HELP! What would do this????

This is the area attracting the rats. A lone bird feeder in the middle of my backyard:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=3627740

I think if I take the squirrel and dove dishes in at night, it might discourage the rats from hanging around. Or at least I hope so. Or maybe I could throw the left over seed over the back fence to keep them back there. These rats sure attract the owls and hawks to my area of the neighborhood.

That small opening seen at the back corner of my fence in the photo is where I see them coming in at. Right now that area is flooded behind the fence.

To me .... a few rats are worth keeping around just for the owls and the hawks. :-) I agree though that I don't want them in my house or getting into my attic or walls or somewhere else in my house. I can NOT picture them climbing like the squirrels. I have never seen them climbing vertical on anything. Though I do have a large rat snake that I see climb up in the bushes and trees all the time in my yard. Another predator of the rats. Maybe that's why I seem to have a small number of rats? Lots of rodent predators!

This message was edited Aug 2, 2007 2:44 PM

FWIW, I have mine growing in similar containers. Here is an old picture from the springtime:

http://picasaweb.google.com/speckledpig/2007Gardening/photo#5076043399952427170

I have one on each side of the door with homemade trellises.

Now my MG's foliage has come down with something. They are turning brown/dead all over. But that's another thread.


HTH
David

They can and do climb Becky...I have lived in Florida near Clearwater until last November since 1973...You would be amazed at the places those rats can go, and the damage they can do...and fruit trees will draw them...Most northerners plant citrus trees and when the fruit falls and they are not there to clean it up, those rats show up in droves...They got in one of my garages and chewed on the rafters and destroyed the insulation...Like you, I feed my squirrels too.. they leave my plants alone as long as they are well fed...BUT the dropped seed started drawing the field mice up here...Next thing I know, they infested the basement... and with them came an infestation of Fleas down there...It has cost me a fortune to eradicate both...Those Fruit Rats carry the same, and can carry rabies as well...

If one dies inside your wall, you will have to evacuate your house for a week +

That's a fact....and even then the smell never really leaves...

Well, I will try to discourage them from coming into my yard by removing the food during the evening hours. I do know that they don't live in my yard right now. And I am out in the garden several times a day which they don't like either. They are terrified of me. Yes, most of the northerners like to plant fruit trees in their yard and do not bother to pick up the dropped fruit. :-(

Maybe I can close that gap in the fence with something too.

Thanks for the words of warning and the suggestions.

This message was edited Aug 2, 2007 6:48 PM

Here's my latest attempt to grow out some more great MG seeds! I have these planters up on the backyard table that is about 3' high off the ground. The chicken wire covering the planters is to keep the squirrels from playing in the dirt. They like to do that. After the vines start growing, I'll add some tall bamboo stakes and figure out where to move them next. Or ..... maybe I'll just leave them up there on the table. :-)

This message was edited Aug 3, 2007 3:37 PM