Tuesday 16 August 2011

You Dirty Rat!

One of the hazards/enjoyments/shocks of dealing with old barns, is what one will find amongst the detritus.

So far, no treasure; but plenty of the above, dried (I imagine poisoned) RATS.

Some years back I had rats in my compost heap, so I put down poison. Later when spreading the compost I came across a large cavity within the mound that was filled with the familiar red-coloured-wheat rat poison, as well as one very dead rat. He was big and fat, and surprisingly attractive. Unlike town sewer rats, he was well coiffed, clean, and not at all evil looking.

However, I'd still rather have them dead than alive.
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15 comments:

  1. We once had pet rats - Mystical Roo made me do it. Personally I prefer a nice friendly bunny.

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  2. I was worried at first I thought you were adding to your pantry...a French delicacy dried rat!
    Always prefer a dead one to a live one.

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  3. I entirely concur with your remarks, for rats are horrid creatures.

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  4. every year I get one infestation, and every year I kill a load of the buggers
    but for most of the time, generally things potter along quite nicely
    I always fear for Albert , who is a slight cat and although a good hunter may come off badly with a large rat......

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  5. Bummer the poison got in your compost pile :O(. Those are some big rats!

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  6. YUK! Not my most favorite creature. Although, years ago, when I was working in the hospital lab, I moved one of the young rats into our lab to keep there as a pet ... a mascot, if you will. That little guy was so tame, he even ate and drank from my finger. Then he bit one of the doctors (a sadistic fellow, I might add, who was aggravating the crap out of the rat with a pencil.) And since the docs made the "laws", that was the end of my poor rat ... Murphy.

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  7. This is what I love about your blog...I never know what's going to hit me...rat carcasses, gorgeous tomatoes, rotting grape vines, a rubber chicken...keep it coming!

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  8. When I first saw your picture, I thought," Cro is serving up another English delicacy." You do have a way of making even disgusting things look elegant.

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  9. I can cope with the odd mouse (our resident owls keep them in check) but rats are a big no no. Ugh!
    Your photo reminds me of the time when I was a student nurse and a guy from Environmental Health came to give a talk. He produced an enormous stuffed rat out of his bag and made us pass it round the classroom. I suppose it was just in case we didn't know what a rat looked like...

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  10. Oh Cro...I just found some large rodent droppings in my basement!
    I guess I need to put down some poison or a trap or two...aaaah...
    I just can't do it!
    I know I don't want what ever is leaving those droppings in my house or basement, any way to show them the door without using the two choices above?
    Maybe I just have to call the 'Pest Control Guy' to do the dastardly deed!

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  11. Oh boy . . . that's not a pleasant sight. I feel bad for them. I read that rats are very intelligent and loving creatures, so you know, it's kind of sad. All creatures great and small . . . but the droppings and the nasty invasions are not good.

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  12. Oh, Amy, rats are very intelligent creatures who nevertheless chew through electric cables, spread disease, and breed like, er.. rabbits!
    Better dried than live in my opinion.

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  13. Ewwww!

    Glad you remembered your anniversary, Cro! Your wife will be too!!! Congrats!!

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  14. If you add water to dried rats will they reconstitute? Just wondered.

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