Rats in parks

[CleverCatty]

In a few suburban parks recently I've seen rats - ground rats - quite cute actually but I know a few other parks have had poison put down for them as some people don't like them. I saw 2 playing the other day and they actually looked very cute!

My question is - do you mind them or not? I know a few parents who really don't like them but some don't mind them at all. Do they carry disease apart from Weils Disease etc? I saw an article that more rats were encouraged to come to ground level during lockdown as less people were around and there was more discarded food around. I heard years ago that they are more like squirrels - so quite harmless generally.

I do hear a few owls in the local big park so presumably they have 'dinner'.

No it wasn't you! It was the 'We left' poster (who used a whole new paragraph to emphasis the gravity of the flounce)

@CommunistLegoBloc

No it wasn't you! It was the 'We left' poster (who used a whole new paragraph to emphasis the gravity of the flounce)

why flounce?! if anything rats have more a right to be there than she has!

Rats constantly urinate over everything, its called smearing. We had them in the stables so we got a "yard cat". She massacred the lot. I've tried to be friendly and made a bed for her in the tack room but she almost feral and won't have any of it.

I adore rats.

Rats in Parks? That’s a rude way to talk about Disney.

I quite like pet rats, they were our class pet in year 4.

My understanding is that mice are absolutely filthy (front and back incontinent) but rats will only go to the toilet in a designated spot (chosen by them). However, the ones near here are BIG (I've spotted them at night) and I wouldn't much want to corner one. They will also spread disease (but less than mice).

Yes unfortunately I often see them In local parks

Revolting animals pets and wild and very vicious and destructive animals

@ItsAlwaysSunnyOnMN

Yes unfortunately I often see them In local parks

Revolting animals pets and wild and very vicious and destructive animals

Mice are exactly the same - hate to break it to you. Anything that wees and chews a lot can chew through wires etc.

Even house martins etc if they get into your loft or squirrels are destructive.

I've currently got mice in walls of cavity - waiting until safe to get pest people in to kill them. Don't want to do it though.

@Pyewhacket

Rats constantly urinate over everything, its called smearing. We had them in the stables so we got a "yard cat". She massacred the lot. I've tried to be friendly and made a bed for her in the tack room but she almost feral and won't have any of it.

Yard cats are meant to be the best for rats and mice but aren't 'pets'. LOL

I know mice are very destructive and have had house bunnies so well aware of them chewing through wires

Upsetting Content
Rate will attack other animals when I was young they chewed through our bunnies cage and chewed on in the babies legs Our neighbour had to drown the babies. They didn’t bother killing them just chewed on them ☹️ it was horrific my mum still can not talk about it years and years later (thankfully I slept through it) and the adult bunnies were never the same after. I’ve known people to have pet rats who Believed they were friendly until one killed the other leaving it partly chewed they are horrible animals