Poison is the last resort. If they get into an area that is hard to access, the smell from a decaying dead rat is not something I want to deal with. I REALLY DO NOT want to go the poison route at all. Nadda.
I need to run them out of my yard again. I've been able to do that in the past. Perhaps I can do it once again. My backyard is such a great place for them to hide and live, much to my dismay. I also get other wildlife such as possums, raccoons, rabbits, turtles, armadillos, etc. You name it, if it's FL wildlife, I can get it in my yard! LOL! Most of the time none of these critters bother me. Just the rats. I haven't had the problem for a couple of years and now they are back again. Grrrr .... it's something that I am doing which brings them back. Most likely the worm bin, the bird feeder, and the water sources. They can smell food and water for quite a distance. I have undeveloped lots around me, so they live in the wooded areas around my yard.
We also had feral cats wandering around for the past couple of years, but those were trapped and removed by neighbors a few streets over. I think those very cats were keeping the rat population down. Now the cats are gone, so the rats are having a field day ... and unfortunately some are coming into my yard. (double sigh)
This is so frustrating!!!!
I will try cutting all my daylily scapes and placing in water. Hunt down the rat's nest, run them off, and try to discourage them from coming into my yard, and repair my screen. If I wasn't working this summer, it wouldn't be such a challenge. Never a dull moment here ....
