A day in the life...

[Stumpy]

The dogs are the route cause. Dogs = no snakes, no snakes = rats.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Dogs are killing all the snakes. Basic example of an eco system out of balance. The rats have no pressure so they will flourish and they breed fast. They have plenty of food, excellent places to hide and can stay out of the reach of the dog pack. Pigeons are the same way.

Good luck Mendy.

[malmomike77]

rats = less chicken eggs, and don't start me on which came first.

[Mendip]

Yeah, there is probably a lot of truth in this, although we do have a thriving population of golden tree snakes who I have seen take rats before. Unfortunately ground based snakes don't stand much of a chance.

But, the dogs are non-negotiable so I have to work around that. All said and done, in keeping chickens for around 12 years this is the first time I've known a rat problem. We generally have a few mice but the chickens seem to catch and control them.

The dogs are making amends. Coco caught a third young rat (I think) this afternoon. I wouldn't put money on the adult rats surviving long either... as they say, the dogs only have to be lucky once.

I've put more Isaan sausage in the trap tonight... the rats don't stand a chance with me and the dogs combined!

[malmomike77]

Coco the killer, she's changed.

[DrWilly]

Coat the sausage in peanut butter

[Stumpy]

Funny how Mendy can't kill pests but he hires Hit dogs to do it and doesn't blink an eye....

[naptownmike]

I was going to mention earlier that there is never only one rat.

Hopefully you can trap or Kill the remaining adults and stop them. Looks like you’re dogs are doing their part.

[Topper]

Maybe now that mom's gone, the little ones are out searching for food.

[DrWilly]

Maybe now that mom's gone, the little ones are out searching for food.

That’s so sad

[Mendip]

^ It is sad, but it's the dogs who've been killing the baby rats, not me. What can ya do?

Anyway, it was raining last night so I didn't rebait the trap with peanut butter... and it was still empty this morning. That big mummy rat is still out there.

Today I get serious.

[Joe 90]

Today I get serious

You getting the chocolate spread out?

[nora tittoff]

When you catch a rat in those traps just do what my brother in law does, Shake the cage violently until the rat passes out or dies then tip it out and let the dogs play with it.

[Shutree]

Today I get serious.

There is a Keeled rat snake hanging around here. It's pretty quick, still I could try to catch it. Then I can bring it with me when I come to collect the lemons and dried mango.

[Mendip]

When you catch a rat in those traps just do what my brother in law does, Shake the cage violently until the rat passes out or dies then tip it out and let the dogs play with it.

It seems a bit too brutal for a 'non-lethal' removal method, Nora?

There is a Keeled rat snake hanging around here. It's pretty quick, still I could try to catch it. Then I can bring it with me when I come to collect the lemons and dried mango.

You're on Shutree... but why not just try and take a picture of it first before you get carried away and try to catch the thing?

You getting the chocolate spread out?

No, mate. The 14 year past it's sell by date peanut butter!

I discovered that the wife had fed the remains of her Isaan sausage to the dogs, so I had to slice the end off an imported Italian salami, no less. I wanted something tough so the rat has to work at it to trigger the trap.

I dipped the salami in the peanut butter. If the rat shows as much interest as Yogi and Maya it's as good as caught, already!



And the rat's eye view. Irresistible!



I don't think this will take long...

[hallelujah]

Does the peanut butter not melt in the oppressive Isaan heat?

[Mendip]

^ Good point Hal, I'll go and check!

[Reg Dingle]

He'll be sat under that box now, with it dripping onto his naked flesh and his 7 strong mutt pack tongue-darting away

[OhOh]

Get yourself a new pipe:

From The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Robert Browning (1842)


Hamelin Town's in Brunswick,
By famous Hanover city;
The river Weser, deep and wide,
Washes its wall on the southern side;
A pleasanter spot you never spied;
But, when begins my ditty,
Almost five hundred years ago,
To see the townsfolk suffer so
From vermin, was a pity.

II.

Rats!
They fought the dogs and killed the cats,
And bit the babies in the cradles,
And ate the cheeses out of the vats,
And licked the soup from the cooks' own ladles,
Split open the kegs of salted sprats,
Made nests inside men's Sunday hats,
And even spoiled the women's chats
By drowning their speaking
With shrieking and squeaking
In fifty different sharps and flats.

III.

At last the people in a body
To the Town Hall came flocking:
"'Tis clear," cried they, "our Mayor's a noddy;
And as for our Corporation--shocking
To think we buy gowns lined with ermine
For dolts that can't or won't determine
What's best to rid us of our vermin!
You hope, because you're old and obese,
To find in the furry civic robe ease?
Rouse up, sirs! Give your brains a racking
To find the remedy we're lacking,
Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing!"
At this the Mayor and Corporation
Quaked with a mighty consternation.

IV.

An hour they sat in council;
At length the Mayor broke silence:
"For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell,
I wish I were a mile hence!
It's easy to bid one rack one's brain--
I'm sure my poor head aches again,
I've scratched it so, and all in vain.
Oh, for a trap, a trap, a trap!"
Just as he said this, what should hap
At the chamber-door but a gentle tap?
"Bless us," cried the Mayor, "what's that?"
(With the Corporation as he sat,
Looking little though wondrous fat;
Nor brighter was his eye, nor moister
Than a too-long-opened oyster,
Save when at noon his paunch grew mutinous
For a plate of turtle green and glutinous)
"Only a scraping of shoes on the mat?
Anything like the sound of a rat
Makes my heart go pit-a-pat!"

V.

"Come in!"--the Mayor cried, looking bigger:
And in did come the strangest figure!
His queer long coat from heel to head
Was half of yellow and half of red,
And he himself was tall and thin,
With sharp blue eyes, each like a pin,
And light loose hair, yet swarthy skin,
No tuft on cheek nor beard on chin,
But lips where smiles went out and in;
There was no guessing his kith and kin:
And nobody could enough admire
The tall man and his quaint attire.
Quoth one: "It's as my great-grandsire,
Starting up at the Trump of Doom's tone,
Had walked this way from his painted tombstone!"

VI.

He advanced to the council-table:
And, "Please your honours," said he, "I'm able,
By means of a secret charm, to draw
All creatures living beneath the sun,
That creep or swim or fly or run,
After me so as you never saw!
And I chiefly use my charm
On creatures that do people harm,
The mole and toad and newt and viper;
And people call me the Pied Piper."
(And here they noticed round his neck
A scarf of red and yellow stripe,
To match with his coat of the self-same cheque;
And at the scarf's end hung a pipe;
And his fingers, they noticed, were ever straying
As if impatient to be playing
Upon this pipe, as low it dangled
Over his vesture so old-fangled.)
"Yet," said he, "poor piper as I am,
In Tartary I freed the Cham,
Last June, from his huge swarms of gnats;
I eased in Asia the Nizam
Of a monstrous brood of vampire-bats:
And as for what your brain bewilders,
If I can rid your town of rats
Will you give me a thousand guilders?"
"One? fifty thousand!"--was the exclamation
Of the astonished Mayor and Corporation.

VII.

Into the street the Piper stept,
Smiling first a little smile,
As if he knew what magic slept
In his quiet pipe the while;
Then, like a musical adept,
To blow the pipe his lips he wrinkled,
And green and blue his sharp eyes twinkled,
Like a candle-flame where salt is sprinkled;
And ere three shrill notes the pipe uttered,
You heard as if an army muttered;
And the muttering grew to a grumbling;
And the grumbling grew to a mighty rumbling;
And out of the houses the rats came tumbling.
Great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats
Brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats
Grave old plodders, gay young friskers,
Fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins,
Cocking tails and pricking whiskers,
Families by tens and dozens,
Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives--
Followed the Piper for their lives.
From street to street he piped advancing,
And step for step they followed dancing,
Until they came to the river Weser,
Wherein all plunged and perished!
--Save one who, stout as Julius Cæsar,
Swam across and lived to carry
(As he, the manuscript he cherished)
To Rat-land home his commentary:
Which was, "At the first shrill notes of the pipe,
I heard a sound as of scraping tripe,
And putting apples, wondrous ripe,
Into a cider-press's gripe:
And a moving away of pickle-tub-boards,
And a leaving ajar of conserve-cupboards,
And a drawing the corks of train-oil-flasks,
And a breaking the hoops of butter-casks:
And it seemed as if a voice
(Sweeter far than by harp or by psaltery
Is breathed) called out, 'Oh, rats, rejoice!
The world is grown to one vast drysaltery!
So munch on, crunch on, take your nuncheon,
Breakfast, supper, dinner, luncheon!'
And just as a bulky sugar-puncheon,
All ready staved, like a great sun shone
Glorious scarce an inch before me,
Just as methought it said, 'Come, bore me!'
--I found the Weser rolling o'er me."

VIII.

You should have heard the Hamelin people
Ringing the bells till they rocked the steeple.
"Go," cried the Mayor, "and get long poles,
Poke out the nests and block up the holes!
Consult with carpenters and builders,
And leave in our town not even a trace
Of the rats!"--when suddenly, up the face
Of the Piper perked in the market-place,
With a, "First, if you please, my thousand guilders!"

IX.

A thousand guilders! The Mayor looked blue;
So did the Corporation, too.
For council dinners made rare havoc
With Claret, Moselle, Vin-de-Grave, Hock;
And half the money would replenish
Their cellar's biggest butt with Rhenish.
To pay this sum to a wandering fellow
With a gypsy coat of red and yellow!
"Beside," quoth the Mayor with a knowing wink,
"Our business was done at the river's brink;
We saw with our eyes the vermin sink,
And what's dead can't come to life, I think.
So, friend, we're not the folks to shrink
From the duty of giving you something for drink,
And a matter of money to put in your poke;
But as for the guilders, what we spoke
Of them, as you very well know, was in joke.
Beside, our losses have made us thrifty.
A thousand guilders! Come, take fifty!"

X.

The Piper's face fell, and he cried,
"No trifling! I can't wait, beside!
I've promised to visit by dinner-time
Bagdat, and accept the prime
Of the Head-Cook's pottage, all he's rich in,
For having left, in the Caliph's kitchen,
Of a nest of scorpions no survivor:
With him I proved no bargain-driver,
With you, don't think I'll bate a stiver!
And folks who put me in a passion
May find me pipe after another fashion."

XI.

"How?" cried the Mayor, "d'ye think I brook
Being worse treated than a Cook?
Insulted by a lazy ribald
With idle pipe and vesture piebald?
You threaten us, fellow? Do your worst,
Blow your pipe there till you burst!"

XII.

Once more he stept into the street,
And to his lips again
Laid his long pipe of smooth straight cane;
And ere he blew three notes (such sweet
Soft notes as yet musician's cunning
Never gave the enraptured air)
There was a rustling that seemed like a bustling
Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling;
Small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering,
Little hands clapping and little tongues chattering,
And, like fowls in a farmyard when barley is scattering,
Out came the children running.
All the little boys and girls,
With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls,
And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls,
Tripping and skipping, ran merrily after
The wonderful music with shouting and laughter.

XIII.

The Mayor was dumb, and the Council stood
As if they were changed into blocks of wood,
Unable to move a step, or cry
To the children merrily skipping by,
--Could only follow with the eye
That joyous crowd at the Piper's back.
But how the Mayor was on the rack,
And the wretched Council's bosoms beat,
As the Piper turned from the High Street
To where the Weser rolled its waters
Right in the way of their sons and daughters!
However, he turned from South to West,
And to Koppelberg Hill his steps addressed,
And after him the children pressed;
Great was the joy in every breast.
"He never can cross that mighty top!
He's forced to let the piping drop,
And we shall see our children stop!"
When, lo, as they reached the mountainside,
A wondrous portal opened wide,
As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed;
And the Piper advanced and the children followed,
And when all were in to the very last,
The door in the mountainside shut fast.
Did I say, all? No! One was lame,
And could not dance the whole of the way;
And in after years, if you would blame
His sadness, he was used to say,--
"It's dull in our town since my playmates left!
I can't forget that I'm bereft
Of all the pleasant sights they see,
Which the Piper also promised me.
For he led us, he said, to a joyous land,
Joining the town and just at hand,
Where waters gushed and fruit-trees grew
And flowers put forth a fairer hue,
And everything was strange and new;
The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here,
And their dogs outran our fallow deer,
And honey-bees had lost their stings,
And horses were born with eagles' wings:
And just as I became assured
My lame foot would be speedily cured,
The music stopped and I stood still,
And found myself outside the hill,
Left alone against my will,
To go now limping as before,
And never hear of that country more!"

XIV.

Alas, alas for Hamelin!
There came into many a burgher's pate
A text which says that heaven's gate
Opes to the rich at as easy rate
As the needle's eye takes a camel in!
The Mayor sent East, West, North, and South,
To offer the Piper, by word of mouth,
Wherever it was men's lot to find him,
Silver and gold to his heart's content,
If he'd only return the way he went,
And bring the children behind him.
But when they saw 'twas a lost endeavour,
And Piper and dancers were gone for ever,
They made a decree that lawyers never
Should think their records dated duly
If, after the day of the month and year,
These words did not as well appear,
"And so long after what happened here
On the Twenty-second of July,
Thirteen hundred and seventy-six:"
And the better in memory to fix
The place of the children's last retreat,
They called it, the Pied Piper's Street--
Where any one playing on pipe or tabour
Was sure for the future to lose his labour.
Nor suffered they hostelry or tavern
To shock with mirth a street so solemn;
But opposite the place of the cavern
They wrote the story on a column,
And on the great church-window painted
The same, to make the world acquainted
How their children were stolen away,
And there it stands to this very day.
And I must not omit to say
That in Transylvania there's a tribe
Of alien people who ascribe
The outlandish ways and dress
On which their neighbours lay such stress,
To their fathers and mothers having risen
Out of some subterraneous prison
Into which they were trepanned
Long time ago in a mighty band
Out of Hamelin town in Brunswick land,
But how or why, they don't understand.

XV.

So, Willy, let me and you be wipers
Of scores out with all men--especially pipers!
And, whether they pipe us free fróm rats or fróm mice,
If we've promised them aught, let us keep our promise!

[Shutree]

You're on Shutree... but why not just try and take a picture of it first

Here he is. A handsome fella. Pic taken by the gf so not up to my usual high standards.

He is a fair size although not yet fully grown. The only thing is that I haven't seen him since this pic was taken. I haven't seen any rats either.

[Mendip]

^ Lovely Shutree, bring him on over. If the dogs get him I can have another go at making a belt.


^^ I'd forgotten all about the Pied Piper of Hamelin, OhOh, thanks for the reminder.


This morning the rat trap was still untouched so I'm thinking that maybe the peanut butter was too far past it's Sell by Date.

But thanks to OhOh I have a new plan. I have no pipe, but I'm gonna get the daughter to do her recorder practice down by the chicken run tonight... nothing can survive that. I almost feel sorry for the rat.

And this evening we'll have a quiet and peaceful house to boot.

Win Win!

[Shutree]

I'm thinking that maybe the peanut butter was too far past it's Sell by Date.

It's a rat. It can't read the label.

[Ravers98]

It's a rat. It can't read the label.

[Mendip]

It's a rat. It can't read the label.

The label's in English.

Anyway, post recorder practice I had a mooch about.

Rats are a bit like snakes in that they have to remember about their tails. There's no point in just hiding your head, ostrich style.



I threw up a few bits of mud so he knew I was on to him. I also made some rat noises and he squeaked back... or else there is more than one up there. He's found a great place in the gap underneath the ridge tiles that overlap the first row of tiles proper.

I turned on the flash...



This one is bigger than the one I took to the Spirit House. I think maybe 'he' is the the mama rat.



I must admit I'm starting to lean towards lethal methods now. You can't have rats. I've just started a new project with the gardener in the garden, and I want that finished, and the rat gone before next Monday... when unfortunately I have to pay a visit to Bangkok.

The peanut butter doesn't seem to tempt her, and I have a feeling she's way too wise to enter a box trap. Any kind of poison is out... I just don't agree, plus we have dogs and chickens. An air rifle would no doubt mean a replacement ridge tile and I really don't like these sticky rat pad things... I can just imagine finding a chicken all gummed up.

Any lethal but humane ideas?

[bsnub]

I must admit I'm starting to lean towards lethal methods now.

Time for annihilation. Let the shots fire, if you do not, they will destroy you. No mercy.

[Shutree]

I don't know if this is true. I was told that rodents can excrete warning chemicals. After the first rat, try chucking the trap in a bucket of bleach. Then reset.