Rats have been tormenting mankind since pretty much forever. They do untold damage. They spread disease and consume a staggering amount of our food. No matter what humans have thrown at them, they have displayed amazing resiliency, and thrived.
Now the EPA has decided to regulate and outlaw rat poisons for various reasons, including accidental child poisonings and damage to wildlife. See: EPA bans Decon
I would happily get behind any method of rat control that didn't involve poison. Besides being dangerous to kitties and dogs, it is expensive, and only partially effective.
However, the EPA's suggested substitutes are absurd. Close up all cracks and crevices on farms. Yeah, okay, our barn is over 200 years old, 120 feet long, and that's just one section, two huge stories tall and has doors, stable cleaner chutes, which can in no possible way be secured and still function, dozens of windows, etc. We keep our grain in a steel augur bin, but inevitably the cows spill some.......And that is just ONE of our many buildings.
Use snap traps. Yeah, there's a plan. If the EPA will come in and set them for me and take the dead rats out I am all for it.
I don't think they will though.
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7 comments:
What about barn cats? My Aunt lived on a farm (not near the size of yours) and they had a dozen or so cats that kept the rat population under control. My Dad has black snakes that do pretty good too.
Just remember: they're the gummint, and they're here to help.
Rats are so amazing. Historically efforts to get rid of them has resulted in better lifestyles for the ones that remain.
Have you thought of using little killing machines, Jack Russell Terriers?
I am so glad we don't have rats, but we do have mice in droves. Ugh
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Haven't had a rat problem. Just mice. So far between Apollo and the cats they haven't been a big one....
"How Do You Deal With Rats?"
Easy.
I go screaming into the wilderness with my hair on fire shrieking " Mommeeeeeeee!!!"
SCMomma, we have a few cats and they catch a few rats. It takes a tough cat to catch a rat because they fight so bad. Chainsaw gets them though
Rev. Paul, and they write these rules from offices protected from vermin by exterminators, for whose services, WE pay!
Jan, we actually have thought of a JRT and almost got one when we got Gil...
Linda, you are fortunate in that, although they are bad enough.
Ruth, that is fortunate.
Cathy, hate em, hate em hate em!
Ohiofarmgirl, I can't even set one! We can't let our dogs run loose because we are right on two big highways. back when we had an English shepherd type dog named Campy that could run loose he killed every rat he found.
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