Poor Packrats

Andy has two rat zappers — one in the well house and one in the truck engine compartment. Usually he kills one or two packrats a year, but this year, starting about a week and a half ago, he’s killed eight. Four were from the well house and four from the truck.

Rat Zapper

Rat Zapper

I hate the idea of killing them, but if left alone they can do a lot of damage.

Damage to Truck

Damage to Truck

When he finds them, Andy just puts them out on the grass.

Dead Pack Rat waiting for the ravens.

Dead packrat waiting for the ravens.

The ravens take them away in about an hour.


 

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13 Responses to Poor Packrats

  1. Alan G says:

    Goodness, not a problem to wish on anyone for sure. Sounds like Andy is being fairly successful. You all have my best wishes for sure. Rodents like that as you say can cause an extreme amount of damage and in a short time if not kept in check. The ‘raven’ disposable method is a great idea – everyone wins! 🙂

  2. Rummuser says:

    Poor things but live as you do in a remote area, I see little choice in the matter.

  3. bikehikebabe says:

    We get a packrat every year or two that strips the bushes in the garage for it’s nest. ( There’s an open space where we HAD a tree we planted.) The rat uses these bush leaves for it’s nest which is beautiful, full of strips of colored fabric from rags I’ve stored in the garage. I have a photo of a nest –if I could find it.

    • Jean says:

      It sounds as if yours don’t cause any problems. That’s a blessing for all of you.

    • bikehikebabe says:

      A couple trips to repair damage at engine. Bushes not looking so bushy.

    • bikehikebabe says:

      This time rat got chased away before he did anything.

    • bikehikebabe says:

      Your Country/Mountain rats you can get. But our City street-smart rats won’t go for the cheese/p-nut butter, no matter how good it looks. The best to do is take away their nest & leave their hiding place open. Then rat will leave.

  4. Vicki says:

    Are “packrats” like wild rats? We used to get large wild bush rats on our country property – especially in the feed sheds.
    That’s a lot of damage to your car. Poor things, wish they’d stay away from human dwellings – I guess they’re nesting for the winter ahead.

    • Jean says:

      Packrats are wild, but I don’t know if their the same species as the ones you had. The food we have up there is fairly rodent-proof, but packrats and mice can do a lot of damage when they make their nests.

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