Drat

Drat.  I can't seem to catch rats in the zapper.  The bait slowly disappears, with no stiff rat reward inside.

So I brought back the pros and we placed additional bait boxes.  The bait is secure inside the box, the opening into the box is small enough that only a rodent can get to the bait that is secured in place with a pin in the box.  I have not seen any more rats, although, I think the big ones are too smart for this bait box stuff, the smaller ones prove to be very easy to catch with snap traps.

I was having exciting yet revolting luck with the snap traps.  I took photos but it's not worth hurting your eyes, or brain.  All I can say is that rats are more disgusting and strange than I imagined.  Think a mix of blood, mystery, creativity and my strong will to protect Java's Barn from rat life.  Mr. Java's Mom has not assisted with any rodent issues, but he can barely tolerate the updates, so I'll spare you too.  Oh, and for the record, the rodents are not in the grain bin.  They prefer the first floor apparently (grain bin is in the loft).

Sugar healed from his injury that he came here to heal from.  He was a wonderful lameness rehab patient, and of course we became completely attached to the little guy.  But, the day finally came for him to join his owner in Mississippi and he left last week.  His replacement arrives this coming weekend.  The replacement belongs to someone who will help me at the barn and with the baby when it arrives.   So the herd will consist of Java, T and Shorty, all sound and healthy.  Sugar left with a nice horse transportation professional and a day or two later, we got a beautiful blanket of snow.

Java clearly excited about the snow outside.  Time to play and roll! 

(that is one of the bait boxes under her blanket rack)

Sugar... are you in the barn, come out and play! 

He has been gone for days now, but she still looks for him. 

Totally heartbreaking.  She has never missed a buddy like she misses Sugar.  T is in the next paddock, she likes T's company, but not like she appreciated Sugar.

looking for goodies

Panoramic shot that looks mini because it does not fit on the page.

next post coming soon...

Compost cooking and rodent body count:

Every weekend, Mr. Java's Mom heads over to what we call the farmyard area of the property and takes the manure from the "turning bin" and puts it into one of the 3 other bins of the Manure Cabana.  I'm pretty good in the kitchen, but I make good compost too.  You can tell by the steam.  We bed with straw, so it cooks down fast.

Nice and steamy:

Making sure he gets a good bucket full:

and, into the other bin for more cooking:

other compost shots:

I turn around, and see that everything is under control, we are being supervised:

The rodent count:
Rat Zapper has caught 3 mice, one of which got blasted out of the zapper.  Zero rats.  This means that I have many less rodents than I thought, they are eating the poison and dying politely somewhere else, or I have very smart rats and mice and they avoid the zapper.

Java has a confirmed abscess in her front right hoof.  It is a doosey (this does not spell check but you know what I mean).  Her heel bulb is bulging as the abscess is working it's way out of her hoof.  Yikes.  She is tolerating her prescribed veterinary treatment well (OK that's a small lie, she will not tolerate having her hoof soaked, but will let me wrap it in anything I want 24x7), and I hope we're done with this in a few days.  I'm not complaining, I'd rather an abscess any day over most other lameness possibilities.

Rat strategy and general Java update

If you are lucky enough to not need to know about rats, this is an important fact:  They are smart.  If you have tried ever to kill rats, you are saying to yourself, "duh! they are not easy to trap".

I have not caught one since the wonderful snap trap kill.  I know there is at least one more.  Darn thing doesn't even bother to be shy, GRRrrrrrrrrrrrrr.   

So... I bought a "Rat Zapper".

This thing is supposed to kill rats and mice with an efficient zap of electrocution.  Nice and easy.  Then a light goes on in the box indicating that something dead is inside, you slide the dead thing out (or over the wall, he he, just kidding) and re-set for more wonderful moments of dead-ness. (nevermind that this section of text for some reason is highlighted).

BUT.  I have not caught a thing since getting it on Friday.  This is disappointing for a few reasons, including that I was going to measure the rats for bigness (fun!).  Bait is supposed to be dry.  So the bait currently is a dried date and some dry dog food.

These rats are smart.  I will get them though.  Because I don't want to get a cat, I'm motivated to get the Zapper going in high gear.  Tonight I'm going to try some left over stuffing... dry, but barely moist at this point.  And I have plenty left over in case it works.

Meanwhile, Java is painfully lame.  Her right front is the problem.  I'm hoping abscess.  The vet arrives tomorrow.  She's tough as nails, bright, and weight bearing, but I can see it hurts her.  She does not soak, but will leave a bandage on, so she is getting her hoof packed and today is on stall rest today (it's raining like crazy anyway).  Well, at least I don't have to worry about riding.

Yesterday Java and Sugar were very interested in something across the neighbors chemically green lawn and into the woods.  I'm guessing a trail rider.  Sugar was sure it was a monster, before the pics he had his little arab tail up and was snorting.  I took the opportunity to take some photos of the two of them, even though they are dirty.  The third horse "T" was actually spooking at something in the opposite direction, so she did not make it into the photos.

OH, and Bandy's haircut.  The one she got after getting into the burrs (a couple of posts ago).  Poor thing, she likes it, but it's not exactly the best haircut I've given her.  It's her long haired Jack Russel mixed with I-don't-know-what look.

rat update

I've been very preoccupied lately... not with the impending baby, but with the rat challenge.

If I did not see it or them every once in a while, I would not have such a focused plan of attack on the Rat(s)... but they are big, and so incredibly disgusting, that I will not rest until I believe they are gone, dead... out of the barn. They aren't like mice, they are not as shy, this is bad.

When I first saw the/a rat, I called our fancy exterminators that we have a contract with.  They quickly came over, assured me they would get them, and set me up with several bait boxes.  Poison (lots of it) is placed in a plastic box so that other things, like the dogs, or cats, or people, cannot get to the bait.  There is an opening in the bait box for the rat.  I think our rats are too big for the opening.  I would show you the bait box, but it is under a shelf in the overhang, and I'm afraid to put my hand under there... ew. 

I called around for a cat.  You would be surprised at the cat rescues that think having a cat live in a barn is not nice.  Weirdos.

No matter, I'm persistent, I called the Humane Society, they have several cats suitable as barn cats that they would love to send me away with.  Pregnant ladies (that would be me) cannot get anywhere near cat doo-doo, so this has been a big deal to consider a cat.  But, I have not had time to go get the cat yet.

SO, for the heck of it I got some rat spring/snap traps.  They are cheap, easy to set up, and might work.  I do not think I will eradicate all rats forever with snap traps, but at least I could try and get a couple until I get the cat, or come up with a better solution.

Well my friends... this morning I have a little spring in my step and a big grin from ear to ear.

Because, I caught a rat. 

Yes, I took photos.  Yes, I had to be careful to not barf when getting the rat with trap out of where it was. 

So, if you might barf, be careful, these are photos of a dead rat with a little rat blood.  But YAY!!!!!!

OK, I heard from experienced rat killers that you should tie the trap to something.  This is good advice.  I also heard you should tie the bait to the trap.  I use roasted carrot on one trap, and roasted brussel sprout on the other.  They like carrots better.

Here is the trap and the white string is tied to the stairs.  It was taught this morning, so I hoped we got a rat and not a mouse... I pulled on the string, and based on the weight of the trap, I knew we got a biggie.  I almost wretched, so I left it there and got the camera and got psyched up for the big reveal.

Here is a fortunately blurry photo of dead fat rat.

Two more for positive identification, and because I was fascinated by the size of the thing.  One photo on wood chips, one on gravel, for a better view, because I'm strange like that.

Now, dead rat with trap and all in bag. 

I'm just going to toss this bag over the wall onto the neighbor's perfectly manicured lawn.  Just kidding.  I"ll put this bag into two more bags and take it to the dump... which is not open until Wednesday.  Ha.  Logistics.

Sugar watching me:

Java and her mare friend (new boarder, she and her owner are PERFECT) ignoring my drama:

Mr. Java's Mom was seriously worried about the rat making a screaming or tortured noise once trapped, and that freaking Java out.  I was willing to risk it.  Lucky me, it snapped it's mouth shut, so Java was not traumatized.