Bulgarian rats are like all other rats around the world, a pest and unwanted guests in many homes. There are many alternative to getting rid of them, too man to mention in fact, but yesterday another method was learnt as we still has to contend with the elusive rat in the garage that continues to eat our hard earned potato stocks.
The idea of getting a bucket, filling two thirds of it with water and placing some sunflower seeds that would float on the top seemed a strange ploy to take when I first heard this being discussed. Added to this a little path was placed leading up to the rim of the bucket where once at the top the sunflower seeds could be seen but not the water. This began to make good sense to me at this point. The rat would see the sunflower seeds and of course it is too low to eat, as it is a third of they distance down in the bucket. The rat would have to jump in thinking that the bucket was full of sunflower seeds and pass through the top layer of sunflowers seeds into the looming water beneath which was deep enough to drown it with the vertical walls of the bucket.
A master plan had been born and we all looked forward to drowned rats as we set the system up slightly drunk after the feast of Sunday football and beer.
Monday morning and it wasn’t an early visit to the garage to check for drowned rats. When we did it was as it was the night before, but then no more potatoes have been nibbled either, no ratty visitors last night other than the half ratted trappers. Time is the essence, not only for catching that rat but for getting rid of hangovers!
Rooney Image by Getty Images via Daylife 
The idea of getting a bucket, filling two thirds of it with water and placing some sunflower seeds that would float on the top seemed a strange ploy to take when I first heard this being discussed. Added to this a little path was placed leading up to the rim of the bucket where once at the top the sunflower seeds could be seen but not the water. This began to make good sense to me at this point. The rat would see the sunflower seeds and of course it is too low to eat, as it is a third of they distance down in the bucket. The rat would have to jump in thinking that the bucket was full of sunflower seeds and pass through the top layer of sunflowers seeds into the looming water beneath which was deep enough to drown it with the vertical walls of the bucket.A master plan had been born and we all looked forward to drowned rats as we set the system up slightly drunk after the feast of Sunday football and beer.
Monday morning and it wasn’t an early visit to the garage to check for drowned rats. When we did it was as it was the night before, but then no more potatoes have been nibbled either, no ratty visitors last night other than the half ratted trappers. Time is the essence, not only for catching that rat but for getting rid of hangovers!
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I'm glad that trap seems to work. It sounds better than the normal mouse trap anyhow.
ReplyDeleteI caught 2 when I first moved into my apartment a few years ago with sticky glue traps and it was terrible since it doesn't kill them and they screeched their lungs off until I had to finish them off myself. :o( That... was not pleasant at all.
Now Martin I thought rats could swim? Or have I missed something in this method?
ReplyDeleteHi Smorg, Thanks for the visit. Screeching rats with glued feet - Mmmm not good.
ReplyDeleteIndeed you are right Mike rats can swim, but for how long!?
ReplyDeleteat some places, rat can be considered as a source of protein, you know. :D
ReplyDeleteThe image of a drown rat is not what I'd want to see, but hey it works for you, it works, right?
Too busy to figure out how the Brits play footbal?.))
ReplyDeletekindest
hans
Hi Lina,
ReplyDeleteProtein made from our potatoes! No worries no pictures to be published of drowned rats if get one.
Hi Hans,
ReplyDeleteGood to see you.
Football? Brits? not a good combination nowadays.
A plan so cunning you could pin it on a foxes tail. With all the potatoes he's been eating why don't you lay a trail of cheese and onion crisps up the path or some potato chops. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteHi Martyn,
ReplyDeleteIt still hasnt' got the culprit after four day and nights. Looks like another cunning plan might comeinto play.
By the way, we just can't get cheese and onion crips here Martyn so your idea is a non starter I'm afraid. :(
Hi Martin,
ReplyDeleteOK...now I see why you made that comment on my post! :0) Do you know, this is very similar to the way animal experts advise gerbil owners to catch their escaped pets???!!! The only difference...no water in the bottom...and something for a soft landing! :0)
Good luck with your trap...that's very frustrating when animals have broken in and are eating your hard-earned food!! I don't blame you for that, even though I'm an animal lover! You have to protect your food sources so you can eat, etc!!!
Anyway...good luck!! I didn't show your post to Pepa and Ota...it would be too traumatic for them...but good luck!!! :0)
Have a great day,
Sher :0)
Hope you catch that critter soon, Martin. Rats! Ugh! It was bad enough when we had hamsters (they were supposed to have been a couple of females). Some escaped and one drowned by accident. I've never taken to rodents, but I think rabbits and squirrels are cute. I wouldn't want them invading my home, however. Here, in Sussex, we actually have a free rat control service. Of course, it means using rat poison.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an ingenious way of trapping a rat and, when I was reading your post, I really thought that it would work!! I look forward to reading how you get on with interest because, as you know, we had a rat problem in the roof, but at the moment we are thankfully free of them but you never know when they might come back!!!
ReplyDeleteNow, that's what I call and advice! I do hope you'll win in your fight against rats. (PS, thank you for adding me on your blog roll - bye and greetings from Croatia)
ReplyDeleteGerbils are close relatives to rats and desert creatures. Quite sensaitive creatures as well, so you rightly hide then from the post. loln
ReplyDeleteHi A in B,
ReplyDeletePerhaps if we ate rats there wouldn't be any around and it would have been a different history without the Black Death.
Hi Roz,
ReplyDeleteIt hasn't worked and I think it is because there is other food around. We are away for four days now and will have to re-think our tatics. A stray cat locked in the garage fro a few nights might come into the equation.
Hi Sandra,
ReplyDeleteAdvice that hasnt' worked Sandra. Any Croatian tricks up your sleeve that we might try?
oh no! I won't even think of a trap if that was me. I'd be running away and be on the look out for when they appear and step up on anything elevated LOL.
ReplyDelete