Mortified!

[jollybaby]

I once told my sister that my cat had brought in a rather large mouse with a long tail. She kindly explained that it was probably a rat! At least it was whole and fresh and not in the fridge.

[JohnL]

Would one of those large mousetraps they sell on Rye Lane work on a rat. At least you know where the body is.

[MadWorld74]

Sweet baby Jesus. I cant afford a new fridge. It's been cleaned out with dettol over and over again. Do you think it's unsafe to use it then??????

[Asset]

it wasn't in the fridge. I'm sure it's fine.

[MadWorld74]

hhmmm yes I know it wasn't IN the fridge but you know.....and next doors cathas befriended me and brings me live mice. Oh please someone say it isn't true...

[PeckhamRose]

So how do I prevent squirrels climbing up 3 floors to my balconies and ruining my flower and plant pots and troughs. Eh? Eh? My cat is TERRIFIED of squirrels. And pigeons, and all the other birds who go to my squirrel proof bird feeders. But these squirrels are causing havoc. Should I use a mousetrap? I am beginning to feel reeeeeeeeeally mean about the bastards. We've poured a little oil on the drainpipe in the hope the squirrels will slide back down but of course they just climb up the brickwork.

Probably wrong thread, but as you're all thinking about pests I thought I'd ask!

[MadWorld74]

I love squirrels so send them round to my place and I'll point the rats in your direction. Please don't hurt them. Please.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Pretty sure it's legal to shoot grey squirrels. Just warn the neighbours first.

[PeckhamRose]

I love squirrels too! And I feed them in the park. In the PARK. Where they belong. Not 3 floors up my flat desecrating me sunflowers and rose bushes and all me other flowers.

Any ideas?

I haven't the heart to trap them either.

But I am losing it. I am I am.

[Siduhe]

We have a similar problem with squirrels coming and digging up our beds. A friend of ours who is a landscape gardener has recommended covering the bed with slate chips - apparently they hate walking on it and won't dig through it.

Otherwise, I'm saving for one of these!

[MadWorld74]

okay so it is not a good idea to start shooting squirrels. Leave that the those folk in the US of A. It's big over there, as are the guns.

I too have watched as playful squigs have ruined flower beds and smashed pot after pot. So tie pots down, fasten them with wire if they're on a ledge. As for digging up the beds to bury their nuts!, put slate chippings down. This even works in pots as well. They will have a real good go at trying to get under the slates, which is bloody funny to watch, but they'll give up sooner or later.

I had a damn great fox digging up my beds and i put in those very slim green wooden sticks that you can buy in the garden centre to secure stems to. Put them throughout the foliage and it really gets their goat. They just go elsewhere.

[PeckhamRose]

Slate chips.

Right.

Great!

Thanks!

I'll get some from anywhere but B&Q!

I have a book called How To OutWit Squirrels, which was useless for this purpose but maybe useful for people with gardens. Hey! Maybe should take it Monday to Clockhouse to Book Swap!

[MadWorld74]

Dont get funny PRose. Slate CHIPPINGS. Alright.

[Siduhe]

The suggestion was meant genuinely, but haven't tried it myself. Would be interested to know if works.

[SteveT]

I wrap mouse sticky pads around the branch that holds my nut feeder, they dont like being stuck, and nor do I when I replace the old one.

[jollybaby]

Move to Guernsey. Apparently they don't have any squirrels on the island.

Or is that one big urban myth that I've spent the past 15 years believing

[HonaloochieB]

jollybaby Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Move to Guernsey. Apparently they don't have any

> squirrels on the island.

> Or is that one big urban myth that I've spent the

> past 15 years believing

JollyBby that's possibly the smallest urban myth I've ever heard. Guernsey, no squirrels there they say.

It doesn't really compare with the one about the couple driving along who become seperated for some reason.

IN THE VICINITY OF A LUNATIC ASYLUM.

He carries ondriving looking for her and a person lands on the top of the car. Thumping on the roof commences.

Fellow stops to see maniac on roof bashing roof with severed head of girlfriend.

True story.

My mate down the pub knows the guy's brother.

Well I say brother, cousin really.

By marriage.

[Guest]

Could have been worse - it chose to die on something cleanable.

You can get plug-in sonic repellant things that make your house like a permanent hangover zone for them, rather like the hoodie-repellant whiney device they now use in shopping centres after closing. A couple of years ago I lived in a mouse-infested house where they worked a treat. Don't try them if you have a hamster though.

[PeckhamRose]

Sidhue and Madworld, I made a mistake when I typed chips, of course, I meant chippings as you had suggested. Wasn't being funny in any sense.

I'm gonna get some and will report back. Another plant got dug up and chucked out another pot yesterday. The cat's nerves can't take it, either!

[jollybaby]

HonaloochieB Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> jollybaby Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Move to Guernsey. Apparently they don't have

> any

> > squirrels on the island.

> > Or is that one big urban myth that I've spent

> the

> > past 15 years believing

>

> JollyBby that's possibly the smallest urban myth

> I've ever heard. Guernsey, no squirrels there they

> say.

> It doesn't really compare with the one about the

> couple driving along who become seperated for some

> reason.

> IN THE VICINITY OF A LUNATIC ASYLUM.

> He carries ondriving looking for her and a person

> lands on the top of the car. Thumping on the roof

> commences.

> Fellow stops to see maniac on roof bashing roof

> with severed head of girlfriend.

> True story.

> My mate down the pub knows the guy's brother.

> Well I say brother, cousin really.

> By marriage.

you're right not much of an urban myth - more of a fib!

[MadWorld74]

the cats need to get tough with the squigs. Although I have seen pigeons attack squirrels in the fight for food. That's real bad. Tell your cat they're the kings of the garden wilderness.

[Horsebox]

MW74, We had mice living in our building. The pest control guy that came to sort them out advised me not to use shop bought bait as most commercially available stuff is useless (You can't beat the spring loaded traps for results - I've caught 3 :-) )

Anyway, the poisons work by temporarily thinning the blood, thus lowering the rodent's body temperature. The little bastards will simply find somewhere warm such as a hot water pipe or in your case a fridge motor, until they warm up again.

Perhaps you used some form of super bait that actually works or perhaps the rat got too hot and simply cooked itself to death on the fridge motor.

[ClareC]

I used to live in hampshire in a house backing onto fields... all very nice but the mice would all come into the loft in the winter, party party and then leave the following spring! The council came round and put down some blue stuff which apparantly poisons them but indoing so makes them really thirsty - the theory being that they go outside and die. We didnt get any bodies / smells and the problem went so must have worked!

I asked the mouse man how to prevent it happening again, the answer that I couldnt!!! All houses have gaps in the eaves / roof space and it only requires one the thickness of a pencil for them to get in!

Fortunately they stayed in the loft / eaves and never ventured in the house - think that was because of the the dogs though!

When I first moved to London the house I lived in historically had mice every so often, none there when I moved in with the dogs but when we left the mice came back and partied!! My house mate woke up to find them running around his bed!

[PeckhamRose]

The rather nice Slate Chippings have been bought and liberally placed around replanted plants in troughs and hanging baskets.

3 floors up, the home-loving cat watches the activity on the balconies through the glass panels in the balcony door, from the safety of her bed thereby.

I wish I could set a webcam going so as to record the situation.... hey wait a minute, lemme find me webcam.

[MadWorld74]

I bet the squigs will have a go charlie but it will be damn funny!