Rats

Today is not such a happy day...we have had to put out rat baits.

The home owners often fed the local birds, and being bird lovers we have continued this, so we get lorikeets, cockatoos, butcher birds, Kookaburras etc in our garden and we enjoy watching them. We also have a bird bath next to the bird feeding station.  However, we have also had a few rats and mice visit.

Now if the rats and mice behaved themselves and stayed outside, I wouldn't mind, but they have started coming inside. I know its not mice coming in because we got busy with a mouse trap but our nocturnal visitors try to take the mouse trap with them. Anyway I have seen them a couple of times and the inside visitors are rats. We even tried to block their entrance, thinking they were coming in under the dishwasher, but that hasn't worked either.

I'm not frightened of rats or mice, (give me a huntsman and I'm outta here) but rodents don't bother me. But they have been getting up onto the bench and eating the fruit, and generally considering my place to be their place. They look nice and clean, but we are told that they habour all sorts of nasty stuff on their bodies. So I have spent quite some time completely cleaning the kitchen and now have put down rat bait to send them on their way. There is one rat bait by the fridge, but we have also put some out by the birdseed feeder. I feel dreadful because they have been out by the bird feeder, having a five star nosh-up that will ultimately send them to meet their maker.

One of the minor issues with house sitting...getting rid of the vermin...otherwise they can get into the walls and ceilings and do damage...something we try and avoid.