Author Topic: not pleasant (Read 2540 times)

shedifice · « **on:** June 01, 2005, 14:30:26 »

Found a fresh dead rat on me lottie in the middle of me pea bit. I guess at least it was fresh and not all gooey.

L.

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #1 on:** June 01, 2005, 14:31:32 »

Just seen one by my pond in the garden, nosing around bold as brass! Wish it looked like yours! :-\

annieb · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2005, 14:58:23 »

I'm about to be drummed right out of the corps I'm sure.. but I love ratties. (*sounds of skirts drawn aside in absolute gape-mouthed horror*)...

I do.. I loves em... I think they're cuter and less destructive than mice... they don't leave poos all over your house if they move in... they smell a heck of a lot less than mice (yes even out of doors)... they're generally shyer than mice or other rodents...

I even confess to thinking their little pink scaley tails are soomewhat adorable and rakish...

I don't want to share my home with any wild rodents honestly... nor do I particularly want to come face to face with nature in her rawer forms... but rats I can deal with...

They're not the absolute villians that everyone makes them out to be...

I shared my lonely university days in my typical victorian London flat with my two wonderful ratty boys Heathcliff and WilliamMorris (rat,esq)... and while I do acknowledge that my pet rats certainly probably coloured my feelings about their wild cousins... I don't think rats are awful even for regular yet-to-be-convinced public...

My mum was an absolute chair standing screaming archetype... and my rats used to inspire a full blown case of the heebie-jeebies... until she met them in person.. it took her about 1 week worth of visits to be won over by heathcliff's spectacularly dashing whiskery kisses... he stole her heart. She used to come to visit the boys moreso than to visit me, I'm quite sure....

Not, however, that I'd care to find a recently deceased rat in my lottie, nor a less-recently deceased squishy type one... less so, in fact...

Annie in Norway

PS I know it goes without saying.. but er.. don't be tempted to compost the recently dear departed or it's liable to attract more scavengers =/

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2005, 15:36:25 »

I hate rats. One winter I didn't get poison down on my plot, where they're always around. One chewed its way into an empty beehive and destroyed all the comb inside, leaving me cursing as drawn comb is important; it's much quicker to build a colony up if it doesn't have to produce it from scratch. I've heard of entire apiaries being destroyed, bees and all.

kitty · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2005, 15:55:53 »

rats?
lovely?
RATS???????

two words.
weils disease.

Svea · « **Reply #5 on:** June 01, 2005, 16:26:15 »

yes, weils disease!
rats pee wherever they go. at least with mice you have the tell tale signs of mouse poo that reminds you to buy your mouse trap/poisoned grain/whatever

lab rats/pet rats are a different thing altogether - they still pee everywhere but at least they are guaranteed to be disease free...

Quote

Weils Disease

What is it?

Weils disease is caused by a parasite from rats (Leptospira Icterohaemoohagiae) and is a notifiable disease reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. It is present in the kidney and urine of the rat and is apparently not harmful to them.

How do you catch it?

The parasite may enter the human body through the skin, mucous membranes or skin abrasions, following contact with water contamination by the urine of infected rodents. It is possible that infection may follow ingestion of food or water contamination by infected rodent urine and cases of infection have followed rat bites.

SpeedyMango · « **Reply #6 on:** June 01, 2005, 16:27:32 »

I'm with annieb on this one. I used to have a couple of pet rats, and they were fab. They were very intelligent, great fun, didn't smell and I only got bitten once, which was my own stupid fault for putting my fingers in the cage right after eating peanut butter on toast!

Last year my allotment neighbour asked me whether I minded if she put down some rat poison. I said yes, I did mind. I have never seen evidence of a rat on our plots (but I expect they are there, poison won't get them all). I didn't want her killing everything else (hedgehogs, foxes, birds etc) that might pick up the poison as well. I expect she put it down anyway, she said she only asked in case we had kids running about, which we don't.

Seeing as there aren't widespread cases of gardeners going down with Weils' Disease, I doubt that it's much of a hazard. You're more likely to catch it if you canoe/swim etc on canals or other stagnant water (which I do as well, and it's pretty rare for canoeists to catch it too!).

kitty · « **Reply #7 on:** June 01, 2005, 17:32:58 »

wheres waggi when you need him? ;D

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #8 on:** June 01, 2005, 17:43:43 »

I love pet rats too, ours were called Gin and Tonic and 2 very affectionate pets they were..............we miss em :'( But a ratty living in my compost heap is not something I particulary like...........though he was a handsome chap! (too much of a softie to put poison down in the garden)

rosebud · « **Reply #9 on:** June 01, 2005, 17:51:35 »

Rat lovers are weird to say the least. Urrrrrrrrrrrgh :o :o :o.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2005, 20:03:45 »

Pet rats are a different species; black rat as opposed to brown. I used to have some years ago, and they're nice pets, but no way would I tolerate the horrible things I get on the allotment.

waggi · « **Reply #11 on:** June 01, 2005, 22:26:46 »

i am a rat asassin ( pestcontrol ) person
so i like rats as they keep me in a job
firstly and very important if you find a dead rat you must not i repet must not pick the said rat up with its tail as the back end of the rat is the most dangerous as of the chance of a number of horrible dieseses none off them nice and well you should wear gloves and pick them up buy the head

Mrs Ava · « **Reply #12 on:** June 01, 2005, 22:52:43 »

Don't mind rodents, so long as they are well away from my garden or allotment! Thought we had a rat problem in our shed, well some of you saw the pictures of damage we were suffering, however, my darling Ava bought a selection of traps and went about removing the problem. Not a rat in the 10 or so days we have been a'trapping, but 6 mice! Seems like our shed doesn't have rats afterall. :-\

shedifice · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2005, 10:29:45 »

Rats might be nice in some peoples eyes. I like elephants but I dont want a dead one on me Lottie :)

L.

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2005, 11:38:36 »

WAHAHAHAHAHA Shedifice! ;D ;D ;D ;D

Monsieur Rat has discovered my bird feeder, he obviously has run away from the circus as he must be a trapese artiste to get to it! So now maybe I am not as soft as I thought I was..........errr Waggi, can you come and visit!??! :o

waggi · « **Reply #15 on:** June 02, 2005, 18:02:12 »

i am on my way
where am i going too
lol
;D

Doris_Pinks · « **Reply #16 on:** June 02, 2005, 19:06:49 »

East Sussex, Oh and see "is it a bird?" on pests and diseases forum! Thats your quarry! ;D

Ceri · « **Reply #17 on:** June 04, 2005, 07:49:53 »

just the though of picking it up Waggi! What a wuss I am. I had to clear away a dead one once. I covered my spade with a black bag, shoved it under the rat, turned the bag over it so didn't have to touch it at all. Even then I was still shuddering!

waggi · « **Reply #18 on:** June 04, 2005, 10:07:28 »

my van has 15 dead rats in from yesterday's sucsesful day as a rat assassin
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm smelly
you do get uset to it
:o

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Author Topic: not pleasant (Read 2540 times)