Rats

[nailit]

I live on the edge of a woodland/wildlife preserve.
Amongst the wildlife that are seen regularly are...

Birds
Bats
Foxes
Badgers
Squirrels
Swans
Ducks
....and rats.

Just curious as to why rats get a bad press?
I cant see that rats carry any more disease that the other wildlife mentioned?
I know that people dont (generally) like them (I used to keep pet rats but thats another story) but why the dislike when other animals such as those listed above can be equally 'destructive'?

[Togo]

Grain and root crops alike. They will even eat flower bulbs. I do know, I also live right next to a wild woodland area as does nailit. The only other of his list of animals that I discourage are the grey squirrels. Oh add wild pheasants to nailit's list in my case. Love them.

[Cloverjo]

I hate rats, too. I also can't stand badgers, for some reason. They are like giant rats to me.

[Togo]

//Good farmers keep on top of these things.//

I wonder how they do that?

[Psybbo]

Their collies, Togo?

[237SJ]

By killing them. I remember a farm worker who worked for my Grandfather telling me that he had found some rats living under the floorboards in a barn. He managed to find a nack of grabbing the rats really quickly (before they knew what was happening) and clocking them on the head. Job done.

[RATTER15]

Good farmers keep on top of rats with ongoing pest control contracts, correct grain and feed storage and keeping the farm clean and tidy.

[Baldric]

Floorboards, in a Barn ????

[RATTER15]

Yes Baldric, some barns have floorboards, they really are a haven for rats though. I don't think that hand catching rats would ever control any kind of infestation to be honest.

[237SJ]

Yes. I love Townies :-)

[woofgang]

I don’t mind rats per se but i don’t want them leaving their droppings and widdle all round my garden and outbuildings. The do carry Weil’s disease which kills people and animals. A family of rats took up residence in my garage a few years ago and I evicted them and cleared out the nests (no babies). An unpleasant smell remained and when I pulled the chest freezer out i found the final nest with half of a dead snake and the head of a lobster carefully stashed. Like foxes, i feel live and let live provided they stay away from me.

[Togo]

Some barns had a raised and boarded area to store dry goods and fodder. They even had an upper floor for the serf to sleep.

[viv41]

Obviously I wouldn't want them on my property, but don't mind them in the wild. Love your story RATTER.