
think you want to be responsible if that released rat bites a small
child--or worse.
---Mike McG
----- Original Message -----
From: <Powellharris at aol.com>
To: <MikeMcG at PTD.net>; <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
> Please! None of the 3 methods of Organic Rat Control sound very
humane
> or
> organic. You may need
> a permit to use our method, but it is effective (if only in knowing
that
> it
> can be accomplished yields
> satisfaction).
>
> 1) Secure a "Hav-a-Heart" trap.
> 2) Bait the trap with peanut butter or other substance.
> 3) Trap the rats.
> 4) Release at or near the home or place of business of your worst
garden
> adversaries.
> 5) Leave ear corn or some other proven rat delight food to insure
that
> the
> rats enjoy their new home.
>
> Much of the satisfaction from using this method results from knowing
that
> it
> can be accomplished. You may even be able to borrow the traps from
> animal
> control.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
> (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> URL:
>
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20071223/f329d068/attachment.html
> _______________________________________________
> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of
> ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA
and
> to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org
>
> To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
>
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
>
>
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 17:11:28 EST
From: GivenTrees at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
To: MikeMcG at PTD.net, Powellharris at aol.com,
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Message-ID: <caf.262ba6fd.34a03710 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I'm all for harming none, but I don't think the rats know that tune.
Perhaps the person that charmed the yellow jackets could play Pied
Piper!
In a message dated 12/23/2007 2:37:54 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
MikeMcG at PTD.net writes:
I applaud your Buddhist attitude here, but I personally cannot condone
the
release of vermin who have plagued (literally) mankind for untold
centuries.
I do agree with the trap, but then a trip to the vet for a fast and
professional...well, you know what.
Because although you obviously respect all living creatures, I don't
think you want to be responsible if that released rat bites a small
child--or worse.
---Mike McG
----- Original Message -----
From: <Powellharris at aol.com>
To: <MikeMcG at PTD.net>; <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
> Please! None of the 3 methods of Organic Rat Control sound very
humane
> or
> organic. You may need
> a permit to use our method, but it is effective (if only in knowing
that
> it
> can be accomplished yields
> satisfaction).
>
> 1) Secure a "Hav-a-Heart" trap.
> 2) Bait the trap with peanut butter or other substance.
> 3) Trap the rats.
> 4) Release at or near the home or place of business of your worst
garden
> adversaries.
> 5) Leave ear corn or some other proven rat delight food to insure
that
> the
> rats enjoy their new home.
>
> Much of the satisfaction from using this method results from knowing
that
> it
> can be accomplished. You may even be able to borrow the traps from
> animal
> control.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
> (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> URL:
>
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org/attachments/20071223/f329d068/attachment.html
> _______________________________________________
> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one
of
> ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA
and
> to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org
>
> To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
>
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
>
>
_______________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of
ACGA's
services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to
find
out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org
To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.communitygarden.org
**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
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Message: 6
Date: Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:46:24 -0500
From: "Jack Hale" <jackh at knoxparks.org>
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
To: <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Message-ID:
<F9CF0DA2D0B34844994911857A591E6D1CE4B0 at hal9000.KnoxParks.prv>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Oboy! Rats again.
Funny thing about rats is that they come from somewhere else. Although
it may seem that they appear in your garden by magic, they typically
don't travel far, so if you have them, so does your neighbor. Trapping
a rat in your garden may be somewhat satisfying, particularly if you
can
arrange a violent end or the previously suggested strategy of
re-gifting, but it won't stop your problem. There's no such thing as
one rat, and they breed like rabbits (AKA long-eared, short tailed
rats). Trapping works pretty well inside buildings if you can figure
out how the little rascals are getting in and can put a stop to that.
Outside, the best you are likely to do with traps is temporary
reduction
in the population. Poison works a little better, but there is no
silver
bullet.
Main thing is to clean up your act and try to get your neighbors to
join
in. Rats want food, standing water, cover, and a place to burrow.
Take
one of these 4 away and they get discouraged. So, if you have a rat
problem, clean up your garden. Don't leave any containers around that
might catch rainwater. Remove or cut weeds. Harvest produce when it
is
ripe and don't leave anything on the ground, particularly rotten
fruits,
boards, piles of stuff. Grow up, not out. Back to that burrow. If
you
find one in or near your garden, try stirring it up. Dig it up and
then go back a couple of days later and do it again. They will tend to
go looking for a burrowing place where there are fewer lunatics.
This is the short course on rats in gardens. I wrote a longer and more
self indulgent version that should be findable on the ACGA archives.
Good luck.
JH
Jack N. Hale
Executive Director
Knox Parks Foundation
75 Laurel Street
Hartford, CT 06106
860/951-7694
-----Original Message-----
From: community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
GivenTrees at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 5:11 PM
To: MikeMcG at PTD.net; Powellharris at aol.com;
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
I'm all for harming none, but I don't think the rats know that tune.
Perhaps the person that charmed the yellow jackets could play Pied
Piper!
In a message dated 12/23/2007 2:37:54 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
MikeMcG at PTD.net writes:
I applaud your Buddhist attitude here, but I personally cannot condone
the release of vermin who have plagued (literally) mankind for untold
centuries.
I do agree with the trap, but then a trip to the vet for a fast and
professional...well, you know what.
Because although you obviously respect all living creatures, I don't
think you want to be responsible if that released rat bites a small
child--or worse.
---Mike McG
----- Original Message -----
From: <Powellharris at aol.com>
To: <MikeMcG at PTD.net>; <community_garden at list.communitygarden.org>
Sent: Sunday, December 23, 2007 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Community_garden] 3 methods of Organic Rat Control
> Please! None of the 3 methods of Organic Rat Control sound very
> humane or organic. You may need a permit to use our method, but it
> is effective (if only in knowing that it can be accomplished yields
> satisfaction).
>
> 1) Secure a "Hav-a-Heart" trap.
> 2) Bait the trap with peanut butter or other substance.
> 3) Trap the rats.
> 4) Release at or near the home or place of business of your worst
> garden adversaries.
> 5) Leave ear corn or some other proven rat delight food to insure
that
> the
> rats enjoy their new home.
>
> Much of the satisfaction from using this method results from knowing
> that it can be accomplished. You may even be able to borrow the
> traps from animal control.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
> (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was
> scrubbed...
> URL:
>
http://list.communitygarden.org/pipermail/community_garden_list.communit
ygarden.org/attachments/20071223/f329d068/attachment.html
> _______________________________________________
> The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one
of
> ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA
> and to find out how to join, please go to
> http://www.communitygarden.org
>
> To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
>
> To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
>
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org
>
>
_______________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of
ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA
and to find out how to join, please go to
http://www.communitygarden.org
To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org
**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes
(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)
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_______________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of
ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA
and
to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org
To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
http://list.communitygarden.org/mailman/listinfo/community_garden_list.c
ommunitygarden.org
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of
ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and
to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org
To post an e-mail to the list:
community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription:
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