A feral cat had her kittens in one of my bins this spring - between the folds of the tarp I keep on top. Since I got tendinitis at around the same time, and had to stay off my foot, she was undisturbed for weeks. Undoubtly, it has been a much more pleasant experience than yours, even though it has given me four extra mouths to feed. Ferals are protected by law even in private gardens here so I am stuck with them, but they do make a good rodent-deterrent
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Yes, I think I will have to buy a lidded metal can! The good old-fashioned kind that squirrels can't chew through -- friends of mine have had their plastic cans ruined that way.
Norway rats are a serious invasive pest species in California (and in most other parts of the world). They do a great deal of harm. Releasing them into the wild is not a humane act. Not even counting crop damage and property damage, rats destroy native birds and other wildlife, and they spread many diseases, including ones potentially fatal to humans. I have children. That's where my priorities lie.
So the moment I spotted the nest, there was no question of my doing anything but destroying the pups. They were already injured from the pitchfork. My heart sank, because I don't enjoy killing anything, but I was raised to do my own dirty jobs. I explained to my boys why it was necessary and also why it was not done lightly, and I sent them away so I would be the only one exposed to any pathogens.
Obviously, I would much rather prevent the rats from nesting here in the first place.
Friends of mine used to keep domestic rats, and yes, they are sweet little companions even though they don't live long. I've always had pet cats, and I very much understand the impulse to protect animals. Yeah, it was upsetting, and I haven't shaken it off yet. It motivates me to try hard to prevent it becoming necessary again.
From what I read online afterwards, I probably should have taken even more sanitary precautions than I did. I'm usually not a germ-phobe (my mother-in-law thinks composting is disgusting, which is one reason there's a bin to help hide the process!) but disease is the reason why both cockroaches and rats make me jump. Snakes and spiders and snails don't bother me at all.
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So the moment I spotted the nest, there was no question of my doing anything but destroying the pups. They were already injured from the pitchfork. My heart sank, because I don't enjoy killing anything, but I was raised to do my own dirty jobs. I explained to my boys why it was necessary and also why it was not done lightly, and I sent them away so I would be the only one exposed to any pathogens.
Obviously, I would much rather prevent the rats from nesting here in the first place.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Friends of mine used to keep domestic rats, and yes, they are sweet little companions even though they don't live long. I've always had pet cats, and I very much understand the impulse to protect animals. Yeah, it was upsetting, and I haven't shaken it off yet. It motivates me to try hard to prevent it becoming necessary again.
From what I read online afterwards, I probably should have taken even more sanitary precautions than I did. I'm usually not a germ-phobe (my mother-in-law thinks composting is disgusting, which is one reason there's a bin to help hide the process!) but disease is the reason why both cockroaches and rats make me jump. Snakes and spiders and snails don't bother me at all.
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