RATS!! RATS!! GORRAM RATS!!! (graphic)

[draggar]

Hwoon dahm!!! Jen dao mai.

We've decided we need to get ferrets.

Yesterday I noticed a slight smell coming from the AC. In the evening it smelled like burned electronics so I turned off the AC and called the company.

It was a hot and uncomfortable night as well as day before the AC company could come out.

Turns out a RAT had crawled into our coil and got it's head stuck in the coils - and died. Another rate also got in there and got electrocuted by two capacitors - blowing both capacitors (hence the burned smell). He got *most* of the rats out but needs to come back tomorrow to clean the coil - and the rest of the rats.

$200 for new capacitors, $300 for a cleaning. These rats have crossed the line. Time to contact ferret rescue (we've had ferrets in the past). We'll use their poop outside to keep them away.

Damn rats.

[telecom_goddess]

I used to have ferrets....good to know you've had them before so you KNOW what they are capable of

Funny thing is now I have rats

[draggar]

Ferrets are a terror, they're little scheming thieves!! But, I'd rather have them so I don't have to worry as much about the chicken food and I can have my garden again!

[fireheart]

I can see you breeding more ferrets further down the track....

[telecom_goddess]

Ferrets are extremely hard to breed.....things have to be just so or they can die.

[draggar]

Yes, we're not going to look into breeding them. There is a ferret rescue in the next town and they always have a lot of ferrets of all ages.

[draggar]

The latest recruits:

Cinnamon and Cocoa


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...1&l=f135143f8e

[BlaqueKatt]

Ferrets are extremely hard to breed.....things have to be just so or they can die.

that and unless you know a breeder, pet store ferrets are "fixed" before sale.

[XCashier]

The latest recruits:

Cinnamon and Cocoa

Aw, they're so CUTE! Fuzzy ferret faces! Love the names, hope the personalities are as sweet!

[draggar]

Cinnamon is very outgoing and very sweet, she's the first one to the door when you open it to feed them etc..

Cocoa is reserved but still sweet.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Heh. It'll be entertainment for them, getting to new places and people! You only use their poo right? They don't actually hunt the rats?

[draggar]

Heh. It'll be entertainment for them, getting to new places and people! You only use their poo right? They don't actually hunt the rats?

Hmm, that may not be a bad idea.

No, we'll just use the poo. We're thinking of setting up a setup where we can let it dry (outside) and then crush it into something like sand.

[hinakiba777]

Wow i never knew that just the presence of ferret droppings could scare away rats. That's awesome.

This has inspired me to show you my brother's two ferrets; Taokaka spooky dooking pocket sized ghost ninja ferret babygirl boop and Loki spazztic blue joker sharingan n-jamer vaderak septhiroth fu-rin-ka-zan d.wolfwood wartooth bop. Otherwise known simply as Tao and Loki. (My brother likes long names, I fear the day he has children.)

This is Tao! She's about 7 now. She is very tiny and tends to sleep a lot. But she's older, so it makes sense.

This is Loki!
He's just a little under a year. He is a force of mischief and destruction. His goals seem to be either to get the the highest possible point in the room, or get over the safety fence. He does like being cuddled though, so that's nice. But he's kind of crazy so you don't know if he'll nuzzle you, or try to bite your face. He thinks it's a game.

Loki again. I just wanted to show how big he is. Sadly no shots of tao that prove her tininess.

[draggar]

Ferrets are carnivores (or omnivores?) and predators - like other weasels. Their droppings will give the hint of their presence to the prey and what will the prey do? They'll leave.

One of the best rodent repellents I used in the past was a product called "Shake Away" - it is a granual (sp? - like salt) that is made form crystallized fox, badger, and coyote urine. (Bonus - it was very safe for the dogs and other animals) - too bad it only worked a couple of months.

We've tried so many things and nothing worked over the long term, the $500 bill to fix the AC was the last straw. We're also going to set up something outside to let the poop dry and grind it (like a screen and a rolling pin?) to be able to sprinkle it.

[draggar]

My wife said that within 48 hours she stopped hearing the pitter-pat of little feet in our "attic" (crawlspace). It's been a week since I've seen any outside, too.

I figured that it would work, just not this quickly!