rats! and oil palm trees in the South

[GooMaiRoo]

My brother-in-law, a very successful rubber tree grower in Phattalung, is experimenting with oil palm trees. He says that rats are his biggest problem with the small trees he has started. I'm not there now so I can't visualize the exact problem, but because of the torrential rains that often hit the area it sounds like it's problematic to leave the poison laying around the trees because of standing water. I also heard that there are Warfarin-resistant rats. Any advice that I can forward to him? Thanks.

[sunsetter]

get a nice rifle and a comfy chair

[phunphin]

The inlaws lost a plantation to rats, they burrow underground and eat the roots as well as the young plants..

just have to use a LOT of poison.

[GooMaiRoo]

The inlaws lost a plantation to rats, they burrow underground and eat the roots as well as the young plants..

just have to use a LOT of poison.

Thanks for the feedback. One more question: with all of the heavy rains and unpredictable amounts of standing water, is there a good way to lay the rat poison around the trees? When we get back to the village in a year or two, we are also considering a small venture with oil palm trees. I really want to nail those rats.

[sunsetter]

^ why use poison?

couple of good terriers,preferably plummers,jack russels will do the job, or some local hardnut type thai dogs, a smoke machine,fire with some nasty plastic or oil on, few spades and a few hungry willing locals


days and days of fun




wish i had time, id come and help you

[GooMaiRoo]

^ why use poison?

couple of good terriers,preferably plummers,jack russels will do the job, or some local hardnut type thai dogs, a smoke machine,fire with some nasty plastic or oil on, few spades and a few hungry willing locals
days and days of fun
wish i had time, id come and help you

I love the dog angle. Jack Russels are mean little f*ckers but great companions when they're on your side. Smart and quick, too. Down in rural Phattalung dogs don't always last long, though. They either get run over or get into some poison from adjoining farms. If we could find a way to keep the dogs around the oil palm trees without straying, life would be grand.

[Norton]

or get into some poison from adjoining farms.

I lost a dog which ate a poisoned rat. Poison and dogs a bad combination.

[robuzo]

Snakes, such as rat snakes. Apparently there have been some government initiatives to breed and release rat snakes in places where rat infestation are a problem, but the locals in some places (Isaan) have a nasty habit of eating the snakes.