Is it wrong that I find the rats on my yard cute?

Wow what a mixed reaction to the little whiskers! :D

To be fair my yard is kept clean of rubbish and feed spillage etc but when it's so cold they just come on mass to keep warm.

Quite a few have gone up to rattie heaven lately so not over run and so far no destruction.

I must agree with the poster who said they prefered rats to spiders, eurrgh!
 
The "rat man" told me that for every one rat you see there will be at least 20 more that you don't, they breed so quickly.
I am terrified of spiders, but at least they don't carry disease that can kill me and blind my horses.
 
Even cuter with a shovel on their heads!

Filthy vermin. The farm was overrun with them 2 years ago, it was like a plague. My fear of rats soon turned into "rat-rage". The destruction was unbelievable, plus one bit my collie!! They finally got the rat man in to sort it thankfully.
 
The sooner you can kill them the better. Horrible, horrible things. Two turn into twenty which turn into two hundred before you know it and you are over-run with the dirty, stinking little things. Nothing better than managing to get rid of them all, young and old, and being able to move bales without the fear of being chased by them.

Everyone needs a good ratting jack russell or 2 :D
 
Poor old rattys ,its the tail!If they had a nice fluffy one every one would love them. If foxes had a scaly tail there would be no hunting ban.
 
They're cute until they run up your arm when you open a feed bag!!!:D
I shoot mine with an air rifle - although some of my lazy moggies do occasionally catch one, even my almost blind ancient jack russell catches the odd one or two now and then!!:D Damn things - they are cute and I admire them for being so adaptable but I can't stand them at the same time!! I've had an injured adult peacock that was shut in the barn for the night stripped clean of all flesh by morning by the horrid things - eeeeew!!!:0 One of my baby chooks got half its bum ripped off by a rat, it was dangling by a thread and I had to sew it back on - it did heal and a year later the hen is fine - although her tail is somewhat squiffy as my sewing isn't great - but still - eeeeew!!!!:D
 
You are mad for thinking they are cute... although I never stick around them long enough to see what they look like close up... I am normally the one screaming and running PMSL!
 
Fany Du Champ said:
Sorry but very wrong, they are disease carrying vermin. The pet ones are different but wild ones, yeuk
FDC
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Agreed! And many of you would probably feel the same if you'd known a horse catch hepatitis from one :(

Luckily my YO has a pest control man in v regularly, so the only ones I tend to see are dead ones. If I do see the odd vermin (generally a mouse or mole in the field) then my little dogs are very nifty with them! :D
 
As the proud mummy of six gorgeous ratties I have to confess I love them, had them as pets for years and would agree with what others have said, they're amazing little creatures and I defy anyone who meets a pet rat not to eventually fall in love, Ive seen it happen many times, my Dad hated them before but since Ive moved back in with my parents he is never out of their room, even puts the heating on because he thinks they may be feeling the cold! But I can also understand why people see the need to control wild rats, yes they are just as cute but they are very destructive, same as bunnies digging up fields, I hate to see animals killed but I understand the need to control how many are running loose on the yard
 
I cant stand them. They run too fast and have horrid scaly tails and are just all round not nice and i also had a mouse nearly run across my feet today and i screamed! they just creep me out :( xxx
 
Hannah123 said:
I cant stand them. They run too fast and have horrid scaly tails and are just all round not nice and i also had a mouse nearly run across my feet today and i screamed! they just creep me out :( xxx
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SEE!!!!!!!!!!!! its all about the scaly tail ,if we had nice furr ones you would love us . Regards ,Roland Rat.
 
They make great pets, I used to rat-sit for a friend. Daisy was a dear little thing, very tame and friendly. I used to build her obstacle courses in my living room and it was all very entertaining... until she found the cables behind the telly and they were more interesting than playing...
I've got no problem with people having pet rats, but tolerating them on a stable yard, even if you're not bothered about what you might catch, is putting your horse at risk.
 
I appreciate them as pets, I do NOT think they are 'cute' but their ability to survive, solve problems, thrive, adapt and multiply leaves me speechless with admiration!

If I see a rat, my first instinct is to stop and observe. I know full well that they carry things like Weil's Disease and I will be careful, but it's hardly the rat's fault, is it?
 
How can we be careful if there are rats on our yard, that's the question for me. How can we make sure that we and our horses don't fall foul of the infectious diseases they carry? That's a serious question, as I said before, I know of horses losing their sight, and horse owners who have had Weil's Disease, there is no way you can be "careful", unless you deal with the rats.
 
cobgirlie said:
Whats sad about that? You like disease and filth?:confused:
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All wild animals can carry disease and parasites, it does not mean we have to rid the planet of them :o However, I think I have said before on here that it was the particular boldness and size of one when I was younger that scared me of wild rats, also their adeptness at jumping out of somewhere and turning to face you if cornered, I guess that is down to their intelligence. (I don't have the stamina to kill one)

I adored our pet rats, they are actually extremely clean animals and wash extensively which is why they are so susceptible to poison tracks.
 
I think in my past life I was a terrier! I hate them and if I can I'll get 'em with a shovel or any other means. We sometimes shoot them with air rifle, but thy are hard targets as move fast, its real stealth work! I don't find them in the least bit cute, and hate all the droppings they leave everywhere.
 
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