Rats...what to do?

[kumgang]

Hi there: this morning when I came out, I found a trace of a rat (yes, that kind of trace...) on my boat's cover. What would you do to avoid the invasion? Thanks in advance
P.S.: I don't want to get a cat because it'd ruin the teak deck, so please I need some advice in order to keep the rats far enough from the boat.

[mike dryver]

why would a cat ruin a teak deck? ours' does her business in a cat box down below. she comes out with me on deck and walks around a bit then just finds a place to snooze, even down below she just checks things out then finds a cubby to crash in and sleeps. no scratching of the furniture or the cushions etc.

[kumgang]

Thanks Mike, I'll think about getting a cat...I always saw cats scratching on every available hard surface, that's why I thought a cat would ruin a teak deck.
best wishes

[Boasun]

Using a large gun would work... but you will need a large bag of wood plugs to fill the holes from the bullets.... Okay bad idea.
Rat traps... But you will need to wear steel toe shoes or your toes may trip one of those traps... Not to good of an idea.
Rat poison behind things that your kids can't reach. We do this on work boats.
Cats or small dogs... many of those small dogs were bred to catch rats... And people love pets.
Gas the boat before you splash it. This will kill the rats.... but you will then have to find all of their little bodies before they become aromatic.

[tager]

Don't introduce poison into the web of life because you are a part of it.

Without a lot of biochem experience you cannot predict the many ways that rat poison can get into your body.

If you don't want rats in your boat, secure your food and garbage, and don't leave the boat open to rats.

[WanderingStar]

I have found that ground red pepper is a good deterrent for things that sniff. Sprinkle it on the ground around the boat. Don't touch your eyes if you touch the pepper.

[Allanbc]

Have you thought of getting a snake?

[cormeum]

Rat collars in the docklines, no, and I mean none at all, food on the boat.

close all entrances inside when you leave.

Animals don't go where there's no eats.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by cormeum

... no, and I mean none at all, food on the boat.

close all entrances inside when you leave.

If you don't do the first, I imagine the latter will do you little good. Rats have been known to go thru cinderblock, and even rebar'd concrete, to get to where they want to go.

As for cats: You cannot depend upon any two cats acting alike. You can have two nearly identical cats: One which is all sweetness and light, never claws up the furniture or anything else, doesn't throw up often (they all do it occasionally--and that's probably the bigger threat to your teak) and the other the cat from hell that does all those things every waking moment.

Jim

[cormeum]

Yeah, no food is the necessary part of this.