So to all those who are not totally citified like me this will probably be a stupid question. But I went outside this evening to water my plants and I saw a creature running in terror through my flower bed. It looked grey and had a rat like tail. So I think it could be a rat, which is so gross. But we have see possums in the back yard a couple times, so maybe a baby possum, but I don't know if a young one would be a lone. Anyway, does this mean I might have a problem? We aren't dirty, no clutter outside or anything. We have toys in the backyard etc, but nothing I think a rat would want to live in. We do get a build up of cardboard boxes in one side of our garage....I am just worried I guess, if you see one, should you get an exterminator? We have regular pest control for bugs, but not rodents. Could one of my neighbors have an issue? We have been in the middle of a drought and so maybe the varment are just desperate as we got a little rain recently, I have a tomato plant on the front porch, don't know if that could have been inviting....any ideas??
OOOOO Let me send you my Beagle!!!!! please
You probably do not have a vermin infestation. It was most likely a pesky oppossum or armadillo maybe?
Hey Angela, Doesn't Boca Raton mean something like mouth of the rat. THat's why you had rats. lol I'd move. 8o) haha Couldn't help it. Glad you got rid of them.
JenB - I don't mean to scare you, but if you saw one there's probably a dozen somewhere close by.
They absolutely LOVE tomatoes.
How do I know this? A couple of months ago, we had a rat invasion at our house from a hole that was created in our kitchen remodel (behind our new fridge which was in a different spot than our old one). We have lived here for almost a decade, and prior to this incident had NEVER seen any type of rat or mouse inside the house (which is actually pretty common in southern FL).
What was my first sign? A big bite out of a tomato on one of my counters (!!!). We started seeing lots of other signs (droppings) and my son actually walked out of his room and saw one. A baby rat got into his room. It was so, so disgusting.
Let's just say this traumatized me beyond belief. It took me several months to get over it.
I had three different pest control places here in one day, and basically threatened my husband that we would move out if we didn't get it taken care of THAT DAY. One of guys told me about the tomato issue. It took several days to figure out where they were coming from. We actually had to camp out on our boat.
Yes, yes, yes - hire a company. They will know what to do outside. They can place bait boxes that only the rats can get into. The bait kills them, usually about the time they get back to their litter. You can also buy these boxes, and the bait, at Home Depot.
If you don't eradicate them they will start gnawing on places to get in out from the weather, etc. You DON'T want them in your house. We have tree rats in southern FL and they love to gnaw in through vents to get into attics.
Good luck - don't ignore this issue.
Oh gross, I was originally going to say it was probably an opposum, but after reading Angela's response I'd be freaked! Sorry! First though I'd maybe set a trap and see what you catch. If you catch a rat then yes, absolutely call a company ASAP. Also, move your tomato plants. I'd go to a hardware store (not Home Depot) and ask which traps are best to catch rats, etc. in your area. Good luck!
On the upside, rats are easier to get rid of than mice. I had rats, and the pest control sealed off all the entry points in one day. That was that! But then we had mice, and it took forever, because they can get in much smaller places. I was traumatized! One was building a nest in my kitchen cupboard one night! Ugh! I think they're gone, after months of work from the pest control. We got the mice when my son started feeding the birds - go figure. I couldn't take that away from him - it's just too educational and special to him. So I live nervously, waiting for the next invasion, lol! Oh well, at least it's not cockroaches!
If it were me, I'd ask around the neighborhood first. I'd ask, "Do you get rodents in your yard? I think I saw one in mine. Could it have been a rat, or might it be something else?" Your neighbors will be glad to clue you in on the local critters.
My son and his family have been living at Fort Hood, and they've had armadillos come to visit. Armadillos are sort of a "fashion neutral" color and look, um, interesting. That might be a possibility. (My children are moving soon to Fort Benning, so now they'll be meeting the Georgia wildlife!)
I live in a very rural area and mice come in out of the fields. I had left the side door open in the garage and went out one day to see a mouse scurry away. We didn't have an infestation or anything. And, I quit leaving that door open because there was no screen.
My neighbor has a cat that keeps the mice at bay.
It's possible you scared it off, but you might want to keep the cardboard from piling up. Mice can use it for shelter...or to build one.
We have pastures and fields all around us so mice are just part of it. I've never had one in the house.
Best wishes.
Hmmm got a cat? If you start seeing neighbor cats milling about then you might have an issue. I have a husky and I don't worry about rodent problems. She will track anything! In fact we took her to my folks house and they had a sneaky rat that they knew was in the house. It eluded traps and poison for months, but couldn't elude that dog! I didn't even know there was one in the house till she came out of a bedroom with it...ewwww.
Sure, it could have been a rat. Could also have been a large mouse or a mole. Moles are pretty darn ugly too. If you're concerned, set a trap & see what happens. Good luck!
We have possums all the way up in Minnesota now! I've seen baby ones out by themselves. I would keep looking for signs of anything more before I would panic.
Sounds like an Opossum to me... We live in the country where we have it all including bears.
Possum look like large rats, but they aren't - they are marsupials.
LBC
