On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:46:22 -0500, dpb wrote:

Keep it up and you can be sure rats _will_ find it.

Tonight, I was working on the pool equipment after dark, about a dozen
feet from the compost area, when I see this cute rat walking calmly along
the pool plumbing.

I couldn't snap a picture quickly enough, but I did set out two traps and
continued working on the pipes under the light of the moon, although one
of the traps got the better of my finger in the process:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13058021.jpg

Anyway, I wasn't back working on the wires, only two feet away, for more
than five minutes, when I heard the tell-tale snap.
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057973.jpg

The rat died immediately as I was there within a couple of seconds and it
wasn't moving at all, as I gently removed it and set it aside to see if
it was breathing:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057980.jpg

I felt really badly for the little guy, but I can't have them chewing on
the wires in the heater (which might be why the heater isn't working).

Can't prove it was eating the compost or not - but it could have been, as
it was a small one, that could easily get inside the wire mesh fence.

On Fri, 17 May 2013 09:27:18 +0000, Danny D. wrote:

Can't prove it was eating the compost or not - but it could have been,
as it was a small one, that could easily get inside the wire mesh fence.

Looks like it was identified elsewhere as a (big) deer mouse.

Danny D. wrote:
On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:46:22 -0500, dpb wrote:

Keep it up and you can be sure rats _will_ find it.

Tonight, I was working on the pool equipment after dark, about a dozen
feet from the compost area, when I see this cute rat walking calmly
along the pool plumbing.

I couldn't snap a picture quickly enough, but I did set out two traps
and continued working on the pipes under the light of the moon,
although one of the traps got the better of my finger in the process:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13058021.jpg

Anyway, I wasn't back working on the wires, only two feet away, for
more than five minutes, when I heard the tell-tale snap.
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057973.jpg

The rat died immediately as I was there within a couple of seconds
and it wasn't moving at all, as I gently removed it and set it aside
to see if it was breathing:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057980.jpg

I felt really badly for the little guy, but I can't have them chewing
on the wires in the heater (which might be why the heater isn't
working).

Can't prove it was eating the compost or not - but it could have
been, as it was a small one, that could easily get inside the wire
mesh fence.

1 down .. probably a large family to go ..

--
Natural Girl