Viewing post #875734 by sooby

beckygardener said:

Sue - These are not tiny mice but larger rats. They literally stand up on their hind legs and pull the scapes down with their front paws to reach the seed pods (that's my guess). No climbing. When they are hungry they will do whatever they have to, to survive.

OK, I did get that they are rats but even if they are getting hold of the scapes and pulling it might work (I was thinking maybe they were climbing part-way up and then the scapes toppled with the weight). If the scapes were slippery or gooey with Vaseline at maximum paw height it still might stop them because they wouldn't be able to get a good hold on the scape.