Hi everyone--this is that update I promised way back when. As some of you may remember I was losing the war on rats! I got LOTS of advice on how to rid myself and my surroundings of the nasty critters. I tried the baking soda routine (had some minor success), tried the concrete mix (was very disappointed--I thought it was working, but I think they were just away eating as they reappeared fat and happy), the 5 gallon bucket with water in the bottom got several but not enough, our local farm store finally got in the "Just One Bite" that so many of you recommended. IT WORKED! I WON! No more rats munching on our house, or in the chicken coops, dog pens, etc. Hallelujah! What a relief. My husband mowed the fields as far back as he could from the house and barn too--trying to keep any strays in the woods. We've also went on a major junk clean-up campaign and plugged every hole/crack we could find. We NEVER want rats again. UGH! Anyway thanks for all the tips and especially the "Just One Bite" info (I'd never heard of it, our Southern States doesn't carry it, but our local farm store did--they were just out of it for several weeks when I needed it--just a side note: they went out of business Dec 24th, so I'm glad I was able to get it). I have lots of chickens, ducks, guineas, goats, dogs, & cats, so we were very careful where we put it and made sure to pick up and burn any dead rats we found. We had no problems with our animals getting into the poison or eating the dead rats. Thanks again for all the help--this forum is a blessing! Peace on the farm once more!

-- Sharon (spangenberg@hovac.com), January 04, 2002

Answers

Congratulations! Thanks for the feedback about what worked at your place. We have had the occassional rat lurking under our house, and have had success with rat poison placed in the crawl space under the house. It sounds like the stuff you used was even more effective. I'll have to try it when we spot our next unwelcome visitor (rats, I mean!).

-- Liz Rhein (merhein@shentel.net), January 05, 2002.

Isn't that just the nicest thing to no longer feel like you're living in a gingerbread house, with critters eating the walls and floors?! I only had problems in my barns...I would have been off the wall if they'd found their way into my house! Just One Bite got rid of them for me also. Thank goodness!

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), January 05, 2002.