Rat!

We have a retaining wall -- about 3 feet high -- behind our house. Between the retaining wall and our house is a narrow patio. We actively plant in the soil above the retaining wall.

For years we have had a problem of chipmunks and voles in the retaining wall.

But tonight, I came home from a drink with a friend (and a few plants from her yard, hooray!) to hear my husband tell me -- I still can't believe it -- that he saw a rat disappear into the retaining wall. Oh my God!

We love birds, and we don't want to use poisons, but the rat must go. We can use a hav-a-heart trap if need be. But do any of you have any suggestions as to what I can do to make the rat want to call the movers? And fast!

Many thanks.

UGH! seems to me the only way to make sure you get the bad guy is to live trap and kill selectively. Good luck!

I'm seriously considering calling an exterminator tomorrow. I don't want to use poisons -- but if we make a mis-step and don't get this animal, we could have a really really big problem. I don't want this rat moving into our house for the winter! And we have cats, but they are indoor cats, so that won't help. And we have dogs, but they apparently are no threat to the rat.

We have been pulling out a lot of ivy and so have our neighbors, so we may have dislodged this fellow. We also had some fencing built very recently -- again, perhaps the cause of the dislocation.

I used to work for the health dept. Rats are around more than most people are aware. And ivy is excellent cover for all critters- my friend who actually went out rat baiting swore she would never have ivy. Hopefully your work will urge it to move along, along with diligent sanitation. but traps or bait will help get the message across!

I gave in and called an exterminator today -- against every bone in my being. But I just can't ignore this, and I'm worried that if whatever subtler measures I were to take didn't work, we would really be courting disaster. I can only hope my husband was wrong in what he thought he saw! Thanks for your comments -- that is very helpful.

Exterminator will certainly know what to look for to confirm or deny the rats. I've seen holes, which would be bigger than vole/chipmunk holes, and paths through the grass where they travel from burrow to food (garbage ,birdseed, dog food bowl, ) I'll be interested to hear what he says.

I've gotta say, I'm in complete denial. I keep hoping my husband was having a moment of temporary insanity. But the exterminator comes Monday; I'll report back!