Treading carefully into the group...

[NannyPatty]

Hi Elgar! You're from the state and close to where I was born. I was raised in the Hill Country on the Edwards Plateau.
Welcome to the new place with old and new friends!

 

[squirrelhunter]

Welcome to 1 of the best darn forums on the net :green man:

 

[Swing]

Glad to see you here. I do remember seeing both names. This a new homey place so relax and be yourself. And a HI for your NH.

 

[Patchouli]

There are cats in and out of the yard once in a while, but not like when we first moved in. I am guessing the cats were keeping the rat population down. Living in town, surrounded by other homes and plenty of housing options for the rats, I think I'd be fighting a losing battle.
I thought we had pocket gophers or moles because of the lumpy trails in the yard but now I think it is the rat highway. I watched a few videos on FB and ht of rats being eliminated by rat dogs and I didn't know they'd just be in the soil. Creepy. Ugh.
And due to the high population of roaming cats, I don't want to put out poison for the rats. We use snap traps mostly.

 

[Sewingcreations15]

@Patchouli we also live close to other houses here as well mostly we have 1/2 acre blocks side by side but a few have chickens and we tend to notice the rats will go about eating the chicken food merrily and are attracted to that as well as the neighbour on the other side of us has a sheep and they seem to be everywhere all over their property and crawling on his roof . I did notice that since our cat Tabatha bought us a present on the back door mat one morning being by the looks of the size of it the female rat that we haven't seen any more for a while.

When I lived on a cattle farm I used to use pumpkin seeds in the traps and found the rats have to pull on those really hard to get them out and I had a better catch rate that way. I also had a Siamese cat that came with the property when I bought it that would leave a pyramid of dead rodents piled up against the door so when I went out to feed her in the morning the whole pile cascaded in the back door, yuck and yuck. She did a mighty job of catching them though.

 

[Redbeard]

I was going to poison or rat problem but then i decided against it because of the owl pair that lives near by. So i just sat up at night and shot them out my window. That with the help of the owl's equals no more rat problem. Then i ended up with a stone wall panther (chipmunk) problem so i spent this last summer blasting them. Now the darn timber tigers (red squirrels) are trying to move in, this spring we will see who wins this war!

 

[Patchouli]

We have heard an owl very close by late at night as well, another reason to not use poison.
I love chipmunks. I would almost tolerate rats except they bring fleas and disease. And they can squeeze through such tiny areas.
This area has a problem with orange-bellied squirrels. Punks.

 

[Redbeard]

We have heard an owl very close by late at night as well, another reason to not use poison.
I love chipmunks. I would almost tolerate rats except they bring fleas and disease. And they can squeeze through such tiny areas.
This area has a problem with orange-bellied squirrels. Punks.

I would let the stone wall panthers live if they stayed in their stone walls. It's when they move into my walls that we have a problem. I love that you called the squirrels punks, i don't know why i just do. Made me laugh!

 

[Patchouli]

They are total punks. They're daredevils too. We can say "squirrel" and the doge will freak to get outside. If a squirrel is not in a tree (browsing on the ground or deck) and we release the hound, it is just split seconds of time from the doge out the door to squirrel's location, but alas, no squirrel because they push it to the limit on their timing and jump back into the tree. Many close calls.
I've always discouraged doge from chasing other animals (canines, felines and rabbits), but can't stop the squirrel chase. Just a game.
The chipmunks get into the walls of your house? Oh, we used steel wool pads, with soap or not, I prefer not, and put it in holes where critters can get in. This was to prevent rats from coming in. They can't chew through it.
We had pigeons in the walls of an ancient log home we lived in in the city once. Another house was built right up against it, but pigeons could get in between. They don't sleep all night, I can tell you that!

 

[Terri9630]

Welcome!!! I recall the name from somewhere, but I don't recall where. In any case, sit down and have a a chat

Me too. I know the name and am pretty sure I liked the poster but can't remember the location. Oh, well... welcome!!!

 

[timmie]

welcome from lower alabama:green man:

 

[Patchouli]

Welcome. I was Belfrybat on HT but have been trying to lose that moniker for several years now. I kept the same avatar so folks from there might remember me. I used to homestead but age and heath and forced me into the city, but I do have a garden and the "homesteading spirit". I've been made welcome here and I know you will as well.

I recognize your avatar! I thought about posting with mine, but I deleted mine on the other place. Hopefully I'll be able to have a voice here.

 

[DrPrepper]

Hi, Patchouli,
Welcome from chilly Northeastern Arizona! I'm not a homesteader either and live in a nice manufactured home neighborhood. I'd love to be on acreage out in the middle of nowhere, but it would make it hard to get to work! The town I'm in is about 3 miles short of the middle of nowhere, so it is a good compromise! I look forward to getting to know you.
Diana