There's a rat in mi kitchen...

[B00]

No really there is, and I'm totally freaked out.

We have an old fire, never used in there, and I'd noticed the dog snuffling round it extremely interested and jokingly said to Mr Boo "Bet there's a rat behind there". Well it bloody backfired on me, as apparently there is, Mr Boo saw it scuttle back in there when he did a late night forage for food (hubby I mean, not the rat, though no doubt that's what it was doing as well!) I know (well now I do) that it was eating the dog's left over food, so that will be picked up before i go to bed each night, there's nothing else (food wise) it can get to.

Would a humane trap work? About a tenner on Ebay. Reluctant to put poison down as a) im a softy, don't want to actually kill it, and b) scared the dog will eat the poison instead. What do I put in there? The trap I mean? Chocolate?

Mr Boo says that once it's gone, he'll rip the fire out and board up the hole.

Please help me, I shudder each time I think about it :-(

[DTCwordfan]

http://www.free-gourm...com/rats-recipes.html

This shoudl make the posting in Food valid. There used to be a rat restaurant just to the north of Bruges in Belgium. I'll have a look and see if I can find the link.

[tamborine]

here

http://bertc.com/subf...cipes/cookingrats.htm

[B00]

Bloody dog just snuffles round the fireplace, she's about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Think im gonna ring the council in the morning- really don't think im up to doing this myself.

[Carakeel]

Honestly BOO, my ratter really does know his stuff! We had a rat in the garden the year before last and he soon got rid of it. He used to have a very successful pest control company. The rat we had was a solitary one, so it is true you don't always have a whole family. Before ratter and I were together, I had a rat run from my neighbours shed through my small back garden. I phoned the council. They came out and did exactly what ratter suggests and all was sorted. No reason why it shouldn't go just as well for you. Hugs!

[B00]

Thanks carakeel- this is all making me feel really icky and horrible, all i want to do is take refuge in the bathroom, preferably in the bath as it's making me feel downright itchy ya know?

[DTCwordfan]

Slide along to 22 minutes into the programme. There's a t'Visserhof in Erpe-Mere but Vlassenbroek is near Ghent.......if you gourmands are interested in visiting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxKoeu835Ek&list=SL&feature=sh_e_top

[DTCwordfan]

It shows the preparation....

I was once offered water rat in Guangzhou on a floating restaurant in the Pearl River, but managed to divert my host and had to accept hedgehog instead - a sharp taste(?) but certainly a peppery flavour and not bad.

[tiggerblue10]

I would send Tigger in B00 but I think she'll just add to your problem by bringing tiny mice in. I've had to save a few mice from the jaws of death.

[barb1314]

I just wanted to say this is the funniest thread I've read on AB in ages. Sorry Boo though,I would also be terrified.Hope you get rid of Roland soon. Ratter sounds like he definitely knows his stuff. I'd be on the phone to the council. The thought of it makes me cringe. My dog would run a mile,softy labrador that she is...frightened of flies :-) xx

[B00]

Funny? FUNNY??? My pain, anguish and downright yuckiness is a source of amusement to you?

HARUMPHHHH!!!

PS
Spoke to hubby, and as I suspected, he went a funny colour when I suggested yanking the fire out (gas was switched off to it), so that's out the window (wish the sodding rat was!!), so...anyhoo, im going to phone the council when I get home from work tomorrow, Mini Boo keeps asking me why I now stamp into the kitchen, I daren't tell her!

[B00]

Oh and i've also rollocked the dog, telling her she's a crap ratting dog. She just looked at me stupidly....

[jno]

we saw one in the garden yesterday so we're putting down poison - have to keep it so cats (which also stroll through our garden, though obviously not at the same time) don't eat the poison - or the poisoned rat.

No pied pipers on the council staff?

[bagpuss63]

I was reported by ''concerned'' (sh.. stirrers) neighbours for rats in my garden, 3 years ago, the council came/looked found nothing, said it was poss fieldmice from park, and said ignore neighbours, but if ever worried, its free to call council for rats/mice inside house, and rats outside

[B00]

if it was outside jno, i'd be content just putting poison down and hoping for the best, but it's in the house, I wasn't the thing gone...like yesterday!

[B00]

Free? They dont charge? Really???

[jno]

yes, we had rats under the floorboards yonks ago and the council sorted it for free. But I don't know if that's still true, they charge for everything these days.

Gah, where are the urban foxes when you need them.

Good luck, B00, it'd be freaking me out too.

[B00]

I've just checked my local councils homepage (didn't think to do that hours ago when they were still open did I?) They charge 25 quid, don't care, im paying it!

[Carakeel]

It will be money worth spending, Boo! It was free for me here. Hope it all gets sorted very quickly and you can relax again. Hugs!

[B00]

Cheers Carakeel- dog keeps uselessly snuffling round fireplace- doing bog all, so ringing council i obviously am- stooopid jack russell dog that she is, bloody ratter my bum! LOL

[RATTER15]

Boo!! explain yourself, "bloody ratter my bum!" lol


Ummm, I dont know why I thought you had the the rat, its you women having silly names, you all sound the same!!