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Cleaning Up:  Snakes and rodents....long, but need ideas:)  |
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AFMom
True Blue Farmgirl
100 Posts
Erica
North Dakota
USA
100 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 02 2007 : 7:09:59 PM
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Hi Girls,
To begin, I was not quite sure where to put this post, so here I am...I have these moments where I am just starting to think I am gaining a heart for living in the country and I get a good dose of reality....first off let me begin by saying that I do not like snakes nor spiders or bugs, nor mice or rats. I know, I know, when you live in the country you have all of these creatures sharing space with you...it is part of living in the country. But, I am having a hard time dealing with it all...seriously, I wish I could just eliminate all of these pests and I would be so content.
Today, when I walked out my kitchen door onto our covered, carpeted porch I overstepped a baby eastern milk snake. I didn't see him but my 14yr old son did and squashed him with his boot. And now I am a mess...I live in a very old log frame house built in the early, and I mean early 1900's. We are on an old pig farm surrounded by corn and soybean fields in central Pa. A couple of months ago I hired Ehrlich to come and spray because I am overrun with spiders, earwigs, millipedes and bees....and when the man was spraying in the cellar he found an old snakeskin....Not only that, but the one and only neighbor in my area lives across the street and they are not very tidy, and they have a problem with rats and my 16yr old daughter saw a rat come out of the foundation under their kitchen window and run across the road to the shed....so I am stressed to the max about all of these creatures being in my house and on my property....do any of you girls have the same problems and what do you do for them? There is also a problem with groundhogs and they have been coming in my yard and trying to come up on the porch...and an old grandpappy groundhog likes to hang out in the shed where I park my van and car...and to top it all off, I have a huge red fox who likes to pop out of the corn in the early evening and I am doing dishes and checks me out, makes eye contact and runs back in the corn....so I love living in the country, but now I am afraid to go outside...I am afraid to let the kids be out and our dog, who is definatly not an outside dog...he is going to be 14 soon and not totally with it most of the time...very sleepy..but do you ever feel uncomfortable in the country and how do you take it all in stride? My husband is gone to Iraq for a year, and that does not help me feel secure either...I keep thinking if only he was here, he would definatly know what to do...and I grew up here and I just don't remember all these little creatures and big being around our house growing up. One thing my Brother in Law suggested was to get some outside cats and that would create more activity outside and possibly keep the rodent population down and other animals away...I would be so grateful for some ideas...cats are doable..but I can't sleep...Thanks, Erica |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 05:38:09 AM
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I would check around for any hole where they might be able to get inside. Look inside cabinets, baseboards etc and fill in any holes with a piece of steel wool. Do you have any unfinished walls where you can see insulation and framing boards? I would also suggest covering these with sheetrock. This is not necessarily going to prevent the problem 100% but it will make it a little harder to get it. Cats are great! The pine forest next to our house burt down in a forest fire about 7 years ago. After we had a big problem with rats and mice. We got 3 cats and it really helped. In my opinion the males do a better job as micers. Just make sure you get him neutered or they tend to wander.
You mentioned you have a dog. Are you keeping food on the porch or outside? This is a HUGE attractant to all the animals you have listed. WE keep out food but our dogs are very territorial and wouldn't let any other animals near it. Your dog, because of his age, may not feel like putting up a fight for his food.
Im not sure about gophers. We have never had problems with them.
As far as snakes I don't know that there is much you can do other than try to get rid of their food source which is the mice and rats. Once that is gone your snake will probably move on elseware.
I don't think you need to worry about the fox unless you have small animals like chickens and stuff. I have never heard of a fox doing anything to people.They are beautiful creatures.
I know at times it seems scary and I totally understand. Animals are unpredictable and when they pop up where you least expect it it is especially scary. Perhaps you feel a little more frightened because of your husband being away and you feel an extra need to take care of the children and household. MAybe you should take pictures of all of your animals and blog about them to give you a more lighthearted approach to them. Look for the beauty in them instead of the fear.
I hope it all works out for you!
Felt and Fabric Crafts
www.willowartist.etsy.com
www.willowtreecreek.com
BLOG
www.willowtreecreek.wordpress.com |
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Phils Ann
True Blue Farmgirl
1095 Posts
Ann
Parsonsburg
Maryland
USA
1095 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 08:01:16 AM
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Erica, first, welcome to MJF! I remember well how it feels to be "back in the country" and afraid of all the critters. I agree with Julie! The cat idea is great, but would you also consider asking your brother-in-law or someone else to teach you to shoot a 22 rifle, and teach safety to you and your son? For seeing an animal in the daytime who is supposed to be nocternal, for instance... and might be sick. We've had that happen with obviously sick raccoons a couple of times, and just don't want any rabid animals around. A 22 is great for rat control. :) Also, could you wrap rat wire (hardware cloth) along any areas too big for steel wool?
The truth is, you probably *will* get to a point where these critters are a lot easier to deal with psychologically if you give yourself time. And, maybe you should think about a second dog... unless loyalty to your older pup makes that impossible (which I sure do understand!). There's nothing like a big dog to give us bravery!
Finally, I recommend telling yourself that black snakes are our friends. Just scope the ground before you take a step. It becomes routine.
Ann
Sairy Hill Thicket
There is a Redeemer. |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 10:08:11 AM
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Farm kitties. Be sure to take care of them so you aren't creating a new sort of pest. I'd say you need more than two, but be sure to neuter and spay them. They are excellent hunters and will take care of most of the things that seem to bother you, if you can't make peace with living with those sorts of critters.
We make a difference. |
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AFMom
True Blue Farmgirl
100 Posts
Erica
North Dakota
USA
100 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 1:34:23 PM
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Thank you so much for all your ideas! Well, today driving around the valley I noticed a sign for Free Kittens, so I stopped and lo and behold I am now the proud owner of 4 six week old kittens...I wanted to post a picture, but my camera battery is dead and now charging. They are in a box on the porch and sleeping soundly. Since there are 4 of us in the house, I took a cat for each of us. 2 Boys and 2 girls....I hope I have not created a bigger job for myself, but they are adorable. So, now my goal is to get them acclimated to the yard and buildings and hopefully have some outdoor cats to play in my yard.
Thanks again for the advice. I had such a hard time sleeping last night...but feel better today. My son and I mowed and cleaned up the garden today, so that always makes me feel better. We have a very large yard to mow and it takes us a little over 3 hours to do together. In my working I did not see one vermin, so maybe it was just a fluke...who knows. I am going to buy some steel wool and have mothballs...I have heard mothballs in the cellar will keep snakes away too....have to try it.
Warmly,
Erica:) |
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joyfulmama
True Blue Farmgirl
1175 Posts
Debra
Silver Springs
NV
USA
1175 Posts |
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nut4fabric
True Blue Farmgirl
885 Posts
Kathy
Morgan Hill
CA
USA
885 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 2:15:24 PM
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When we were living the rural life and had rattlesnakes around I kept a .22 calibur loaded with snakeshot and wasn't hesitant to use it. Rural life is fun but I hated the uninvited critters.
Hugs, Kathy |
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willowtreecreek
True Blue Farmgirl
4813 Posts
Julie
Russell
AR
USA
4813 Posts |
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FarrarFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lynda
Frohna
Missouri
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 4:26:51 PM
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Erica,
I'm so glad you asked this question. Only because I'm very much in the same situation as you, in regard to dealing with rodents. I am not at all comfortable with them being around. I, too, realize that when living in the country they come with the territory, but there really is enough open space and natural habitat that they do not need to come into my space. Do they?!
My first night in our house my husband was on midnights and about 9:30pm I heard this scratching sound on our duct work on the enclosed porch. It went on for 3 hours, I just knew it was going to work it's way into the house somehow. IT did this for several nights in a row. To make matters seem worse, I went upstairs to get away from it and work in the office. Well since it was near the duct work, I could hear it in every room of the house, so there was no escape. But I was very nervous to even go to bed since it would mean going downstairs and our room is by the back porch. We never did find out what was making the noise and it has since quit. Thankfully!
However, we have mice that are extremely smart and I have declared war. It seems they are spiteful and just as determined to outsmart me no matter what means I try to catch them. However many there are, I'm hoping for only one, they seem to be everywhere in my kitchen. And not at all ashamed to leave little remnents of where it has been either. I have a free standing stove and it can somehow find it's way to the top and loves to play in my iron skillet - which has nothing in it - not even any grease. I have left a sticky pad in the pan and I will still find it's droppings along side of the sticky tray.
Last week I had some fruit on the counter, it ate a small hole in a black plum, evidently they don't like apples or nectarines which were beside the plum. Oh, but they don't like peelings, those were spit out and left for me to clean up. So the next night, in an attempt to find it's pattern or to deter it, I wrapped foil around the fruit hoping the foil would keep it away, being similar to steel wool - oh, no, it ate a bigger hole in the plum left the rest alone - again and still left the peels for me to clean up.
So I thought I could outsmart him, we went out of town for a wedding and used the plum for bait - that should do the trick, right? Wrong, it ate an even bigger portion of the plum, never even stepped on the trap which we had set so that (we thought) he would have to trip it in order to eat from the plum. Once again, trying to outsmart the dastardly critter, I cut a piece off of the plum set it on the trigger of the trap so as soon as it took a bite it would set it off, no it got the piece and left and we just have a messy trap now that needs to be washed, no mouse. Tonight we are going to try peanut butter.
I am so tired of being afraid to walk into my kitchen and interrupt a mouse convention. I am constantly disinfecting and cleaning all the surfaces in the kitchen because there are signs in several places of their presence. I don't know how many of them there are. We have sticky pads and traps out and moth balls all over and yet we have not caught a single one. I just got some steel wool and I will give that a try, too. And we have two outside cats, well they are kittens, so I don't know how skilled they are at hunting down mice.
I'm looking for ideas, too and would welcome any help for dealing with the rodents since they have decided that living indoors is a lot better than living in the fields. And I know as it finally cools off, they will be looking to come in even more.
I'm on the hunt, please help me catch them. What else works?
In His hands,
Lynda
Pray in faith and you will not live in doubt.
www.pamperedchef.biz/lorenzfamilycooks |
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Huckelberrywine
True Blue Farmgirl
1607 Posts
Michelle
Rosalia
1607 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 4:35:50 PM
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Lynda, how about some garter snakes or gopher snakes? I know some folks hate snakes, but if you don't mind "friendly" ones, they sure do keep mice and slug populations under control. Or, I think doxies like to hunt and kill mice, if you're up for a small dog adoption.
We make a difference. |
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AmyEllen
True Blue Farmgirl
235 Posts
Amy
McPherson
Kansas
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 5:20:11 PM
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All good suggestions and just to add to the idea of a doxie, most little yappy dogs will help keep snakes and rodents away, as they bark way way more then big dogs do. My 3 schnauzers just don't stop, LOL
Amy
http://lifenkansas.blogspot.com/
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AFMom
True Blue Farmgirl
100 Posts
Erica
North Dakota
USA
100 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2007 : 6:32:08 PM
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Oh Lynda, I am not quite that bad with the rodents, but the neighbors tell me that once the corn is taken off the fields, the mice will come to the house looking for food and shelter. One thing many folks tell me to do (and I have) is keep open boxes of poison in the cellar. Well, my cellar walls are mountain stone and the floor is concrete...no drywall down there...so I have the poison up on the stone where the stone abutts up to the flooring...so far I have not had a problem..thank god. The rat outside was the only one I have seen yet and again he was outside. Maybe you could try poison, just be sure to put it high so your dogs and cats will not get into it...
I had a house down the valley back in 1999 on a dairy farm, and I did have a problem like you do with the mice...we would be eating dinner and they would be running around right above us in the drop ceiling...and the minute we left the kitchen - food didn't even have to be out- they were on the countertops, in the drip pans on the stove, everywhere...I hated it. Incidently, my husband is very sensitive to the dust left off from mouse droppings, and had to go to the hospital because the spores were so bad in that house. I cleaned and disinfected, but the spores will be in your walls and such and escape into the air we breathe and are very, very bad for us. Last resort that I know I would turn to now if I ever get into another situation like that, is hire an exterminator specifically for rodents...maybe they would wipe them out...I have many "horror" stories about mice, spiders and bats that would give you the chills. Talking about spiders gives me goose bumps and my family cannot get over all the things that happen to me with the things I destest the most....maybe I should write a book:0
Erica |
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FarrarFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lynda
Frohna
Missouri
USA
330 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2007 : 11:17:18 PM
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At last, we have had success and I can claim a small victory in battle, but am still out to win the war. Shortly after I left my story, we did catch one on a trap with peanut butter. And then the next day - sorry this is really gross - I noticed that my grease jar was really messy with grease spattered up the sides and such and I didn't remember it being that way. So I picked it up and quicly and loudly let out a scream and dropped the jar. There wallowing around in my grease was a mouse - still alive! Gross, gross, gross. Fortunately, when I dropped the jar, it was so encased with grease that it could hardly move and the jar did not break so I set it back up and put a covering over it.
When my husband came home in, I let him have the "honor" of properly disposing of it. Since then we have set out 6 more traps thanks to the aid and help of a neighbor, but no catches. I think they are laying low and trying to come up with a different plan of attack. And then again, maybe we got all there were to get - until it gets cold. That's the direction I'm leaning and I'm just very happy with the results for now.
I like the dog idea and put in a "request" for a couple shortly after we moved here, but my dh has said no to that idea almost as fast I asked. I can understand his perspective. We have guests here everyday and we don't want the dogs becoming too friendly with those who tour around the property. Even if we would pen them up or chain them, our tours are all over the property including close to our house and we don't want them to be noisy while taking people around either. But I do agree with you about their success rate, I'm all for it.
Thanks so much for your suggestions, Michelle and Amy. It makes me feel alittle better knowing I at least have some options yet, if the others don't work. You're all terrific for trying to help this city-turned country girl be content. Blessings to you now and always.
In His hands,
Lynda
Pray in faith and you will not live in doubt.
www.pamperedchef.biz/lorenzfamilycooks |
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Cleaning Up: Snakes and rodents....long, but need ideas:) |
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Snakes and rodents....long, but need ideas:)
