"ChelleBell" wrote in message
ps.com...
I know they say; "Where this is one, there are many", but my dad has a
rat that thinks it's a chipmunk! He feeds with them under the bird
feeders (he doesn't climb them like they do) alongside the birds, plays
hide-n-seek games, runs with them in the yard, and hides food with
them!

His house is atop a mountain above the Ohio River. The only time rats
ever ventured atop this several mile hill is when the river has extreme
flooding, which is not often.

He loves his wildlife so the deterent must be safe. He especially
loves his 'chippy's', even named each one of them! And there are many!
And if the neighborhood were to find out that he has a rat and did
nothing about it.. well that would make the front newspaper!

My mom was told to place pepperment outside to eliminate just the rat.
(Which by the way, looks like a cross between something and something
else).

I find a #10 boot to the skull, where the skull is between said
boot and the hard ground with a few Newtons of force to be the most
effective.

I used to run to get something to hit 'em with, or try to sneak in
and get the .22-- but without fail, they would scurry away before
the weapon of choice was located and prepared to perform its
duty.

Then one day I looked at the house (where the shovel was leaning)
said "ah, screw it, by the time I get it and get back here, he'll be
long gone" ... so I chased him around for a minute or two before
I had him cornered, and put my #10 boot to his head.

Works like a charm every time. Safe, effective, and easy to
do.