Grrrrrr, RATS!

[planovet]

I believe I have seen your offices, Mark. Is it the one in the formerly Albertson's shopping center, near Chuck's?

If so, how do dogs react to your waiting room full of cats?

CD

Oh, and can I borrow one of those cats?

Yep, that's my "home away from home". I get all different reactions from the dogs, some want to eat the cats and others are scared out of their minds. It's fun to watch the reactions. And it doesn't faze the cats a bit, they barely even acknowledge the dogs. One will sit at the door and hiss at the dogs as they come in. As far as my cats being mousers, I wouldn't count on it. They have never seen a mouse and probably would want to play with it rather than eat it

This is what you need:

[toypusher]

I believe I have seen your offices, Mark. Is it the one in the formerly Albertson's shopping center, near Chuck's?

If so, how do dogs react to your waiting room full of cats?

CD

Oh, and can I borrow one of those cats?

Yep, that's my "home away from home". I get all different reactions from the dogs, some want to eat the cats and others are scared out of their minds. It's fun to watch the reactions. And it doesn't faze the cats a bit, they barely even acknowledge the dogs. One will sit at the door and hiss at the dogs as they come in. As far as my cats being mousers, I wouldn't count on it. They have never seen a mouse and probably would want to play with it rather than eat it

This is what you need:

Were did you get a picture of a Secret Air Force Snipper???

[Lgboro]

I trade a few for some fire ants-they have set up a circle battleground between where I park and my front door. I won a few battles but the war could still go either way. I'm waiting for an infusion of federal funding so I can mount a proper offensive.

[bobhenry]

Tis . The season ..........

Our little town of 1800 is 15 miles from anywhere surrounded by corn and soy bean fields. When the crops come in so do the mice and rats. I am prepareing for the annual battle.

[caseydog]

I trade a few for some fire ants-they have set up a circle battleground between where I park and my front door. I won a few battles but the war could still go either way. I'm waiting for an infusion of federal funding so I can mount a proper offensive.

Fire ants have gotten bad here, too. Just in the last few months, I've had four big mounds in my yard.

[dmb90260]

Since I can't send my dogs to help with your rat problem, here is something I have found about fighting fire ants:
****************************************************
I live in irving, but i have NO fire ants!!!
this is the reason. Orange oil is the main ingredient in fir ant controls, so in the spring, when it is time for them to swarm, I get about an 8 pound bag of oranges. Navels seem to have more oil in the peels.
I have the grandkids over, and they eat some healthy oranges, I chop the peels, and we scatter them on the lawn. It keeps the fire ants out of the yard.
they are already here, so chop orange peels, and scatter a handful right on the nests, and they will leave.
Or, just chop enough to cover the whole yard.
I just broadcast them by hand.
To stretch the orange oil and cover a larger area, easier, you can put the peels in a food processor or blender and gring them up really well, then dump them in Epsom salts.
I put the peels of about 4 large or 6 medium oranges in 2 bags of epsom Salts.
I buy containers that look like about a half gallon, of Epsom Salts at Walmart for about 3 dollars.
My front yard is about 3000 sq.ft. and I use about 6 of those bags of epsom Salts.
I just do that in the spring ( or once a year) and it seems to work the whole year.
The epsom Salts adds nutrients to the soil too.
the sugar doesn't attract ants, because you water it in, besides, if you make a healthy enviornment for the lizards, toads and grass snakes, they will eat all the ants that come into your yard. I used to have those small black ants in my flower beds, no more.
In fact, since I have a totally organic program going, I have NO unwanted insects in my yard or my house, and i use NO insecticides inside or out.
*******************************************************

I found it here: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Lawns-725/Sugar-lawn-vs-fire.htm

There are a number of suggestions and ideos here http://tinyurl.com/3qlvpb

You may need one of the spiders in the first video. He may help with your rat problem too.

[caseydog]

Thanks for the tips, Dennis. I have not had a fireant problem in the eight years I have lived in this house. Now, the problem is that as I kill the mound with Amdro, the survivors are dividing and building new mounds.

I used to treat the yard at my old house with Dursban, but that has been banned. That took care of ants, grubs and fleas. I never treated my dogs for fleas, and they never had them, because I treated the yard, instead.

I'm not a tree-hugger, but I do try not to use poisonous chemicals if I can the job done without them, so I'll check out some of these botanical alternatives.

As for the rats, the thought of using rat poisons bothers me a lot. First, because they can be eaten by critters other than rats that I don't want to kill, and because I don't want the rats to crawl under something and die, leaving me with the smell of rotting rats around my house.

CD

[planovet]

I used to treat the yard at my old house with Dursban, but that has been banned. That took care of ants, grubs and fleas. I never treated my dogs for fleas, and they never had them, because I treated the yard, instead.

I miss Dursban. For people with pets it was the best thing for treating your yard for fleas and ticks. It did a great job.

[Elumia]

I've used DIATOMACEOUS EARTH around the foundation of the house and when I had an ant infestetion in the foam insulation of my hot tub. Not sure if it would work for fire ants too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

I'm pretty sure it is commonly available at Home depot like stores

Mark

[Sparksalot]

Rodent Cong?!

[starleen2]

Hey casseydog - how about this little one??