Monday, September 12, 2016

On Rat Patrol...

Ever since I discovered some rodent's nest under my car hood, and was told that it happened a lot with retirees... What? Well yeah, our cars don't move as much as they used to...

So ever since I have got Rudy on Rat Patrol duties, we called it.
Cue music from a TV series of my youth 

Fitting knowing that Rudy's breed was bred as a ship's ratter. Meant to get at the rats in small places. So on a daily and semi regular routine, I take Rudy on rat patrol around the car and try to move it more often. Is it working?? I don't know but it is keeping me busy, so that's good :-)

That is about as far as I let him into the "forest" along side the garage

How to see deeper into the thick forest

Corner of parking space, check!

OK, car is cleared on that side Dad!

The other side is cleared at this time, I repeat clear at this time, over
That "over" is an old Army joke about the Arty guys... 
If you say "over " on an Army net... You are asking for it :-)

OK cleared on this side, moving on

Sniff, Sniff, OK no devices found, all clear!

So there you have it I can report to you that after having driven my car over 2600 Kms in the last few weeks and alternating parking spots, quite literally from here to Hamilton :-) That YES, the daily Rat Patrol seems to be working, or so does Rudy think since he gets a treat after each successful missions. Which to him translate into : OK we are back in, I'll take my treat NOW!

By alternating his rounds we are keeping those $#@^%*(^$# Rodents guessing when will the big bad doggy be coming back???

So far it seems to keep both the dog and its owner moving...

6 comments:

  1. Great idea to do a rat patrol on a daily basis. I have never had rodents attack our car, but I guess it might be because there is always something to eat in the stable that the horses have spilled.
    But We keep a couple of traps in the feed & tack room, and normally catch a couple of mice during the winter months.
    Whenever I stack firewood, I put a couple of small bags of rodent poison behind each second or third layer, that seems to do the trick. Finally we also have metal poison deposits along the walls of the stable and the barn. I actually have to remember to fill those up when I get home.
    Brgds
    Jonas

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  2. Good doggy.
    Looks impressive :-)
    I'm sure that helps.

    Cheeres,
    Stefan

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  3. I lost a beautiful GSD because he found and ate part of a poisoned rat. It was heart breaking watching him die.

    Our Pack Rats, real name Desert Wood Rats, are a constant battle, first you have to rat "proof" your property by blocking any potential nesting space along with removing available feed. In other words, send 'em to the neighbors.

    Currently the rats and I have a truce, they have full access to all the property below about half way down the cliff to the gully. If they come above the Maginot Line I can usually trap 'em and move 'em several miles away for release. I found some peanut butter doggy treats that work well in Have A Heart traps, they are win win....Sam likes them as do the rats and they are easy to use, much easier than trying to work up a peanut butter based bait.

    BTW, it's not a war you will win at best you hope for a stalemate.

    Some of my friends have placed lights set to operate at night under cars, trucks and RV's that are not used frequently. It seems to work but I haven't done this because most of my motorized vehicles are used often.

    Life in the desert is interesting there is always something invading your space. My two critters could care less they figure there is plenty for everyone. This afternoon I came home from running the streets to find a huge tarantula in the middle of the kitchen. I'm not sure who was more surprised me or the tarantula, he recovered first and ran under one of the doggie beds. Leaving me to figure out how to get him outside with out hurting either of us.

    I ended up using a large metal strainer, it was barely big enough to hold the tarantula and flat of cardboard which worked very well. The good news, MsBubba is still in the UK, if she had been home I might be packing to move back to Oregon.

    Sam and Maggie....all they wanted was their "I'm home treat".

    ken

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  4. Our joke in the field was, "Roger, WILCO, Over and Out!"

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  5. HI Ken
    Sorry to hear about the dog you lost, that's why I'm reluctant to use any poison around the house or any kinds of critters, worry about the dog.
    Never heard of the lights under the car trick. So far so good, our patrols seems to keep them at bay. Rudy chase one out from under the car the other day. It's amazing in which small spaces he can sneak into!
    We are about to go on another road trip, so the darn rodents will have to wait ... I did noticed numerous small holes in the back of my property, must be chipmunks...

    Bob and Rudy the Chipmunk chaser

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  6. He He Brian good one, for better effect wait a few second then say: Say again? That would thoroughly confused them since you were the one that first started the gibberish :-)

    Bob, Heard Understood And Acknowledged (HUAA) :-)

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