My folks bought a small retirement farm in New Zealand in the 1980’s. I visited each summer for a few years when we had our long holiday recess from uni.
They lived in the Northlands dairy district north of Auckland which had plenty of Brown Rats or Norway Rats.

Each evening they would enter into the house through very sneaky ways. I think they may even have had a spare set of house keys. I woke one night with one of them sitting on my chest. Very inquisitive little creatures.

I wanted to double check though if it was a Brown Rat or maybe it was a possum as they sometimes came inside. It was dark as I fumbled around to find the light switch and whatever it was had scuttled away very quickly. So, like jon14 suggested I set up a video camera (VHS, no less) and put out some nibbles and some water in the middle of an unfolded New Zealand Herald broadsheet.

The rat that I caught on video was some size. From nose to tail it was longer than half the broadsheet. Yikes!

Brown Rat

Re: Jon

Some elderley people may follow this thread and will be possibly scared at hearing of infestations, so it is best not to guess at what could be potentially harming to the area.

I am glad the duct tape has worked, although it is not aesthetically pleasing, did you get a colour that matches your door?

???

Hey Nigel - I've met quite a few elderly folk in my time and I'll tell you something, they're a damn-sight less frightened of rodents than you seem to be!

Elizabeth - I spoke to the old man at the weekend and mentioned your 'experiences' to him. He said he could be coaxed out of retirement if you promise him a cup of tea! I'd ignore him if I were you - he can barely catch a cold.

Keith

Well, we went away for the weekend, and I was concerned with our cat's food being stolen. But she still had some left in the bowl when we came back. So duct tape to the rescue.

She was given to us by a friend and has been an indoor cat all her life, so she hasn't shown must interest in using the cat flap (which has now been blocked out anyway).

Hi,

I think I finally apprehended the furry felon last night in my house:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VZKpnmujZqY/SO...urglar.jpg

Nobody say 'Awwww'. This is a dangerous criminal we are dealing with

Keith, what techniques did your father use to catch these unwanted rodents?

I am thinking of buying some cat food and trying catch whatever it is to confirm once and for all.

Nigel

Hey Nige,

I'm so sorry about the delay in getting back to you - it's awful having a pest emergency isn't it. Have you made sure that you're keeping your house clean? My father always says a filthy house is a mouse house. But then, my father's a drunk.

Which is your favourite cat food, Nigel?

Keith

Good Afternoon Keith,

Luckily I don't think I have a problem with rodents, although I would like to get a hamster or mouse, now I am not as mobile to have a dog.

I am sorry to hear of your fathers drink problem, but if you manage to speak/see him when he is sober, please could you ask if wild rodents could attack a hamsetr or mice?

I'm not sure what you have for dinner, but I tend to stick to conventional dishes, rather than cat food.

There really should be an award for the funniest interchanges on SE23.com.
I suggest a maximum of 2 or 3 posts together.

Taking them completely in isolation from the rest of the thread, Posts 13 KeithParrot and 14 Nigel Price, are pretty high on the scale between 'very funny' and 'hysterical'. Thank you people!

P.S. Glad the cat is sorted.

posts 27, 28 and 29 would suggest something fishy is going on....

Absolutely Whiffler.

Everytime this thread appears on "View New Posts" I'm scrambling to click to see these priceless exchanges.

I don't think that this is a laughing matter.

If there is a problem with cats/mice/rats in the area it needs to be addressed.
What if a fox follows the unwanted creatures into a house? The problem will have doubled.

Absolutely Nigel. And then if a dog follows the fox in, it could turn into an animal hospice. There'd be animals everywhere. Maybe we should bring in Rolf Harris - maybe he could sort this mess out?

This is a serious matter Jon [/i] I remember once There was an old lady who swallowed a fly and look what happened there .......

Merlin,
Do you have any information about why she swallowed the fly?

If merlin does, he/she could be a millionnaire.

Are you testing my nursery rhyme knowledge?

I don't know why she swallowed a fly -she didn't learn her lesson though, she then swallowed a spider to catch the fly ....

Where is Zimmerman when you need him?

There was an Old Lady.

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider,
That wriggled and wiggled and tiggled inside her;
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
How absurd to swallow a bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cat;
Fancy that to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady that swallowed a dog;
What a hog, to swallow a dog;
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cow,
I don't know how she swallowed a cow;
She swallowed the cow to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a horse...
She's dead, of course!

I have to go now guys - I think Brian is picking on me in another thread!

There was an inttruder.

There was an Old Lady who swallowed her teeth,
she swallowed her teeth I said “ Oh good grief!”
“Listen to them inside her, they wont stop chattering,
jumps up and down and you can hear them rattling”.

There was a young man who swallowed a fat ant,
“put your head on my tummy to hear it swear & rant.”
“Let me out ! I cant hang about to stay long in here,
I’m meeting my mates and been promised free beer”.

There was a member of the S.E.23 Com. Is in a flap,
the loss of the food that was put down for the cat.
Each morning the left food has gone from the dish,
It make us wonder who had ate it, to find out we wish.

So they asked the old lady to watch, sitting on a box,
the flap lifted up and in came a slim brown young fox.
No use swallowing the fox as she has now no teeth,
“Here foxy you can share my sandwich of corned beef.”