Tuesday 17 January 2017

Rats - or mice?

For some time there has been a scrabbling in the wall cavities.

Sith our sole cat ( we have had up to 7 in a past life)



Who is now 13 and has always been a wimp takes little notice.  So there is no point shoving him into the cavity.

The scrabbling is usually around 5.45 p.m. and then 6.45 a.m.  The DP maintains that rats are nocturnal.  So last night we blocked the holes, when it was dark, that he found in the garage.  Then I panicked as I heard scrabbling in the sitting room, after the blocking of holes, so it obviously could not get out.  I detest rats but do not want it to die a lingering death, there is the smell.....

So we are not sure what to do next.  The DP wants me to get a Rentokil company or similar.  Huh.  We have got rid of rats before without paying. This was in a previous house.  But that did involve blocking every hole and then the DP killing with a 4x4 plank the one that appeared drinking out of a toilet in the early hours.  No more rats but the DP took a while to recover him being a pacifist.

Today I took myself off as the DP had done the same.  He was off North with a packed lunch.

I did my usual .67 of a mile on Fraserburgh prom.

No surfers today.



Low tide in the morning.  The Kessock Burn doing its own sculpting as it enters the North Sea.



And lots of sea birds having fun.

I had a delivery of some mugs for my shop (Buchan Birds and Beasts.)





These are done by Photoshop.  I get nothing from them - but they are an ace company.  My original paintings on to a mug which is dishwasher and microwave ok.

Did some painting.  So much to do.....

Then went back to the beach to chill.  Beautiful sunset reflected on to the beach and the real thing on the way home.  Makes you forget you are old, stiff, and have an infestation of some sort of rodent.




Now I am having a glass of wine.  And hoping all is silent from whatever it is.

7 comments:

Chris said...

Good luck with the rodent infestation (let' hope it's just one coming in from the cold). Lovely mugs - your own art work? Gorgeous sunset!

e said...

Sorry about the rodent problem. I once lived in a house in which a possum died in the walls and the smell was dreadful...Love the mugs but with all of your beautiful photos have you ever thought about doing a book?

The Weaver of Grass said...

Living on a farm we always have the odd rat about. The farmer keeps a couple of cage traps permanently set - rats soon get used to them and take them forgranted. They are such abominable creatures that I really think one must put one's pacifism on the back burner for a
while. But of course any rat caught in a cage trap then has to be
kiiled - the farmer is hard-hearted about it but you have to come to your own decision there. Just remember that breeding season goes on more or less all year.

Lyssa Medana said...

I love the pictures!

We had scrabbling at the walls of next door when it was empty and we got a plug in thingy that's supposed to deter rats and mice. It's worked really well - no more scrabbling! However we tried this before when we were already infested with mice and it just sent the ones already here loopy. We had to use traps (shudder). Evil cat was still with us then, but she was past it at around 17 and frail. Good luck! x

crafty cat corner said...

What a difficult decision, I would hate to kill them but can understand that you don't want them in the house.
I'll leave you with that one but remember if its rats that they don't come singly but in battalions, lol
Briony
x

Anonymous said...

Mice are active at night too so it might not be rats. Mice can get through a hole the width of a pencil.

You can buy humane mice traps, you then let them free but it needs to be at least half a mile away from your house or they'll be back in before you will!

justjill said...

The garden and fields around us are full of mice. But never been in the cavity wall. In the kitchen but Sith puts them off cat smell? And kills a few, they have never been a real problem. But the scritch in the cavity wall - ? See how we go. Its just a quick scritch then nothing. Most odd.