Well, my rat
population has increased in the last couple of weeks. I guess catching the one in the
have-a-hart trap was a fluke because all I’ve caught in the last week is two
squirrels which I released. Now, it appears I have two large black rats and two
smaller gray ones…don’t know if they are males or not. So far, they remain back
by the chicken yard, but I don’t want them coming any closer to the house.
So, I checked out which pest control companies
had been recommended on Next Door and called a three before I ended up calling
the company John contracted with when he was alive. It’s amazing the response
you get from the various companies.
The
first which had the most positive comments on Next Door told me they actually
prefer looking at your house and taking care of any problems that might allow
rats inside. But, they could provide pest control away from my house. I was
aghast at the price for just that and wonder how much the cost would be if they
were in my house.
The next company I called was answered
by an individual whose English was difficult to understand. Unless my
understanding was incorrect, this company really wasn’t interested in providing
the service.
The
third one asked a number of questions then told me he couldn’t give me a price
until his exterminator came out and looked around. He talked about putting a
hose down the tunnels to flush them out which, in turn, would flush out the
rats and provide some idea of the extent of the problem. Just what I don’t need
are a whole bunch of rats running all over the yard instead of staying back by the
fence.
So, finally, I called the company John
used and they’ll send someone out on today to replenish the bait boxes they
left here last fall. Now, I know this isn’t a good idea, that the bait they eat
kills them someplace else and there’s a potential for another animal to eat the
poisoned rat. I’m really sorry for that, but I. DO. NOT. WANT. RATS. I know the
best method would be to set traps, but my hands aren’t all that strong and I
just know I’d end up snapping my finger(s), or somehow the dogs or cat would
end up in the trap. And, speaking of the cat, why isn’t she taking care of
this. Maybe I should stop feeding her???
If only Mabel would join her sisters
in the big Chickenyard in the Sky, there wouldn’t be any food out there to
attract the rats. Mabel originally belonged to the woman who does my hair…wonder
if she’d be willing to take Mabel back now that she’s all alone. Of course, Mabel
is the hen that crowed which is why she had to give them up, but Mabel doesn’t
crow anymore. Maybe I should call her???