Rat in m garden

[ctenidae]

So, something's been eating all my cucumbers, adn a fair number of my tomatoes. For weeks, I've been thinking it was a racoon, or local squirrels or chipmunks. Found out today what it really was- a rat (and where there's one, there's many, right?) Saw him this evening when I got home, climbing up a tomato vine, the bastard.

So, how do you get a rat out of the garden? Don't really want to go the poison route, since I don't want to kill squirrels, chipmunks, local cats, or small children. There is a compost pile, tool shed, and overgrown area I can't get to in close proximity (abutting, actually) the garden, so that makes it all the harder.

Any ideas, anyone? Maybe I can borrow a fox to come pee on everything?

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

thats weird rats i didnt think liked most of the things that grow in a garden whatever u do if u use poison i wouldnt eat those veggies near it even after washing them

 

[mondeo]

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

hire Marc..

 

[TheBEast]

A have-a-heart trap.....or one of those big RAT traps (that look like the smaller mouse traps)....

Get the bastards.

 

[dmc]

thats weird rats i didnt think liked most of the things that grow in a garden whatever u do if u use poison i wouldnt eat those veggies near it even after washing them

Funny... So you think rats are picky eaters.. haha....

 

[Marc]

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Marc this is a family site..

 

[Glenn]

I'd vote for shooting it, but Mass (and CT) have some strict rules regarding how far from a house or road you can discharge a firearm. (Never stops "da thugs" though!) So a have a heart trap may be your best bet.

 

[dmc]

We had a dog when i was a kid that killed a couple rats... Killed em good...

 

[wa-loaf]

Terriers are god rat killers.

Cats are too.

 

[ctenidae]

I have a mastiff, but he's only here sporadically, and he doesn't go in the garden. Or off the deck when the grass is wet. Or outside if it's very warm. Or off the tile floor if the AC isn't on. Or out of the bed if we don't notice. So, all in all, not a vry good rat deterent.

I think I know where the rat lives, so if I get home in time, I'm going to turn the compost, find the hole, fire off a few fireworks into it, and then plug it. Maybe channel my inner Spackler.

If that fails, I'm going to buy a tiger.

 

[marcski]

Isn't the song Rats in the Kitchen?

Good luck. We just have deer that eat everything in site..even things that deers aren't supposed to eat...they've been eating lately!

 

[dmc]

Groundhogs, Chipmunks and Deer eat our garden...
Fishers eat the chipmunks...
Bears eat our apples and blackberries.
Eagle eat the fish from the creek...


I love living in the hills...

 

[Paul]

A large (min. 5 gal) bucket 1/2 full of water. Smear some peanut butter on the inside just above the water-line. Put a ramp up the outside to provide access to the lip of the bucket for the rat.

 

[wa-loaf]

A large (min. 5 gal) bucket 1/2 full of water. Smear some peanut butter on the inside just above the water-line. Put a ramp up the outside to provide access to the lip of the bucket for the rat.

Brilliant.

 

[o3jeff]

A large (min. 5 gal) bucket 1/2 full of water. Smear some peanut butter on the inside just above the water-line. Put a ramp up the outside to provide access to the lip of the bucket for the rat.

The Old Bucket of Death

Also works well for chipmonks

 

[ctenidae]

A large (min. 5 gal) bucket 1/2 full of water. Smear some peanut butter on the inside just above the water-line. Put a ramp up the outside to provide access to the lip of the bucket for the rat.

I like it. I just so happen to have an extra bucket available.

I stole it from a walrus.

 

[severine]

I like it. I just so hapen to have an extra bucket available.

I stole it from a walrus.

You sure that wasn't a lolrus?

 

[Paul]