AAARrrrrrrRRRRRgggggGGGGG!!!!! (1 Viewer)

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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Glue mats are the most effective way to trap rats or mice.

Place around the edge of a room is certain to get results.
Rats in particular will always stay close to walls when on the move.

Mice usually die of fright on the mat but rats are made of sterner stuff and need finishing off.

Only had one rat/squirrel and that escaped but left most of its fur stuck on the mat.
 
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yodeli
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
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Balma (next to Toulouse) France
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Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
Yes Papa, I thought quite quickly that glue was the only way left!
But as the specialist comes tomorrow , I might not need to use it. Honestly I can't imagine giving the last hit to a rat whining... but if I had ....I guess I would do it and..... vomit afterwards ... yukkkkk
 

SilverF1

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Nov 14, 2010
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Frankie, once the critters have been eliminated, don't forget to find the hole they used to get in, otherwise you'll possibly end up with the the problem again. None of us would wish that on you. Keep smiling.
 
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yodeli
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
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Balma (next to Toulouse) France
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Since 2011/owner since 6/03/2014
Frankie, once the critters have been eliminated, don't forget to find the hole they used to get in, otherwise you'll possibly end up with the the problem again. None of us would wish that on you. Keep smiling.


Already found it ... just following the drops. It came from the engine under the dashboard. There are lots of wires there and I guess the person who has put all these wires had to make a bigger hole to reach the battery. I looked carefully under the bonnet with a torch and have seen a few drops next to the battery and next to the windscreen washing liquid little container, on the opposite side. I will ask the man tomorrow to have a look , see if he agrees with me.... Next episode .... tomorrow after lunch , unless Mister Rat decides to make a big mistake tonight....time will tell!:whistle:

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yodeli
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
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Thanks for asking.
I have been very quiet lately.
The problem is much worse than I, we (mairie, specialist, boss) thought.
The situation at the moment is that I am invaded. A team came this afternoon, sent by the Mairie services devolved to the hygiene and public health. The rats are under my house.
So my boss who was there too,has decided to have builders to come and make all the surroundings as safe as possible, for me and for the babies. I was offered as well a night in a hotel to get a decent night, I'll see about that later ….I must admit that I have been very shacked by the whole thing and keep having nightmares + all the noise outside. Ever heard a rat calling for his brother mates? Just awfull!
I nearly lost my job as the babies parents were very worried with the health consequences, and with me being soo tired.…..very understandable TBH!


I don’t have a car anymore (temporarily) as some of them , rats or baby rats or mice got into it too!
My parents came along and as they were all out (the rats that is!)during daytime, they took the car away! Now don’t worry , I still have a bike ….. !


Now Max!
Max might not see the road again, we still don’t know, as we can’t evaluate the damages yet.
The dealer next to my house made me a great favour and came to have a look. I can’t check if Max ‘s engine is damaged (bits of coloured plastic looking like wire stuff under Max’s pitch) because I can’t have the diesel warmed up enough , consequence of the latest problem I had with the glow plug, the relay being dead doesn’t send enough electricity. Aren’t I lucky hey? Must be some nice and bright star over my head,…. Call me a worrier!


Apart from that, Max’s walls and floor are now rats’ home!
Nothing was touched, no poison , no trap , no peanut butter, no cat could be put in as too much poison. All the different traps and poisons were only touched with gloves on. Every single day since I was told to be very careful, I wash all the surroundings of the house with chlore and every morning I check all the droppings and get them into a box , then wash again where the children might go (well only Jean , 15 months old can walk at the moment ….fortunately!) with chlore again.
IF … I should now say WHEN, as a few bags of poison have been recently eaten, the rats in Max will be dead, then the checking and the cleaning will start. The dealer told me we could try air compressor to check all the hoses… oh sorry forgot to say that my Dad had to put the rear part of Max into pieces … well to me, it is now pieces! So all the truma heater is out of the way and he put defensive spray in all the cardboard and aluminium hoses he had on his way, running away after each psssssshitttttt , to save his eyes and throat!


What else can I say? If I am down…. Yes I am. All this love I gave, all the time and money I have put in ….. I have no word to say what I feel like.
But …. You see, there ‘s one thing very unfortunately which makes the whole difference! I have learnt a few days ago that my best friend’s (Lyli) son has an already well advanced cancer. She is crying every day…. How can I decently be down….

Frankie

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Ambilkate

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Jul 15, 2009
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oh Frankie hugs and kisses from us three wished there was something we could do xxx
 

Wildman

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May 30, 2008
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and I thought I had problems, chin up it will all get sorted. Mad Max will beat the buggers and the authorities will sort the rats at home. It is a shame that Lyli has found out about her son when her own health is so precarious. You are a good friend to her but this time I doubt anyone can help. Be strong for her and we shall all be strong for you.

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DP+JAY

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Mar 17, 2010
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There is nothing we can say, but we are thinking of you and wishing you well. Dave wishes we lived nearer and then he could help you with Max. xx
 

hilldweller

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Dec 5, 2008
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Cheer up, your Hymer is now very important.

Es ist der Rat Haus.

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yodeli
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
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if you have a cat let it have a look around it might find something.

There is an association for cats I have been in contact with, but as long as there is very strong poison around, we try not to let any cat in . I can't help the wild ones, but the vets around are aware of the problem and are ready with vitamin K.
But thanks for your thought anyway!
 

jumar

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Frankie

When I asked the question earlier I never expected to hear such a sad story. I'm so sorry for all your problems and hope that eventually everything will be sorted out.

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Ven

Aug 15, 2008
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Bloody hell Frankie, that's some bad luck. I really hope there's some light at the end of the tunnel soon and things improve x
 

cruiser

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good luck from the butlers.

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May 21, 2008
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Sorry to hear all your woes Frankie - let's hope there is better news soon...
Lots of love from us both
 
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yodeli
Oct 12, 2008
6,243
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Thank you so very much to all of you. I needed some comfort, and you lot are a real nice bunch.
I wanted to install all the glue traps my father bought, to try and catch the ones I have in the van before they die somewhere hidden and stink for ages, but with the yesterday evening flood , I was far too busy trying to get all my things out of the water. I will do my best to do it this afternoon so it's ready when it's dusk.

Frankie
 
May 20, 2009
782
856
Haute Vienne, France
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Frankie, we are sorry to hear of your woes. Its a shame we are not nearer as we would be there like a shot armed with buckets, mops, two cats and lots of hugs and cuddles.
Hope it all works out for you in the long term.

Affectueusement et un grande bisou.

Steve & Sue xxx
 
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yodeli
Oct 12, 2008
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I thought I would let you know how things are now, so here is a little up date

First : No more rats around /under the house! They have eaten bags of poison and the place has been completely cleared off for about 10 days now. No more drops , nor pees, so this is it .... DEAD !:sneaky:(y)

I have left the untouched poison in all the strategic places I was told to put it... just in case!

Now my MAX !

Up to last Thursday there was at least one of them remaining. Whether that one had babies or not in the double floor is still a mystery to me. I guess I will soon know if any bad smell comes from there!
That last one came ... last:p! I could see new drops , different size.... so , I knew I would have to wait more days till he had eaten enough poison to be condemned.

BUT that one had the very bad idea to start chewing my wires and some foam under my dashboard!

Last tuesday , I opened all the van as every day looked every centimetre of floor, carpet and ... found under the pedals bits of chewed wires and foam! GRrrrrrrrrrrr , NO WAY mate! None has done it before , I won't let the last one do it! Banged every where , put the music full sound again, and ran to the computer to order more defensive sprays , 2 of them made with cayenne pepper among other really bad stuffs and given to be against aggression of course but as well against animals ! Oddered straight away, hoping the little B*****d wouldn't chew all before I get them in mailbox

2 days later , got the sprays, had no babies in charge so decided to clean all and spray everything to get rid of it! Poison had been eaten for 4 nights so quite enough to be sure it wouldn't survive!

Took the spare wheel out of the engine, where they used to find the poison ,urinate and defecate as if totally at home!:mad:
Washed all the parts around I could reach, chlored them, did the same with the spare wheel , and put all back in . Put some more poison just to check if any would come and , took the sprays and pshiiiiiiiittt under the dash board . I nearly died in suffocation , but at least I knew I was not the only one;)

Anyway , next day , not a single chewed wire, not a bit of foam , no drops , no poison eaten no nothing!

Errrrrr.... Ok ... has it stayed in the floor waiting for its moustaches to be less hurting, its eyes less burning?

I waited 2 days (we are then on Saturday), taking some time every day to carefully listen to the noises of the van , ear against its external walls.
It seemed to be quite peaceful... and then a little later in the day I could hear noises against, not really crunch crunch crunch noises , bang noises more like!

Then in the afternoon arrived Ali and Tim!
Got them parked on the main parking place .... didn't want any lost rat to find a new home!!!

We had some good time together , but still I was listening every day to my Max's "noises"

When they got ready to leave on Monday (so 3 days later... are you following ok ?:D :p) I asked Tim if he could listen , as I was getting unsure of myself...
He listened carefully once ... nothing, then tried agin and heard things , then Ali came along and listened too, and did hear noises , but... were these noises rats ? Tim said he was not convinced at all, neither was Ali after a while , and so we tried to see what could be doing those bangs noises. Probably heat, and iron expending, and wood cracking .... Yes I might have been a tad paranoid, I had been quite shaken by the whole thing.

They might be right .... I don't know, still not completely convinced, but decided time had come to have Max checked out and see what damages had been caused if any by its Mechanic!

So off this afternoon ! He started ok , and I drove it (carefully) 8 kms away without the slightest problem!
I'm just hoping now that if any rat left inside, it will either die else where, or find another home in the mechanic's hangar ! Not very fair , I know , but too fed up...

Next stage , will be (if mechanic's bill not too killing) to take it to the dealer to put all the bits back on and check that all work fine!

I hope this is really the end of the story, I will need a few good nights sleep to cheer up again and plan trips away from home.

As I wish that this adventure serve everyone right I will make a long post about all I have learnt. I now know a great deal about these little beasts , and will show you the way to PREVENT the problem, avoid the mistakes I have made, and try to make it a lesson for all so that will not happen to any of you, especially at this period , when a lot of you are going to store your beloved motorhomes for winter time !

Amicalement

Frankie;)(y)

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Last edited:
Feb 22, 2014
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Oh Frankie I share your pain. We had the blasted things in our loft. Took so long to get rid of them and now I am paranoid. Every creak, every clunk.....and I think 'oh God! Ther are back'! It's cost us a fortune too. I hope to God we have got rid of them for good! I hope you have too. Keep strong. This, too, shall pass!
 

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