Community Chat

[Shorty2U]

Bird feeders please read- I saw a post here last week or so about feeding birds (cant find it now), and was reading it and told my husband (who shook it off) . I saw a few people wrote that feeding birds can attract rats. Others disagreed.

Fast forward to today. I was looking out our laundry room window watching the birds in broad daylight no less, and saw not 1, not 2, but 3 rats in the YARD at dropped bird seed (that was under the now melted snow)..

1 rat was going from neighbors shed to our yard. Another was getting seed and taking it under last of snow under dirt/ground. Last one was taking it toward our metal basement door. I took a picture to show my husband (after work)

I got so sick (i hate rodents!) I actually threw up my food! 

We have an exterminator for 7 years for maintenance because we had occasional issues with field mice in garage and 1 got in basement in the Fail (years back). But its been fine lately when he comes that no bait has been taken. And ps we have 2 cats.

I have not been happy with our exterminator though. They don't come exactly when they are to come and I want our home checked regularly. I have to call even though we are scheduled bi- montly for maintanence.(and then they come days later). I tried to call them today for this, and they didn't answer or return my call.

Anyway, saw these rats today talked to DH and we decided to call a better exterminator (more expensive too) that checks entire home including exterior even closes any possible spaces yada yada.

They are coming in the morning. My husband (hesitantly) threw away all bird feeders. BUT there is bird seed all over under where snow was and I mean alot. He had been warned when we had field mice before NOT to throw bird seed (and he used to throw peanuts for squirrels but stopped that long ago!).

Lastly we got in a big argument over the bird feeders today (And we rarely argue). But i had warned him as I said and told him about the post on here a week ago!. So it has to the be the bird seed, because in our country development no one is allowed to keep trash outside (but in the garage only) until trash pick up day. So we do NOT have any garbage, trash, or anything laying around,  and we are clean people!

I am so nauseated its unreal and I PRAY none got in our basement or anything. Ugh! Love birds but no more feeding the birds! oh also, new exterminator said on phone if we have standing water. Water does sit when it rains at bottom of our yard near farmers field but that cant be helped its on a slope. Because rats also like standing water! We also have a hot tub on our deck for my spine therapy, but thats been drained since FALL. 

PS I lived in the city for 50 years and I kid you not I never saw any rats till now here in the country. Well I am shocked. I hope to God this exterminator takes care of this. If I saw 3 we know there's more! I even told DH if any get in our home I'm going to a motel! (lol, funny but not funny)

Just wanted to warn others. Because I just cant get over it! (Hes been feeding birds outside since he built the house in 1995 before i met him, and never had issues!)

[Naturesbeauty]

Yes bird seed and peanuts attract rodents. I had to quit feeding my birds and squirrels because of the rats. I was so sad but the rats were coming day and night. They love bird seed specially the kind with the corn. My daughter had them chew thru the wall in her garage and got up into her attic. They came in looking for the bird seed she had in a bag in her garage. They can do major damage. They will nest in your car and even chew the wiring.

[homedecor1]

@Shorty2U 

I agree with bird feeders but in our case I have raccoons.  I heard this horrible "scratching noise at night" for weeks...spouse said oh it's probably mice I'll put mousetraps in attic.  came home on Friday and guess what they have made my home their home😠.

Im totally freaked out!!!!  called wildlife trapper (very expensive) they came out and told us neighbor has bird feeders (many) and with all woods being taken away for new houses...they need to find "new homes".  Worse yet they are not "afraid of humans" and are out in the day😬.

He put traps so far they've captured 2 but who knows how many more are there!  

The good old thing he said thank god there not Rats.  I'd totally die! 

I can barely stand it ... I asked my neighbor & the trapper talked to her to take her feeders down...nope, doesn't believe they've attracted them.  

They've chewed thru my soffit and invaded my attic space.  I'm frightened and am planning on moving out until they trap them and can seal up the opening.  

It's thousands of dollars to remediate the damage.  I love wildlife nature as much as the next person just not in my attic🤬🤬🤬🤬

[Naturesbeauty]

Yep raccoons love the seed and peanuts too. We have skunks that love the peanuts too. Ahhhhh wildlife you gotta love them. We live in the big city in Southern California. Even have coyotes walking down our street in the middle of the day.

[colliemom4]

Yes. The same thing happened to me so I had to stop feeding them.

[tipsy]

@homedecor1  that is horrible about the raccoons!  Their droppings can have worms & parasites so hopefully if you have pets they don't get near any of that.

Yes, I quit feeding the birds years ago.  I would always toss seed out in the corner of my yard in the late afternoon till I noticed a rat started coming every day.  The birds were afraid of it & would take off when he showed up.  I felt bad for the birds but I hate rats more so that was the end of the bird feeding.

[LoriMI]

feed stray cats and possums, then no rats

[homedecor1]

@tipsy 

my kitty is a indoor pet.  Only place he goes is on enclosed lanai with supervision.

Yes, this is why my attic insulation, joints, etc. have to cleaned & remediate.  The dropping feces, urine and whatever else is in the insulation.

I may have to throw away all the beautiful decorations i have in plastic containers as they saw pieces chewed on them😤😬. 

if they can't be cleaned from their scent!

A biggggggggggg expensive job🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

[occasionalrain]

In the Fall, birds locate feeders where they can obtain food needed to survive the winter. Unless you are committed to keeping your feeders filled and available throughout the winter and into the spring, you should not put out bird feeders. It's inhumane, just wrong, that the OP insisted the feeders be removed. If the seed on the ground attracted rats, the solution was to clean up the dropped seed not remove the feeders that birds have come to depend upon.

I have suet and bird feeders that I keep filled with just sunflower seed since the cheaper millet and corn are nor preferred and end up on the ground. 

[Carmie]

I stepped out of the back door on Sunday to put something in the recycle bin and there was a huge groundhog out there.  He ran under our deck when he saw me.  

My DH got rid of them last year, humanly, but apparently they are back.  They dug huge holes under the dexk and my DH filled them in.  Now they broke through the decking material that is enclosing the deck and probably dug the holes again.

i remember many years ago, there was a big rat sitting in the middle of my mother's formal dining room floor.  At first I couldn't figure out what it was and thought it was a cat.  When I finally got a good look,  I called my brother to get rid of it before my mother saw it. She would have fainted or climbed onto the table.

A big old factory in town was torn down and the rats must have lived in the empty building for years.  The whole town was overrun with them..they were really big.  Everyone had them and somehow they got inside.  The town had to hire an exterminator as well as the homeowners.

I have never seen any rats except that one time, thank goodness.