For the dog lovers out there.

[twowings]

Thanks for the cartoon, John...I laughed good! 

[yogidozer]

John, I'm sure you know rats are full of diseases. Careful with your best friends.
Try this. A 5 Gallon bucket, 1/3 full of water. Empty plastic water bottle with piece of coat hanger wire through it to span the bucket.
"Bait" it with peanut butter. Make an access for rats/mice with a 2x4, 4' level, etc.
Rodent crawls up the "ramp" tries to get the bait, falls in the water. No more problems.
Something like this.

[Guzzistajohn]

These rats aren't the YOU DIRTY RAT kinda rat 
http://www.ozarksmischiefbarnhunt.org/

[yogidozer]

These rats aren't the YOU DIRTY RAT kinda rat 
http://www.ozarksmischiefbarnhunt.org/

Never trust a rat! 
Why do you think they call 'em rats?

[Guzzi Gal]

I read up on Barn Hunts a few weeks back and they look fun.  I happen to enjoy rats as pets as they are very personable and friendly creatures.  Ava, on the other hand, would love to razz them!


 

[Guzzistajohn]

I read up on Barn Hunts a few weeks back and they look fun.  I happen to enjoy rats as pets as they are very personable and friendly creatures.  Ava, on the other hand, would love to razz them!

The rats are taken care of really well, they're considered the *stars* of the show. They actually seem to like the interaction with the dogs. The gal that brings the rats consider them her pets. The varmints my dogs have interacted with in the yard, not so lucky.

[Lannis]

The rats are taken care of really well, they're considered the *stars* of the show. They actually seem to like the interaction with the dogs. The gal that brings the rats consider them her pets. The varmints my dogs have interacted with in the yard, not so lucky.

That's almost like the squirrels in my yard, always trying to get to the bird feeders (without success, but they scavenge spilled seed off the ground).

Jack will look at them out the window, and when they're lined up like he likes, he'll ask to be let out of the front door, opposite side of the house from the squirrels.

He'll tippy-toe around the side of the house, then get up a head of steam and come blasting into the back yard at full speed.   He knows what trees the squirrels will head for and tries to head them off.    What makes it into a game is that even if he catches a squirrel, he keeps his teeth sheathed.    He'll bump the squirrel with his nose and keep him from leaping for the tree; the squirrel will head for another tree and Jack will do the same thing again.

He's caught plenty, but has never bit or killed one and I dare say that after all these years, the squirrels know it, because they don't seem to be in much of panic when he shows up .... !

Lannis

[Guzzistajohn]

Those boarder collies are SO smart! My female schnauzer chases the squirrels to the chain link fence and catches them 1/2 way up most of the time (at least when she was younger) then they get shaken and not stirred.

[yogidozer]

So what do they do with the rats when they get them? Cook 'em and eat them?
The guy on this board that's always posting recipes might have one for rats.
I have cooked many a rabbit over a fire when camping, but never a rat.

[Tom]

You want country rats raised on grains not the city rats eating garbage and surrounded by filth. 

[yogidozer]

You want country rats raised on grains not the city rats eating garbage and surrounded by filth. 

Not organic? 

[Guzzistajohn]

Not organic? 

I have a buddy that teaches survival skills and flintnapping. He'll teach you how to build a snare catch and cook what he calls pack rats. This dude does bird census in central america for months at a time and lives off the land. And yes, he's skinny 

[yogidozer]

I have a buddy that teaches survival skills and flintnapping. He'll teach you how to build a snare catch and cook what he calls pack rats. This dude does bird census in central america for months at a time and lives off the land. And yes, he's skinny

My grandfather showed me ho to make snare, and 4 traps when I was a kid.
Rabbits used to be so common in my area, not any longer.
Coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions all like them.
I've seen Redtail hawks swoop down, pick them up without even having to land.
Ever hear a wounded rabbit cry? You'd swear it was a baby crying.
I live in a rural area, next to a state forest. Just about every night you can hear the coyotes howl.
Sure beats hearing trucks and cars going by.