Rat deterent?

[Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney]

I'm next to a field and the little rat critters always eat half the fruit or more every year. Too many in the field for traps or poison to have much effect. I read where rodents hear higher frequencies than dogs & cats, and am wondering if a whistle in that range might keep them away without irritating the pets next door?

Or some other way to keep them out of the trees? Maybe trimming the trees so that the limbs are not touching anything might work for some trees, but not practical for all of them. And then wrapping aluminum foil or some other guard around the trunks?

[David L. Martel]

Snuffy,

What does your ag/ext person recommend?

Dave M.

[gj]

Get some cats?

-GJ 2.0

[Dean Hoffman]

We usually had stray cats on the farm to keep the rat, mice and ground squirrel population down. The strays with kittens seemed to be the best hunters. Feeding them made them lazy just as it does with humans.

[clare]

a couple of Jack Russels will make a dent in the problem.

[Kurt Ullman]

A couple of Jack Daniels will also.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

Some cats aren't good at catching rats. However, I have 2 that are, and so haven't had a rat problem in 6 years (I've had those cats that long)

[Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney]

fruit or more every year. Too many in the field for traps or poison to have much effect. I read where rodents hear higher frequencies than dogs & cats, and am wondering if a whistle in that range might keep them away without irritating the pets next door?

trees so that the limbs are not touching anything might work for some trees, but not practical for all of them. And then wrapping aluminum foil or some other guard around the trunks?

I had one of these rat terriers years ago and come to think of it never saw a rodent. Good animal but kind of yappy and moody - liked to snip at you. Training helped but didn't change the attitude problem.

No snakes here - lovely Miseries goes nuts at the sight of a garden spider or slug...

[clare]

The definition of a Jack Russel IS attitude. Another definition is "all heart and mouth" They make the energizer bunny look lazy. They will chase a ball untill your arm falls off, and they are loyal almost to a fault. Just don't piss one off!!!