Rats

[booox]

Hi,

Might be jumping the gun but...

Rat spotted in neighbour's back yard and "pawed at back door".

She's been very shaken by it and envirocall are coming tomorrow. Which is fine and understandable. I haven't fed the birds since Feb/ March but am looking at a plum tree laden with semi ripe plums (I've picked off some for ripening. Waited about 10 years to get to that point.

Could she / they reasonably get concerned about my desire to grow fruit etc? I had a few strawbs and a good crop of figs coming.

Most likely to be the empty house next door and broken drain cover but still. Aibu to want to grow some fruit and veg?

Bloody cities.

You growing fruit hasn't added to you having Rats.

Is she sure that the rat at the back door, wasn't a pet rat that had escaped? It's unusual for them to do that.

Wild rats are extremely timid creatures - we get them occasionally and they run like fuck if they even hear the back door open. The thought that one might 'paw at the back' door is so ludicrous that I'd have to wonder about her state of mind.

I had a rat at on our deck once stare me out - it definitely want scared...

The pawing at the door means its either a pet or a very cheeky rat

They're wild.

I had pet rats so I'm slightlynotbothered (unreasonable?) BUT I do know they can get out of hand and cause issues.

I think she's been struck by the bravery and cheekiness but worrying about germs on toys.

I've seen a couple over the last couple of months and kept quiet hoping they would go away as DH gets antsy too. If I saw evidence outside or more I was going to report it.

DH is now also getting antsy about leaving the back door open (the back is a small extension with kitchen at the back and living area with folding sliding doors across so all goes out into small back garden.

The gardens are not big so houses are all c close together. It's a town on the edge of the city, two school within 1min walk distance - plenty of dropped food around.

She saw it when it was raining (came to tell us as it disappeared our way) so I wonder if it was just thinking it could get in. She's surprised that the fact they have a cat isn't deterring it - cat is super timid though.

My rat would happily play all over our dogs but would freeze at the whiff of our cats.

Absolutely petrified of rodents... Embarrassingly phobic, in fact. I certainly wouldn't want that to get in the way of a good crop of fruit. If you had chickens I might be resentful, but as long as the feed was stored correctly, I'd still fully respect your right to have them on your own property. People attract rats. End of.

Thanks Justilo.

What I resent the most is I won't be able to feed the birds this year. I managed to barter with DH how best to hang a coconut (he doesn't realise how well they climb) but neighbour says neighbours on the other side were told not to feed the birds. I did see a mouse dropping on it once. As far as I'm concerned you're going to get rodents, as long as they're outside and not a plague it's ok.

But I live surrounded by people who want fake grass and paved over giant drives.

I have developed a garden rule; either we can eat it or the bees etc like it.

Will just have to plant a million sun flowers next year!

I sometimes think it's a bit naive and a bit hypocritical to keep cats and freak out about a rat due to germs....

If only they knew what a cat can get up to!

What? It's just a rat. They are everywhere, I am not sure why she's upset.

The worst is at work (University campus). There are so many. I usually find a few dead ones on the way to work that have been poisoned overnight.

I think to was being rather polite by knocking. Most wild rats would afford that courtesy!

Some people get a bit OTT when it's wildlife invading their precious home.

I shouldn't think you will have to get rid of your fruit

What's with the bird feeding. Who told you no?

Rats and mice are everywhere. Not feeding birds will not make them go away, and if they want to get inside, they'll find away. Closing doors won't deter that.
Unless your garden is a complete junk heap (I'll assume it's not and is lovely and well kept!) environmental health/pest controllers can't force anything. They will look for evidence of where the rodents are (if anywhere nearby) and target that area.

Tbh I think it's ridiculous how people get about rats and mice. Unless there is a huge infestation, then it's a bit inconvenient.