Posted by Ilene on October 2, 2003, at 8:18:40
In reply to Re: Things coming out of the plumbing » Ilene, posted by jinglebts on October 2, 2003, at 1:46:57
> yes, i can see how stepping on a slug would be a disgusting thing to do, and i would make every attempt not to do it, including moving, but A RAT SWIMMING IN THE TOILET??? not *dead* yet??
>
> AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! (me running as far away as i can get)
>
> jbI sort of slept through it. My daughter knocked on the bedroom door at an hour way too early for me to function, so I didn't know what was going on until my husband told me later. They got a pair of tongs and took the creature outside, where we thought one of the cats might get it. (Unlikely. Most cats stick to mice and small birds.)
I made my daughter fetch the dead bird from under her bed, though. That was in a different house. First we found piles of feathers, then pieces of bird, then entire live birds. The cats loved it. We didn't. Turns out there was a hole somewhere in the attic.
The cats were also happy with the mice in the basement except after the first one or two they refused to eat them. We locked them in the basement overnight, collected the mice in the morning. It was more humane and efficient than poison, traps, or those sadistic sticky strips. Mice in the basement, birds in the attic. Glad we don't live there anymore.
I don't have anything against rats, but I would prefer that the only rodents in my house are ones I have invited. People who keep rats say they are nice pets.
When we investigated the rat-in-the-toilet situation, we found it is not uncommon if your plumbing is low to the ground, because rats are good swimmers. Our house is built on the side of a little valley, and that bathroom is just above grade. This area is densely wooded and there are lots of beasties out there. I never thought that when I moved to Washington DC I would get so close to nature.
Overall, I prefer the occasional rat-in-the-toilet to uninvited slugs, mice, birds, or bees. (Had those in the attic, too.)
Ilene
poster:Ilene
thread:262186
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20031002/msgs/264884.html