# How to get rid of rats and geese?



## a34 (Sep 17, 2012)

Hey Guys, 

The house I just bought has a huge field behind it. Our neighbor cut the grass in it, and said there were alot of rats in it. Short of getting a bunch of stray hungry cats, is there anything I can do to get rid of them? My wife suggested spreading rat poison in the field, but I think that's a hit or miss chance of getting them. 

Also, We have a pond down the road and about 50 or so Canadian Geese landed in my front yard. They left a lot of nice presents in the driveway and my neighbor tells me they eat the grass down to the roots. Any ideas on how to keep them off my lawn short of introducing them to my buddy, Mr. Mossberg? 

Thanks !!!


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## blood on the ground (Sep 17, 2012)

field rats are normal.
are you in the city limits of acworth?


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## Milkman (Sep 17, 2012)

One of the properties I manage had a goose problem around the entrances to the building.   I bought some owl statues and placed them at the areas being pooped on.  

The geese are afraid of the owls and wont come near them.  They are less than $20 at Tractor Supply.


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## 1gr8bldr (Sep 17, 2012)

Buy a pair of swans and you will never have geese again. Dealing with 2 swans is much better than 50 geese


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## Boudreaux (Sep 17, 2012)

a34 said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> The house I just bought has a huge field behind it. Our neighbor cut the grass in it, and said there were alot of rats in it. Short of getting a bunch of stray hungry cats, is there anything I can do to get rid of them? My wife suggested spreading rat poison in the field, but I think that's a hit or miss chance of getting them.
> 
> ...



If you're outside the city limits, I'll be happy to help you out with you goose problem.  I'll even shoot every rat I see while out there.

I whittled a local goose population of 70 or so geese down to about 25 in a year's time for a land owner in Habersham Co.  The geese were chasing his mom's cats and leaving scat piles all over the place.

It's been a few years and the population is back up to 50+, so I'm going to go help him out again.

I've also taken out a few coyotes on his place.  He doesn't care to much for them staring at his calfs in the pasture.


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 17, 2012)

Back when I worked at the golf club one of the things the boss told me was that grape kool aid is a decent deterrent. Trouble is it must be re applied everytime it rains or you cut the grass. They do not like the taste.


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## a34 (Sep 17, 2012)

Thanks guys. The house is in rural Cherokee county, I just bought it and have not moved in yet.


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## gunnurse (Sep 17, 2012)

Vote Republican !!!


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## georgiaboy (Sep 18, 2012)

Boudreaux said:


> If you're outside the city limits, I'll be happy to help you out with you goose problem.  I'll even shoot every rat I see while out there.
> 
> I whittled a local goose population of 70 or so geese down to about 25 in a year's time for a land owner in Habersham Co.  The geese were chasing his mom's cats and leaving scat piles all over the place.
> 
> ...



Hey buddy.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 19, 2012)

Probably field mice, not rats. And they're supposed to be there, and won't hurt a thing. Why move out to the country and try to kill everything off that makes it the country?


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## rjcruiser (Sep 19, 2012)

One thing I'll say about the field mice/rats.

Just make sure you're house is sealed up well cause in the winter...they'll make every attempt to get into the warmth of your house.


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## a34 (Sep 19, 2012)

NCHillbilly said:


> Probably field mice, not rats. And they're supposed to be there, and won't hurt a thing. Why move out to the country and try to kill everything off that makes it the country?



Cause I hate 'em.


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## a34 (Sep 19, 2012)

rjcruiser said:


> One thing I'll say about the field mice/rats.
> 
> Just make sure you're house is sealed up well cause in the winter...they'll make every attempt to get into the warmth of your house.



Yep, it was vacant for over a year and they already moved in. Got a pest control guy coming out tomorrow. I'd like to whittle the population down some, but you're right, I need to seal the house up. 

Maybe there are some hungry cats in my future.


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## packrat (Sep 19, 2012)

*Pest*

Get you two jack russell/mtn. fiest squirrel dogs.
They will do a number on both pests and are
a great security alarm


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## crackerdave (Sep 21, 2012)

packrat said:


> Get you two jack russell/mtn. fiest squirrel dogs.
> They will do a number on both pests and are
> a great security alarm



This! ^

Hey,Brer Packrat-long time,no see -um!


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## Artfuldodger (Sep 21, 2012)

We live in the city of Martinez and have wooded lots next to us. We have lots of field mice and i've never seen one in our house. I don't think they are like regular mice when it comes to living in your house. I wouldn't worry too much about them. 
That reminds me of a song my girls use to listen to "Little Bunny Foo Foo":

    Little bunny Foo Foo
    Hopping through the forest
    Scooping up the field mice
    And bopping them on the head
    Down came the Good Fairy, and she said
    "Little bunny Foo Foo
    I don't want to see you
    Scooping up the field mice
    And bopping them on the head."


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## packrat (Sep 21, 2012)

*dave*



crackerdave said:


> This! ^
> 
> Hey,Brer Packrat-long time,no see -um!



My ankle bracelet interferes with my wifi connection,
so i have to keep it at a minimum.


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## Tomahawk1088 (Sep 21, 2012)

A coyote decoy seems to work real good at the middle school my sister goes to. I wish my college would get some yotes cause I hate those darn geese!


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## lbzdually (Sep 22, 2012)

NCHillbilly said:


> Probably field mice, not rats. And they're supposed to be there, and won't hurt a thing. Why move out to the country and try to kill everything off that makes it the country?



I'm sorry but having mice that eat into wires, die in walls, and chew through dishwashers lines that subsequently flood your floor and ruin it is not great country living.  Furthermore, the man asked how to get rid of mice and this is the On Topic forum to ask and get answers to questions, not for people to give opinions about the original question.  We have an around the campfire forum for that.

Sticky traps with peanut butter work great for mice and the jaw type traps work pretty good as well.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 22, 2012)

lbzdually said:


> I'm sorry but having mice that eat into wires, die in walls, and chew through dishwashers lines that subsequently flood your floor and ruin it is not great country living.  Furthermore, the man asked how to get rid of mice and this is the On Topic forum to ask and get answers to questions, not for people to give opinions about the original question.  We have an around the campfire forum for that.
> 
> Sticky traps with peanut butter work great for mice and the jaw type traps work pretty good as well.



Field mice (voles) don't come into your house. White-footed and deer mice that live in the woods will. When they do, I trap and kill them in the house . I've never tried to go scorch the earth and kill every rodent on several acres of land.


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## lbzdually (Sep 22, 2012)

NCHillbilly said:


> Field mice (voles) don't come into your house. White-footed and deer mice that live in the woods will. When they do, I trap and kill them in the house . I've never tried to go scorch the earth and kill every rodent on several acres of land.



I think the fella is trying to get rid of them in his house.  Every type of rat or mouse will go inside to get out of the cold.  Houses are warm, they will get it in to get warm, I don't care what type of rat or mouse they are.  We used to live in a trailer right next to a field.  Every time we bushhogged, the mice came in and we had to kill them.  Had to replace the dishwasher supply line twice when they chewed through it.  Had to replace the insulation under the house and when we sold the trailer, the floor in the kitchen was ruined.  We built our house and before we even moved in, the mice had moved in because it was warm in February.   They ended up chewing our dishwasher line into also.  Now, I wrap my line in aluminum foil and they won't chew through AF.


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## NOYDB (Sep 22, 2012)

Mice got the control wires for my heat pump. 

Seal up any hole or crack down to dime size. They can squeeze thru anything their head will fit thru.

Do NOT poison the field. You will kill more critters than just mice. Keeping the field mowed will allow predators easier access to the mice and work much better.


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## Artfuldodger (Sep 22, 2012)

Q. Where do voles usually enter a building? 

A. Voles very rarely enter buildings.  They will sometimes end up inside a building by accident when they have nested under a deck or patio, but they do not seek out indoor dwellings. 

Get a couple of cats and don't over feed them. We have cats inside and outside and never have a rodent problem. We do have a cat litter problem though.


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## a34 (Sep 23, 2012)

According to the critter guy, we have norway rats, tree rats, flying squirrels and regular squirrels. Sticky traps had some recent kills on baby rats. He pointed out lots of entry points in the house. Crap !


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 23, 2012)

a34 said:


> According to the critter guy, we have norway rats, tree rats, flying squirrels and regular squirrels. Sticky traps had some recent kills on baby rats. He pointed out lots of entry points in the house. Crap !



Out of those, the Norway Rats (AKA wharf rats) are the ones to worry about. They are very destructive. Rat poison is the best way to control those. The flying squirrels might get into the attic, but they don't hurt much of anything.


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## shakey gizzard (Sep 24, 2012)

Keep the grass cut back around the house and seal all entry points! As for the geese, get a dog or !


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## waddler (Sep 29, 2012)

lbzdually said:


> I'm sorry but having mice that eat into wires, die in walls, and chew through dishwashers lines that subsequently flood your floor and ruin it is not great country living.  Furthermore, the man asked how to get rid of mice and this is the On Topic forum to ask and get answers to questions, not for people to give opinions about the original question.  We have an around the campfire forum for that.
> 
> Sticky traps with peanut butter work great for mice and the jaw type traps work pretty good as well.



I bought a tenant house that had been vacant awhile, and the owner said her mother lived in it, and never had any mice. I caught 50 in traps the first duck season.

Went and bought "One Bite" aka "Tomcat" (er sump'n like that), put it in the attic where the animals couldn't get to it, and BINGO! No mice period. The best part about it was there was never any odor, and the poison kills the rat, but if a dog or cat then eats the rat, it won't hurt them. However, the poison itself will kill a dog or cat if they ingest the poison itself.

I just opened up the cellophane and put the whole tray on a board in the attic. It takes one tray per season.


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