tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post7560156969244452016..comments2024-03-28T00:20:01.688-05:00Comments on Little Blog In The Big Woods: Rat Control: Review.Greenpahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-35086051763710892812018-01-09T17:19:16.462-06:002018-01-09T17:19:16.462-06:00Having several cats in the neighborhood I tried th...Having several cats in the neighborhood I tried the plaster of paris idea. <br />I used suet and pop and it gets eaten immediately. <br />Not certain if it is working but rodents disappear after eating and i don't see any for several days. Reghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07421945568533961074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-32905164035792342592018-01-08T11:42:16.483-06:002018-01-08T11:42:16.483-06:00Reg - I have heard of the plaster of paris idea, b...Reg - I have heard of the plaster of paris idea, but I don't know anyone who has tried it. It sounds plausible. And I'd bet there are several videos on YouTube by now- :-)<br /><br />Anony 1/8; Silly me, I thought, "well, it says right up at the top of the blog, for goodness sakes." But- it doesn't. I'm pretty sure it used to; but; this is "Blogger", which when I started using it in 2007 was an independent company - but somewhere a few years ago it was acquired by Google. They always tinker with identities.<br /><br />Blogger is not bad, and mostly serves my needs. Mostly; there are always a few things one would like different. It does have a lot of ways to customize your blog; most of which I have not ever investigated. Teaching your blog to jump through new hoops seems to always be more time consuming and frustrating than it ought to be...Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-63579391425333732018-01-08T10:48:06.541-06:002018-01-08T10:48:06.541-06:00Hello! I know this is kind of off topic but I was ...Hello! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform <br />are you using for this site? I'm getting fed up of Wordpress because I've had issues with hackers and I'm <br />looking at options for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-47354674213796215672017-11-10T22:42:02.417-06:002017-11-10T22:42:02.417-06:00I have mice and rats in my motorhome and the zappe...I have mice and rats in my motorhome and the zapper has worked well. 4 rats and 1 mouse, after i found a good spot.<br /><br />I need to add more traps but cant use poison, due to the cat population. I read about mixing bird seed and plaster of paris. The theory that the plaster will harden aftre they drink water, and block their digestive process,killing them.<br /><br />Do you think this would work? <br />As the p of p would be hard it would not harm the cats feeding on the dead rodents.<br /> <br />Your thoughts Greenpa?<br />Reghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07421945568533961074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-45594015234050340352017-06-13T08:52:30.193-05:002017-06-13T08:52:30.193-05:00Thanks for getting back to me. After I asked the q...Thanks for getting back to me. After I asked the question I just put 4 very small pieces of the chocolate in there and the next morning he had eaten 3 out of the 4. I assume the trap must have been defective so I ordered a different one and baited it in the same place with the same chocolate. Mouse zapped the very first night with the new one. So, it was just that specific trap that was no good and as a whole this prodect is great. Just wanted to update you. Thanks again!<br /><br /> <a href="https://www.awael-alkhaleg.com/%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%AB-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85/" rel="nofollow">شركة نقل اثاث من الرياض الى الدمام</a> <a href="https://www.awael-alkhaleg.com/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%B2%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%AB-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6/" rel="nofollow">شركة تخزين اثاث بالرياض</a> <br />sameerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12740811215271478870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-66793674953801990542016-11-12T08:15:47.734-06:002016-11-12T08:15:47.734-06:00Thanks for getting back to me. After I asked the q...Thanks for getting back to me. After I asked the question I just put 4 very small pieces of the chocolate in there and the next morning he had eaten 3 out of the 4. I assume the trap must have been defective so I ordered a different one and baited it in the same place with the same chocolate. Mouse zapped the very first night with the new one. So, it was just that specific trap that was no good and as a whole this prodect is great. Just wanted to update you. Thanks again!Kerrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17376288758599465745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-51961724526701837102016-11-12T07:24:49.598-06:002016-11-12T07:24:49.598-06:00Mom - keep us informed!
Kerri - I've had simi...Mom - keep us informed!<br /><br />Kerri - I've had similar things happen. Multiple things to try. I think when the trap "misses", which can happen, it's usually a matter of a mismatch in the trap and the size of the animal. VERY big rats may just not hit the right places at the right time (rarely!); and some kinds of mice - are small enough that the same thing can happen. We've got a lot of species of mice out there, and they move and jump in different ways. <br /><br />If your problem is mostly mice - the same company makes a smaller version of the trap, just for mice. I haven't tried it myself; but it makes sense. Besides the different trap; A) try different bait - shoot for something "sticky"; not so easy to grab and run. Sticky bait is always a pain to clean up at some point; but - for a particularly difficult mouse (they ARE individuals) it may be the easiest thing. I'd first try dipping your chocolate bait (they're used to it) - in gooey peanut butter; or rendered bacon grease. Actually, I find the company's strong recommendation to just use 3-4 pieces of dry dog food works excellently well - rolling that in a little sticky stuff could help too. <br /><br />And/or - change traps. If you have their feeding place and pattern found - a plain old snap trap in place of the Zapper can work - once, at least, I actually got a particularly difficult mouse by setting a Victor "easy set" spring trap, the kind with the big flat yellow plastic treadle, just INSIDE the Zapper. If the mouse is used to finding easy food there- it's comforting. Putting just a little peanut butter on the plastic treadle does help; though it can work without it.<br /><br />Outsmarting mice is not always that easy! Lots of species - with lots of tricks.Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-50542876768898548392016-11-09T03:39:58.196-06:002016-11-09T03:39:58.196-06:00So I got this thing on October 24th and put it out...So I got this thing on October 24th and put it out immediately. I've been using chocolate, which I read mice love, amd have not had a nibble until tonight when on 2 separate occadions within 30 minutes time I heard something amd went to look and the little bastard had pulled pieces out of the trap and not been zapped. I bought fresh batteries and I see the green light flashing when I turn it on, but no success. Any thoughts/suggestions?Kerrihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17376288758599465745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-11791766712067387952016-10-31T16:02:06.676-05:002016-10-31T16:02:06.676-05:00Thank you for this very informative post. I have b...Thank you for this very informative post. I have been in our new house in Scottsdale in what I consider to be a suburban area. We are bordered by extremely busy roads and there has been a bobcat in my yard, a hawk on the fence and three dead rats! My house in Denver is in the city, on a alley, with a dumpster, and I have never had a rat. Panic mode!!!! My husband did have tamper proof poison out, but I am not comfortable with it now that my dogs and cats are here. I will be trying this trap immediately. <br />Thanks again, <br />Grossed out in ArizonaThe Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13311977560015431156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-74577626811655394392016-08-08T17:53:14.050-05:002016-08-08T17:53:14.050-05:00The article was up to the point and described the ...The article was up to the point and described the information very effectively. Thanks to blog author for wonderful and informative post. <br /><a href="http://www.preston-pest-control.com/" rel="nofollow">pest control san antonio</a>james brownnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02028427553636467260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-92114692453766557732016-08-03T19:52:42.923-05:002016-08-03T19:52:42.923-05:00Got a fat mouse last night using the upside down b...Got a fat mouse last night using the upside down bucket system. So one of the traps still works for sure. This has been (and continues) a bumper year for the mice. Usually the Eagles, Hawks, Owls and Coyotes keep the mice in check as well as the cotton tail rabbits but this year the predators are living somewhere else or something, who knows with the hot weather these days. It has been a record setting summer, not only for higher temps but solar intensity has the collectors humming like never before.<br /><br />We have the skunk live trap set as well but haven't caught anything. We know they are out there though.Taoshumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01012819924480105281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-84783534366269107422016-08-03T10:06:45.543-05:002016-08-03T10:06:45.543-05:00Taoshum - whew. The bucket with a hole is an exce...Taoshum - whew. The bucket with a hole is an excellent practice; one I've used in many situations, including in winter in deep snow. And - you can bait the bucket without putting the trap in - and get the rodents trained to come there; then add the trap later. Typically you'll catch more, faster, with pre-baiting. And you might use one trap to work 3 or 4 buckets - save a little money.Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-66262762549639985352016-08-02T21:15:04.049-05:002016-08-02T21:15:04.049-05:00I guess I was "lucky" this time. After ...I guess I was "lucky" this time. After drying for a few hours in the super warm garage, I put the batteries back in and got a green light. I'll put a bucket over each of them with a rock on top and a small path for the mice. We are trying to keep them away from the RV. These traps have been working better than I expected for the most part.<br /><br />As a bit of product review for others... the battery compartment has a hard time staying closed so for a while I used some masking tape to keep the lid on... The trap compartment lid has some tiny, tiny hinge pins that broke off almost immediately... I didn't even realize they were there until I say these tiny pieces of plastic in the bottom. The baiting instructions are not very clear either, so I did some experimentation and between peanut butter and some dog food pellets I found an approach that seems to work. Between the battery compartment lid and the bait compartment lid, nothing was staying closed so I took a velcro type cable tie and wrapped around the whole thing to keep the door/lids secured.<br /><br />Soooo, while the product design and the plastic lid design are flawed, this thing could use some design improvements... even a few screws like the ones that hold the lid on the electronics compartment would be better than these snaps that don't work. And the bait "shelf"... no reason this could not be larger and more V shaped!!! <br /><br />If Victor needs some more US engineering and product design consulting time, they could send me a contract.<br /><br />Hope the mice stay away but if not, I hope this trap gets rid of 'em.Taoshumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01012819924480105281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-53005943059787741142016-08-02T19:01:48.836-05:002016-08-02T19:01:48.836-05:00Taoshum - ouch. You can dry drying them, very ver...Taoshum - ouch. You can dry drying them, very very thoroughly and slowly -take the batteries out and keep the battery cover off while you do. Getting them warm (not hot) in direct sunlight for an hour or two might be good. But... these things are rather cheaply made, I fear- and water-proofing electronics is not cheap. There's a pretty good chance they will be dead. The original Zapper offered a plastic box for "outdoor" use - for this reason. I have a Victor too (research!) - and it seems to me far more cheaply made than the Zapper.Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-4995909772176701182016-08-02T17:32:52.173-05:002016-08-02T17:32:52.173-05:00Help!!! Two of the Victor versions have been doin...Help!!! Two of the Victor versions have been doing great under the car at night but last night it rained and something pushed the traps out into the rain just in front of the bumper so they got wet. Of course all the bait is gone. Now the light won't come on. I checked the batteries, 4 AA, and all are slightly over 1.5Volts. <br /><br />I guess I'll let 'em dry indoors toight and try 'em again tomorrow. I could change the 8 batteries???<br /><br />Any recommendations????<br /><br />Thanks! and I hope they aren't dead.Taoshumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01012819924480105281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-2236383208225990442016-06-28T02:48:09.657-05:002016-06-28T02:48:09.657-05:00Thank you for this review, I've rats in my hom...Thank you for this review, I've rats in my home and don't think professional bait is doing the trick! Have now purchased and hope this does the job as I am terrified!Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11896034265418007129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-92200701354059390062014-09-06T12:18:33.233-05:002014-09-06T12:18:33.233-05:00This is a great review of the trap system and nove...This is a great review of the trap system and novel approach to your blog. We at Cascade Pest Control (greater Seattle) are constantly trying to evaluate traps and other control devices or baits. Thanks and keep up the goo work.<br />Kurt Kurt Treftzhttp://www.cascadepest.com/rodent-overview/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-25239237298926215532013-12-16T14:30:26.713-06:002013-12-16T14:30:26.713-06:00A followup:
I contacted the Raticator folks, and ...A followup:<br /><br />I contacted the Raticator folks, and they believe that rechargeable D-cells ought to work in the Max. However, rechargeable D-cells, and their chargers are now pretty expensive. It probably would cost about $120 just to try. At present, there are really good deals available on alkaline D-cells, especially if you buy a 12-pack, so I advise people to wait until rechargeable D-cell prices come down.<br /><br />On the AA cells for the raticator plus, the rechargeables are a good deal.<br /><br />Why the name change to Raticator? A little internet research has revealed that the Rat Zapper inventor, Robert G. Noe, wound up in a major series of lawsuits with the company that sells the Victor brand of traps. A source tells me that the experience was "brutal."<br /><br />I have no connection to these companies except as a customer, but I'm grateful to Mr. Noe for his invention. I'll be buying Raticators from now on.cudBwrongnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-38648689106638192572013-12-15T11:02:10.887-06:002013-12-15T11:02:10.887-06:00I've been using the smaller version of this pr...I've been using the smaller version of this product -- now known as the Raticator Plus, for about 20 years. We use it to control mice in a rural setting. One tip I can add is that rechargeable AA batteries will work well enough in the smaller trap. Try the NiMH low discharge types which are slow to leak away energy when they are not in use. This reduces battery costs to almost zero over a long period.<br /><br />They now make these batteries in a D cell size, but I don't know if thew will work in the large Raticator Max. The manufacturer might be able to tell you.<br /><br />I've used Thomas Distributing as a source of supply for batteries. I have no connection to them, just a customer.cudBwrongnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-278465282856018272013-03-18T13:02:08.842-05:002013-03-18T13:02:08.842-05:00So glad I live in a place without rats. We have bu...So glad I live in a place without rats. We have bushy tailed woodrats, but they are not as hard to trap. And cats get them.<br /><br />Great review - I'll pass it on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-11502897270756230522013-03-08T16:01:41.569-06:002013-03-08T16:01:41.569-06:00Hank- nope; hadn't heard the one about dissolv...Hank- nope; hadn't heard the one about dissolving cable. I do know for a fact they can, and will, chew through cinder block if they have a reason to. Those lovely endlessly growing rodent teeth. Thanks for the link!Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-58416719297527464152013-03-08T15:59:36.003-06:002013-03-08T15:59:36.003-06:00Ruben: "is there a way to tell what my rat po...Ruben: "is there a way to tell what my rat population is?"<br /><br />Estimating mammal populations is an entire field of study- and success is notoriously elusive. Like the time a team of professionals estimated there were 200 deer inside the fence of a hunting preserve. They were "inferior genetics" - and the owner decided to remove them, and replace them with better stock. Professional hunters shot 400 deer before they gave up.<br /><br />Best guess on rats is- if you "see" one; there are at least 4 more you didn't.<br /><br /> "Is there even a point, given that I am in a city and the population could be essentially infinite?"<br /><br /> Exactly. Best to consider it a constant chore- like changing the oil in your car. You gotta.<br /><br />"I guess I don't want to shell the big bucks for a trap if we only have a few."<br /><br /> The calculation includes your time and durability; for me, in terms of rats killed, the zapper cost a fraction of everything else I used. And it's still at work out there, every night. Only for mice at the moment, but my mouse problem is like your rat problem in the city- eternal.<br /><br />"Not to mention all the damn D cells."<br /><br /> They say one set of 4 Ds is good for 50 dead rats, and I think they're right. Still cheap! Greenpahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224906349154302210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-28830541616227411942013-02-27T21:46:58.628-06:002013-02-27T21:46:58.628-06:00http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/RoofRats.asphttp://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/RoofRats.aspHank Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07521410755553979665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-10314293595292780952013-02-27T21:46:26.506-06:002013-02-27T21:46:26.506-06:00>Brown
(Norway)
Hm. I've got roof rats (ak...>Brown<br /> (Norway)<br />Hm. I've got roof rats (aka tree/ivy/rafter/etc). Did you know their urine will dissolve the plastic outer shell around Ethernet cable? It didn't get the individual wire insulation -- by the time I noticed it. but I wouldn't count on it lasting long.<br /><br />Stuff like that makes me doubt technological civilization will long outlast careful attentive routine maintenance.Hank Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07521410755553979665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2703718837080088488.post-66316817344996100722013-02-26T03:51:28.332-06:002013-02-26T03:51:28.332-06:00Great review, lots of information and experience, ...Great review, lots of information and experience, thank you. The co-evolved aspect is important to remember - they have been living with us humans for thousands of years. Eradication is probably impossible (you kill all yours always the neighbours offspring searching for new territory), so working out timing and targeting to keep rat/mouse populations low is the best we can hope for.Clarehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01949529547773247287noreply@blogger.com