Varmints!

[taxlady]

The thing about traps is YOU have to empty them.. That's gross.

The OTC DCon bait, pellets take too long to take effect and be rid of the critters. Mice can be very clever. They know if they eat the pellets or the blocks, they can counter the effects of it by eating dog food kibble.

We went to the hardware store and bought this. It truly only takes one bite. They eat it and immediately take off to seek water. Water won't help them now. It definitely has to be kept away from pets. It's very effective in getting rid of rodents.

Rat/mouse Poison, Just One Bite Ii Bar, 16 Oz. Bar Farnum Co. 3005449

Munky.

I googled "Bromadioline-anti- coagulant rodenticide" and found this page: Anticoagulant Rodenticide Toxicosis in the Dog and Cat which states, "...However, they also are lethal to non-target species, including domestic dogs and cats. The most common route of rodenticide toxicosis is by direct ingestion of the baits. Capture and ingestion of poisoned rodents also can lead to toxicosis, especially with newer second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides."

 

[taxlady]

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There are too many critters to trap them all. Drive them off by making your home unpleasant for them.

I had heard about those quite a while ago, but there used to be issues because dogs and cats could hear them too. The makers of this seem to have done some research and solved that problem.

 

[FrankZ]

We had a rat problem for a while (we live in the city) around our house, not inside. We tried everything to get rid of the pesky things. The city came out a couple of times to gas em and dumped poison down any hole they might have gone into.

I bought a new garbage can for outside, since the city guy said that would help. In less than 24 hours we had a hole chewed in it you could have pushed a football through.

Metal trash cans did the trick though. We noticed a drop off in activity in weeks, and haven't seen one in a couple years.

Remove the food source, or the ability to get to the food and they move on.

 

[Timothy]

Timothy, never had a rodent problem in Florida (I lived maybe 90 min south of you for 6 yrs).

Natural predators may have kept the population down as they do for me. At night here, it sounds like an Owl Chorus out there. They eat anything that dares to show itself.

I love listening to them at night. Each one has a specific Hoot. I've learned to tell them apart.

 

[Andy M.]

I had heard about those quite a while ago, but there used to be issues because dogs and cats could hear them too. The makers of this seem to have done some research and solved that problem.

My daughter, who owns a dog, has been using these for years with good results.

 

[Addie]

Natural predators may have kept the population down as they do for me. At night here, it sounds like an Owl Chorus out there. They eat anything that dares to show itself.

I love listening to them at night. Each one has a specific Hoot. I've learned to tell them apart.

Owls are silent hunters. They glide through the air and their intended victim never hears it coming. They don't flap their wings once they leave their perch and have an eye on their prey. Unlike hawks, they don't dive, They just glide down with their talons outstretched and grab their prey. Then they fly back to the nest.

We had an owl family in the tree over by the barn on the farm. We would sit very quietly on the porch and watch the parents swoop down on anything that dared to leave the safety of the barn. Kept the cat in the house at night.

 

[chopper]

Owls are silent hunters. They glide through the air and their intended victim never hears it coming. They don't flap their wings once they leave their perch and have an eye on their prey. Unlike hawks, they don't dive, They just glide down with their talons outstretched and grab their prey. Then they fly back to the nest.

We had an owl family in the tree over by the barn on the farm. We would sit very quietly on the porch and watch the parents swoop down on anything that dared to leave the safety of the barn. Kept the cat in the house at night.

I have a great horned owl that likes to sit on the roof at night. I know what kind he is by the distinctive "who" and because we have seen him early evening and early morning sitting on the house. He looks right at us and stays put, but I sure wouldn't want to be a cat. "Hooty" as we call him, woke me up last night and kept me awake for quite some time. The ground squirrel population is kept at bay by this guy, as is the mouse population. I'm ok with having him wake me sometimes. Last night he was talking to another owl further away.

 

[Timothy]

Owls are silent hunters. They glide through the air and their intended victim never hears it coming. They don't flap their wings once they leave their perch and have an eye on their prey. Unlike hawks, they don't dive, They just glide down with their talons outstretched and grab their prey. Then they fly back to the nest.

We had an owl family in the tree over by the barn on the farm. We would sit very quietly on the porch and watch the parents swoop down on anything that dared to leave the safety of the barn. Kept the cat in the house at night.

I saw one get a rattlesnake one evening. It came from above, silent and deadly, hit the rattler at high speed, scrambled on the ground for just a few seconds and flew up to a branch with the snake in it's talons. I watched, using my binoculars, while the Owl smashed the snakes head on the branch until it was pulp, then eat it head first, one gulp at a time until a minute later, no snake and a nice full Owl Belly.

Wonderful creatures! I love Owls.

 

[CraigC]

Several colubrids would take care of the rodents.

Craig

 

[taxlady]

I have a great horned owl that likes to sit on the roof at night. I know what kind he is by the distinctive "who" and because we have seen him early evening and early morning sitting on the house. He looks right at us and stays put, but I sure wouldn't want to be a cat. "Hooty" as we call him, woke me up last night and kept me awake for quite some time. The ground squirrel population is kept at bay by this guy, as is the mouse population. I'm ok with having him wake me sometimes. Last night he was talking to another owl further away.

When I lived in the country, we had a great horned owl living in our "attic". We could hear it leave to go hunting on well lit nights. It used to help itself to the first bunny on the snare line. I'm glad it moved out in early spring. Apparently they are really good providers for their young and they keep a larder in their nest. Their favourite food is skunk.

 

[Timothy]

Several colubrids would take care of the rodents.

Craig

Half the state of Florida is covered in snakes. You name it, we have it. Snakes love Florida.

 

[Addie]

I love to watch Mother Nature at work. When I was younger and took hikes in the White Mountains, I used to turn over logs to see what was living under it. I also taught my Girl Scouts to do this. At first they were horrified at all the crawly things. Then their fascination grew. City kids. What do they know?

 

[CraigC]

Half the state of Florida is covered in snakes. You name it, we have it. Snakes love Florida.

All of Florida has snakes. Some are colubrides, some are crotalids and one is an elapid, well at least the natives. Hurricane Andrew provided us with some unwanteds that have established themselves, including a very nasty varanid.

Craig

 

[Addie]

Florida is having a very serious problem with really dangerous snakes that are multiplying faster than bunnies. Most of them are pets that have become too big to handle or are not wanted anymore.

 

[Constance]

Get a cat. Doesn't matter if it's a good mouser or not. The mere presence of a cat will keep out a lot of varmints.

 

[taxlady]

I love to watch Mother Nature at work. When I was younger and took hikes in the White Mountains, I used to turn over logs to see what was living under it. I also taught my Girl Scouts to do this. At first they were horrified at all the crawly things. Then their fascination grew. City kids. What do they know?

When I was a Girl Sprout, I (suburban kid) was the one turning over the rocks and horrifying the grown ups. I learned to lift the far side of the rock. I remember lifting a rock and finding a rattler. It looked to be at least as scared as me. I put the rock back down, end of story. Well, there were some freaked out grown ups when I told them about it.

 

[Timothy]

When I was a Girl Sprout, I (suburban kid) was the one turning over the rocks and horrifying the grown ups. I learned to lift the far side of the rock. I remember lifting a rock and finding a rattler. It looked to be at least as scared as me. I put the rock back down, end of story. Well, there were some freaked out grown ups when I told them about it.

I've had quite a few times that I discovered a rattler on my current property. Nasty creatures. Plenty of them in the wild here. A friend of mine killed one that was HUGE. It was so large that he was holding its head above his own head level and its tail was still on the ground. The center of the snake was about a foot thick. Nasty, nasty, nasty!

 

[taxlady]

I've had quite a few times that I discovered a rattler on my current property. Nasty creatures. Plenty of them in the wild here. A friend of mine killed one that was HUGE. It was so large that he was holding its head above his own head level and its tail was still on the ground. The center of the snake was about a foot thick. Nasty, nasty, nasty!

They are not nasty. They are only mean if you harass them. Leave them alone and they will leave you alone.

 

[chopper]

When I lived in the country, we had a great horned owl living in our "attic". We could hear it leave to go hunting on well lit nights. It used to help itself to the first bunny on the snare line. I'm glad it moved out in early spring. Apparently they are really good providers for their young and they keep a larder in their nest. Their favourite food is skunk.

I'm ok with this one just hanging out, and not actually living here. We still have a lot of Jack Rabbits, but have noticed a decline in the cotton tail population. Didn't think of that...

 

[Dawgluver]

I like snakes and spiders, not so much in the house probably. Add frogs and toads, walking sticks, and other creepy crawlies.

Love hearing the owls at night.