Filling in rat holes
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Ah, lucky you, you're down in Urbana, as we like to call it "The rest of the state." Seriously Illinois is divided into Cook County and the rest of the state.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
wizardzz wrote:
Illinois is divided into Cook County and the rest of the state.
Sadly, that is true. And even sadder, Cook County practically controls the rest of the state.
wizardzz wrote:
you're down in Urbana
Actually right now, I'm in Cincinnati for an internship. And my actual hometown is roughly halfway between Chicago and Urbana.
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill
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So the rats in my back yard have gotten out of control. There must be about 10-20 of them that have built a next under my garage and under my back porch. Kill traps are not the best option since we have other wildlife, squirrels and bunnies, and they frankly don't make traps large enough for these rats. My neighbor has started placing rat poison in their holes, in my yard, without my permission, only telling me once my dog tried to retrieve a bag of it from the hole. He has also placed a bag near my garden. I could easily shoot them on site with my .22 pellet gun, but given local laws, I'd be in jail forever. Anyways, my question is, what is the best way to fill in the holes? Is there an expanding foam that I can spray in there that will solidify and seal them off? Since I can't stop my neighbor from poisoning the holes I'd like to seal the poison into the holes so my dogs don't get to it.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
Killing them is only half the battle. You need to find their food source and get rid of that if at all possible. That is the only sure way to insure they do not come back.
Common sense is admitting there is cause and effect and that you can exert some control over what you understand.
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Killing them is only half the battle. You need to find their food source and get rid of that if at all possible. That is the only sure way to insure they do not come back.
Common sense is admitting there is cause and effect and that you can exert some control over what you understand.
Impossible in a city. Bars and restaurants on every corner. An alley full of city garbage cans behind every house. Garbage cans that are accessible to rats. I can only kill, annoy, repel, and destroy nesting abilities.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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Hmmm, ammonia... I was going to run a hose into it, then chase that with some Cheyenne powder, shove some steel wool in there, then seal with foam. Ammonia may make the mix, too.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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wizardzz wrote:
Cheyenne powder
Is this NORAD construction debris?
3x12=36 2x12=24 1x12=12 0x12=18
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Realistically, I don't think I would even be able to kill them all, but yeah, what repels them? I'm trying to kill / repel / discourage.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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I have seen electronic pest repellents like that before. I'm not sure if it's ok for my dogs though. I'll stop on the way home and see if I can pick one up for the garage though.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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I have seen electronic pest repellents like that before. I'm not sure if it's ok for my dogs though. I'll stop on the way home and see if I can pick one up for the garage though.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
I have tried a couple of those before. Useless. In fact I think it attracted the damn things. We lived in the deep country at the time and when cold hit, we were getting overrun with field mice. What finally worked for us was discovering that our min pin was an avid mouse hunter. She would not eat them but goes absolutely crazy over hunting and killing them.
Programming is a race between programmers trying to build bigger and better idiot proof programs, and the universe trying to build bigger and better idiots, so far... the universe is winning. A crisis on your part does not constitute one on mine.
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Yeah, I'll mix in some White Sands, too.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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Possibly, but realistically, no. I am now pondering the ability of a blow gun to down a rat. I have used them before for target. Also considering throwing knives / hatchets now.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
Don't bother with the blowgun. If your rats are anything like the flying rats (pigeons) we have here, they laugh at blowgun darts, and happily fly away with darts poking clear through them. Now, if you can dip them in some of the poison your neighbor is tossing over the fence, that might make a difference. :-D
Will Rogers never met me.
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Don't bother with the blowgun. If your rats are anything like the flying rats (pigeons) we have here, they laugh at blowgun darts, and happily fly away with darts poking clear through them. Now, if you can dip them in some of the poison your neighbor is tossing over the fence, that might make a difference. :-D
Will Rogers never met me.
Yikes, I think I'll try to secure their nest (my porch and my garage) and then pick up a frogging spear and a set of throwing knives. They are so brazen, get real close, and don't even hide. I could have killed 2 last night if I had just a hockey stick, but I know that would have been messy.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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So the rats in my back yard have gotten out of control. There must be about 10-20 of them that have built a next under my garage and under my back porch. Kill traps are not the best option since we have other wildlife, squirrels and bunnies, and they frankly don't make traps large enough for these rats. My neighbor has started placing rat poison in their holes, in my yard, without my permission, only telling me once my dog tried to retrieve a bag of it from the hole. He has also placed a bag near my garden. I could easily shoot them on site with my .22 pellet gun, but given local laws, I'd be in jail forever. Anyways, my question is, what is the best way to fill in the holes? Is there an expanding foam that I can spray in there that will solidify and seal them off? Since I can't stop my neighbor from poisoning the holes I'd like to seal the poison into the holes so my dogs don't get to it.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
wizardzz wrote:
Kill traps are not the best option since we have other wildlife, squirrels and bunnies, and they frankly don't make traps large enough for these rats
Hire a professional or find a chicken-farmer. It might make a new hole (emerging in your livingroom or toilet) if the previous exit is blocked. You don't want frustrated and cornered rats, you want dead rats. Farmers are quite experienced in that area.
Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss:
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wizardzz wrote:
Kill traps are not the best option since we have other wildlife, squirrels and bunnies, and they frankly don't make traps large enough for these rats
Hire a professional or find a chicken-farmer. It might make a new hole (emerging in your livingroom or toilet) if the previous exit is blocked. You don't want frustrated and cornered rats, you want dead rats. Farmers are quite experienced in that area.
Bastard Programmer from Hell :suss:
I might bribe my uncle to take care of this mess. He is a hunter, a real outdoors-man, that only hunts with traditional bows, which he used to make by hand for a living. Give him anything sharp and he's very lethal. I might give him a call and see what he recommends.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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I've been looking to move for 2+ years, I've put offers on 2 places, but my requirements are so specific it's difficult to find anything. I play music, often loudly, have 2 dogs, 2 cats, and garden. This is hard to find in the city.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
What's wrong with your cats, the rats aren't that big, right?:~
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What's wrong with your cats, the rats aren't that big, right?:~
These rats are actually very large, I'll try to take pictures or video if I can. I can only find this post about the rats I'm dealing with: http://www.acslater.com/2008/12/29/chicago-rats/[^] They are waaay bigger than squirrels, almost small cat sized bodies.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
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These rats are actually very large, I'll try to take pictures or video if I can. I can only find this post about the rats I'm dealing with: http://www.acslater.com/2008/12/29/chicago-rats/[^] They are waaay bigger than squirrels, almost small cat sized bodies.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
LOL that pic reminds me of some years back we had set out a sticky glue trap for mice. Well it didn't get any action and we forgot about it eventually(was under the sink cabinet). One day the poor wife goes into the kitchen to cook and let out a squall to wake the dead. I went in there and there was a wood rat bigger than the one in your pic that had gotten two feet stuck in the glue trap. the trap was about 12" square so he couldn't take it with him, and he couldn't get his feet out. Dang thing was sitting there staring at us like " kill me, release me, but dammit do SOMETHING" I put him out of the wife's misery.
Programming is a race between programmers trying to build bigger and better idiot proof programs, and the universe trying to build bigger and better idiots, so far... the universe is winning. A crisis on your part does not constitute one on mine.
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Then he will need poison to kill those! :rolleyes:
The environment that nurtures creative programmers kills management and marketing types - and vice versa. - Orson Scott Card
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So the rats in my back yard have gotten out of control. There must be about 10-20 of them that have built a next under my garage and under my back porch. Kill traps are not the best option since we have other wildlife, squirrels and bunnies, and they frankly don't make traps large enough for these rats. My neighbor has started placing rat poison in their holes, in my yard, without my permission, only telling me once my dog tried to retrieve a bag of it from the hole. He has also placed a bag near my garden. I could easily shoot them on site with my .22 pellet gun, but given local laws, I'd be in jail forever. Anyways, my question is, what is the best way to fill in the holes? Is there an expanding foam that I can spray in there that will solidify and seal them off? Since I can't stop my neighbor from poisoning the holes I'd like to seal the poison into the holes so my dogs don't get to it.
"I have a theory that the truth is never told during the nine-to-five hours. " — Hunter S. Thompson
Start off by shooting your neighbor
The 3-legged stool of understanding is held up by history, languages, and mathematics. Equipped with these three you can learn anything you want to learn. But if you lack any one of them you are just another ignorant peasant with dung on your boots. R. A. H.
