"ned" wrote in news:babl2l$re72b$1@ID-
115413.news.dfncis.de:

The largest specimen that I have measured was 10" head/body, 8" tail.
But, I understand that they can get up to 11.5" head/body, 9" tail.
Now that must be one to steer well clear of.

*SHOCK*
11.5 inches!!???

Right....Wheres my shotgun?!

"ned" wrote in news:babl2l$re72b$1@ID-
115413.news.dfncis.de:

Despite Dave Liquorice's authoritive statement, my rats indulge
themselves with 3 inch holes as well. Maybe our rats are just well
adjusted.
Mind blowing though I find it, it might well be that when needs must,
a rat could squeeze through a 1.5 inch hole, but what intelligent rat
in its right mind is going to displace its cranial plates when it can
simply make its hole a bit bigger in open ground?

Maybe Dave's rats are worried about ferrets, whereas our rats have a more
easygoing, risk-taking approach to life?

Seeing Mega-rat going down even a 3-inch hole was quite a sight - he was a
bit of a porker, and it was definitely a squeeze for him. He spent most of
his residence here worrying away at the edges to make a big gap that he
could waltz in and out of at his convenience. (He made his home under an
old dog kennel)

My cats looked worried, and pretended they hadn't noticed.

Victoria

On Tue, 20 May 2003 09:58:17 +0100, Victoria Clare wrote:

Maybe Dave's rats are worried about ferrets,

Quite possibly we did find an ill pole cat in the veg plot the other
year.

whereas our rats have a more easygoing, risk-taking approach to
life?

More likely just better fed from the rubbish that is just left lying
about in towns. Up here there is very little for 'em to eat by
comparision. The compost heap is (now) rat proof and the rubbish is
not left outside as it would blow away.

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in
ill.network:

whereas our rats have a more easygoing, risk-taking approach to
life?

More likely just better fed from the rubbish that is just left lying
about in towns.

Towns? By the time they'd walked to one and back from my house they'd be
pretty skinny again!

Victoria
(rural south-east Cornwall)

The message
from "cpemma" contains these words:

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 17 May 2003 22:04:43 +0100, ned wrote:

)snipt)
An adult mouse will get through a 1/2" dia hole no problem, 3/8" will
slow it down but will still get through...

A pest-control expert on TV recently said (of mice getting into houses) if a
biro would go through a gap, a mouse could.

I've seen a mouse disappear into the much-smaller-than-a-biro crack
between a skirting board and a wooden floorboard.... (under extreme
duress; three dogs and two cats were pursuing it round our sitting room
at the time).

Janet.

A pest-control expert on TV recently said (of mice getting into houses) if
a
biro would go through a gap, a mouse could.
I've seen young mice feeding with mum on our bird feeders and can accept
that.

He also mentioned the skull thing.

The size of mice skulls is used to advantage by beekeepers. In winter mice
like to go into hives - sheltered, warm and food immediately available. We
tack a strip of metal over the long, narrow hive entrance, the metal is
pierced with 3/8" diameter holes. Honey bees can get in and out easily. The
skull's vertical measurement is less than 3/8" but its width is more, so it
can't get in.

It always works.

I don't know what the skull's vertical measurement is but mice can get
through the tiny gap between skirting boards and floorboard in our house.

Mary

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On Tue, 20 May 2003 13:28:50 +0100, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

The message
from "cpemma" contains these words:

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 17 May 2003 22:04:43 +0100, ned wrote:

)snipt)
An adult mouse will get through a 1/2" dia hole no problem, 3/8" will
slow it down but will still get through...

A pest-control expert on TV recently said (of mice getting into houses) if a
biro would go through a gap, a mouse could.

I've seen a mouse disappear into the much-smaller-than-a-biro crack
between a skirting board and a wooden floorboard.... (under extreme
duress; three dogs and two cats were pursuing it round our sitting room
at the time).

Reminds me of a friend who had mice in the house; the pest man wanted
to look in her car and she told him earnestly that she kept it locked.
He pointed out that they don't use the doors!


--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
Remove the LIZARD to email reply

On Tue, 20 May 2003 20:29:28 +0100, Mary Fisher wrote:

The skull's vertical measurement is less than 3/8" but its width is
more, so it can't get in.

I don't know what the skull's vertical measurement is but mice can
get through the tiny gap between skirting boards and floorboard in
our house.

I guess they just flatten their skulls. Think of a ball of plastercine
only a tad larger tha 3/8" dia, it won't go through the 3/8" piercing
no matter what you do but you can flatten it down to 1/8" thick and
put through an 1/8" high slot no bother.

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.

The skull's vertical measurement is less than 3/8" but its width is
more, so it can't get in.

I don't know what the skull's vertical measurement is but mice can
get through the tiny gap between skirting boards and floorboard in
our house.

I guess they just flatten their skulls. Think of a ball of plastercine
only a tad larger tha 3/8" dia, it won't go through the 3/8" piercing
no matter what you do but you can flatten it down to 1/8" thick and
put through an 1/8" high slot no bother.

Or perhaps some of our gaps are 3/8" !

Mary

--
Cheers
Dave. Remove "spam" for valid email.