Rats are vermin and cause disease so you need to get rid of rats as soon as you find evidence - otherwise you will be overwhelmed with rats within juts a few months. Here is one author's true tales about rats.

All three of these are true; I couldn't have made them up. I was an eye witness to all three and even ate some of number three. If you are a little queasy, you might want to read these accounts a bit later when your system has settled down.

Popular Rat Catching Remedies:

Victor Electronic Rat Trap

Black Hole Rodent Trap

Rat Zapper

Rat Story #1 ocurred recently after we had constructed our house in rural Veracruz. It was made of adobe mud walls and had cement floors. It has wooden rafters and a tin roof that heats up in the hot season. It is dry but could flood with long periods of rain or a hurricane. It is still standing and with relatives living in it now.

One night we are in bed and the wife is asleep. I'm looking up at the rafters wondering what in God's name I was doing in rural Veracruz. Then I see him walking on the rafter, slowly and delilberately -- a big ugly rat. I reach over for my .22 rifle, unlock the safety and aim.

"Don't you dare," was all she said. She was right...the piece of tin was worth a lot more than the dead rat. She grew up on a ranch so she knows about these things. I put the gun down and noticed the rat had stopped and turned his head toward me as if to say ... well, you can imagine what the rat said. He certainly knew how to pour salt on the wound.

Rat Story #2. We had just moved into the palapas in our Maya village when one afternoon we both noticed a smell like something had died. Sometimes in the city we don't get those type of smells... I went outside and tried to find the source but to no avail.

When we got back from the ranch the next day the smell was overwhelming. Being the farmgirl that she is,she pointed to the loft and said 'it's up there. Go get it and get rid of it'. Being the farmgirl that she is, she knows what to do in these types of situations and how to get me to do it.

I crawl up into the loft over our air bed and find the dead critter directly over my pillow. The critter was not only smelling but beginning to ooze as well.

At night, just before going to sleep, she said ' you know, that dead, dripping rat was right over your head. If you hadn't gotten it out it would have dripped on you while you slept.' She didn't tell me something I didn't already know but being the farmgirl that she is she wanted to make certain I knew.

Rat Story #3 involves my friend Poot and catching the tepe. It's actually something all civilized people should know. It's ecologically sound as it uses no chemicals or otherwise degrades the environment. Poot traps these animals with a rock and stick trap outside their dens. One night they're wandering back in from a night on the jungle and bingo, there is one trapped tepe.

Poot caught one, skinned it, cut it up, built a fire of really hot coals, laid the tepe meat on banana leaf stalks, covered the whole thing with a metal card table top and then buried it in dirt for a little an hour. Technically speaking the tepe is not a rat but it has rat teeth and rat hands and feet. And the Maya absolutley do not eat house rats, like the one in Rat Story #2.

With no condiments or marination -- just the meat, and no other requirements. To be served with hot tortillas and habanero salsa. Tastes like a cross between pork and chicken. Mmmm....that's good rat!

So there you have my nominations for best rat story. If you've got better ones, let me know.

The truth is we can never have too many good rat stories.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nature-articles/three-good-and-true-rat-stories-188675.html

Author: Jack Deal

About the Author:

Jack D. Deal is the owner of Deal Business Consulting. He can be contacted at jddeal@jddeal.com Related articles can be found at http://www.jddeal.com and http://www.freeandinquiringmind.typepad.com

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They might be cute, or they might be big and ugly, but their incessant need to chew is not helping your home. Rodents can do serious damage to your woodwork, wallboard, insulation and siding. The mess they leave in your kitchen cupboard is frustrating, sure, and with the costs of food going up you can't afford to fork out for your furry friends' dinners as well as your own.

Tackle the rodent issue as soon as you spot signs of their encroachment - don't wait until you find yourself leaping onto a chair to avoid that rat racing across the kitchen. At that point, you'll be waging a war rather than just defending your borders.

Popular Rat Catching Devices:

Black Hole Rodent Trap

Rat Zapper

Havahart 1020 Two Door Cage Trap for Mice and Rats 10 x 3 x 3

If you've copped on to the presence of critters early enough, you may be able to use non-lethal force. It may be a matter of blocking their entrances and encouraging them to go elsewhere. Fill any holes they might be entering through and caulk cracks. Screens and steel wool (which can't be chewed through) are good deterrents.

If you have children or pets you may want to try natural rodent repellents. Some people suggest putting cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil near openings and in areas rodents frequent. Others swear by keeping little bowls of black pepper near food areas. Bunches of mint and/or lavender may be another way to deter the little (or bigger) critters. Another solution is an odor based repellant - these use the odor of predatory animals to frighten rodents off.

Keeping in the humane vein, live traps can be effective, but only if you take your unwanted tenants far enough from home that they can't find their way back. Also, be aware that rodents spread disease, which you may want to think about before you go ferrying them around town. The regular, lethal traps are probably a safer, more effective choice. Think about the placement of your traps. Most rodents have poor eyesight and keep close to the walls, only venturing into open space when necessary so set your goods in their passage, not in the middle of the room.

For others who want to keep their hands clean, or who have a reoccurring rodent issue, getting a cat can be an excellent solution. But remember, not all cats are born mousers and you may inevitably need to step up your game. Depending on where you live, you may want to reinforce the perimeter of the property by building nest boxes to attract natural predators such as barn owls.

When all else fails (or if you haven't the patience to wait that long), it's time to turn to poison. The nature of rodents means that they will eat a little, wait and if they don't get sick, return for another meal. Prior to using a poison, you may want to leave out regular food for a few days, so that the rodents learn to trust the food source before adding poison.

There are many reasons you may not want to use traditional anticoagulant poisons, the main ones being that the poison can cause toxicity in children and other animals. Unintended death is a possible outcome depending on the type of poison and how quickly the patient is treated - be sure to keep the poison out of reach of family and pets. Some animals can get secondary poisoning by eating the poisoned rodent, which can happen when the toxic rodent goes outside to die. If you have other pets and children you should be careful that they aren't in contact with the bait or the deceased animal.

When you have finally won the battle, try to avoid round two: make an effort to keep food stored in sealed containers and be aware of pet food, composts and other possible lures. Use bird feeders that recapture any unwanted seed, rather than allowing it to become snack food for unwanted pests. By removing the food incentive you can forgo inviting those rascally rodents for a return visit.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/get-rid-of-rodents-once-and-for-all-396372.html

Author: Mike Magner

About the Author:

Learn more about issues in the Boston MA real estate area at MikeMagner.com. This website has details on home styles throughout the city, neighborhood information on spots like the Roslindale real estate area, and a free property search.

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The Rat Terrier is a lively, spunky, and intelligent dog. 

Find out more about this breed here.

It was back in 1820, in Great Britain, that the Rat Terrier was first developed by crossing the Manchester Terrier and the Smooth Fox Terrier. They became very popular in the United States when they were taken there in the 1890s. The breeders in America crossed it once more with the Whippet, the Beagle and the Smooth Fox Terrier. This is because they wanted to incorporate the bulkiness, hunting instincts and the red color of the Beagle, plus the brindle and blue colors, and the agility and speed of the Whippet. The smallest variety of the Rat Terrier was derived by crossing the Chihuahua with the Smooth Fox Terrier. Named by President Theodore Roosevelt, the Rat Terrier is a hard working breed used in farms to get rid of pestiferous creatures like rats.

The Physical Features of the Rat Terrier

The Rat Terrier has powerful legs, solid neck, powerful shoulders, deep chest, and is well muscled. Although they are physically compact, they are muscularly substantive. The ears are usually ripped or upright and kept erect when it is alert. They are usually born with either full-length or short tails, which can be either docked when they are two days old, or left intact. They come in a variety of coat colors such as red brindle, blue and white, black and tan, solid red, tri-spotted, red and white, chocolate, sable, and pearl. Rat Terrier breeders that breed just working dogs are not particular about the specifications of the looks.

There are three sizes of Rat Terriers: The Standard Sized, which weighs 12 to 35 pounds, or 51/2 to 16 kg, and is 14 to 23 inches or 351/2 to 581/2 cm in height; the Mid-Sized, which weighs 6 to 8 pounds or 3 to 31/2 kg, an is 8 to 14 inches or 20 to 351/2 cm in height; and the Toy, which weighs 4 to 6 pounds or 2 to 3 kg, and is 8 inches or 20 cm in height.

The Temperament of the Rat Terrier

The Rat Terrier dog makes a great watchdog because it is always alert, lively, energetic, and spunky. This breed makes a good companion in the right kind of household, although it does require proper training, since it has the tendency of snapping if frightened. As long as it is socialized when it is a puppy it gets along well with other pets in the house. Care must be taken not to leave smaller types of animals unsupervised around it, if it has not been adequately socialized to be with them, or has not been raised with them.

The Rat Terrier can sometimes be willful and stubborn, and can also be reserved with strangers, although they do warm up quite quickly. Despite its small size, the Rat Terrier is often fearless, even when faced with a larger adversary, showing the true characteristics of the terrier breed. It is especially good in a single person home, providing the companionship and affection that is required.
Being highly intelligent, the Rat Terrier picks up training faster compared to other breeds. It is eager to learn and also eager to please its owner.

Rat Terrier Care and Grooming

The Rat Terrier does not need much grooming. An occasional brushing with a rubber brush or a firm bristle is all that is required to get rid of any dead or loose hair. It needs to be bathed just about once in six months. If it's bathed too frequently it will result in removing the natural oils that exist in its coat, which can result in skin problems, which the Rat Terrier has a tendency for. During the cold weather, it should be protected adequately with sweaters, since it gets chill very quickly because of its short coat.

As far as exercising the Rat Terrier is concerned, it needs a daily walk or even a jog, for about 20-30 minutes per day. The Rat Terrier loves outdoor romps and challenging games.

Owning a Rat Terrier

If you are thinking of owning a dog of this breed, look for Rat Terrier puppies from Rat Terrier breeders that are reputable, or you could check out a Rat Terrier rescue and adopt one from there. Before actually purchasing one, however, make sure you know every character trait of this breed to see if it suits what you are looking for. They make great pets in families that are suited to them.

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Rats are a scary and dirty home invader. When you have a rat in your home all you want to do is get rid of it. Rats are dirty and carry disease. You do not want them in your home. They can also be quite damaging and will chew on anything.

If you end up with a rat in your home you should make it top priority to learn how to get rid of rats.

Find Where they Live

The first step in rat removal is finding out where they are living. Rats will live in a number of places both inside and outside. Here are some top spots you will find them:

- wood piles

- bushes

- tall grass

- rock areas

- large trash items, like furniture

- abandoned cars

- insulated areas

- crawl spaces

- behind cupboards

- under bathtubs

- by hot water heaters

- by furnaces

- in basement areas

- in attics

Rat Attractions

There are many things that attract rats. You will find that they are mainly attracted to food sources, such as:

- garbage

- pet food

- fruits and berries on trees and bushes

- compost areas

- dog dropping

Inside the house they will try to get at any food that is available. They will get into boxes and bags of food.

Some Ways to Get Rid of Rats

Here are some things you can do to get rid of rats:

- Stack wood 18 inches off the ground.

- Put pet food and bird seed where it is not easily accessible.

- Keep lids on garbage cans.

- Keep bushes trimmed to at least 3 feet away from your home.

- Do not allow junk to pile up.

- Do not put animal products in your compost pile.

- Keep food stored in plastic containers.

- Trim branches away from house.

Taking away hiding spaces and food supply will likely drive the rats away form your home and make it less inviting for them.

Taking good measures to keep rats away is the best way to keep them out of your home. However, when they get in you need to get rid of them as quickly as possible. You can try traps, but if they do not work then you need to call a professional in to help you so that the problem does not get out of hand.

Learn how to get rid of pests today! It is easy when you know how! Visit us at http://www.howtogetridofpests.net and learn how to get rid of pests and learn more about Natural Pest Control

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Then

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How to get rid of rats

Eliminating rats requires a two way approach -

1. Blocking Their Access To Your Home
2. Catching rats In The Land Around Your Home

Start by keeping your garbage as far from your building as possible. Try not to leave garbage bags exposed on the ground.
If you have trees next to your home, cut away any branches that touch the building. Check the base of your property for any openings, rats can get through even the smallest of holes!

Traps are the safest way of catching rats! The best bait for trapping a rat is generally considered to be strong smelling foods. To use traps you must be patient! Rats are extremely perceptive and get to know their surroundings. There are lots of different traps available on the market for catching rats today. So which are the best ones? Well there are the ever popular, and highly recommended, traditional "snap traps". The "snap trap" will kill rats and mice instantly and are therefore very popular! There are traps that keep rats hidden and free you - the trapper - from contact with them, they are generally referred to as "no see" traps. An ideal solution for most whose stomach's turn at the thought of rats, let alone having to find a way of getting rid of rats.

Unfortunately rats leave pheromone tracks that other rats may be attracted to. Rats can also reproduce up to ten times a year. Getting rid of rats can become a bit of a struggle! But if you take the preventative measures recommended in this article and be patient, you will get rid of the rats.

David Stuart
www.gettingridofrats.com

By: David Stuart

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

After lots of research and effort I managed to rid my property of rats. I have created what I hope will be a very useful article for those with rat problems. www.gettingridofrats.com

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