Katra > wrote in message >...
> > You need a good colony of Texas Glossy snakes. Set up a habitat for
> > them (woodpile, area to bask, water nearby), and ask a breeder to sell
> > you a mated pair or two. Once established, it is unlikely the
> > rattlers will hang around for too long, and mice/rats will be
> > non-existent.
> >
> > -L.
>
> Are glossy's better than Texas Rat Snakes or Bull Snakes?

Not really - any of the the Colubrids (Glossy, Rats and Bulls) will be
just as each other.

> I'm regretting now relocating the Rat Snakes that I had here!
> I trapped them and gave them away because they were killing my
> baby pigeons! That is when the rat problem started... <sigh> And
> since the rats kill baby pigeons too, I'm still in the same boat. :-(
>
> Seems I just can't win.
>
> I'd be interested in re-introducing a smaller snake that would not go
> for birds?

All of them will eat baby birds but rodents are preferred prey. The
Rat snake is probably your best bet - I think it is the smallest of
the three (I don't have my reference guide handy, or I would look it
up!).

>
> I currently have a blue racer that eats my grasshoppers. :-) Funny, I
> was having a problem with 'hoppers eating plants until this snake
> appeared. He's been here now for abut 3 years and I see him/her from
> time to time. I tried to capture it initially as that species also tends
> to eat lizards and frogs, and I have a very nice population of med'
> geckos and toads. (I'm very much into natural control/organic gardening
> without the use or minimal use of pesticides).
>
> When I finally managed to catch the snake one day, it had a very, very
> large grasshopper in it's teeth so I told the snake that if it was
> willing to eat 'hoppers, it could live here, then I tossed it back into
> the garden! <G>

Racers are meaner than all get out! I'm surprised you could catch it.
They are also one of the most diverse in their predatory behavoirs -
they will eat almost anything.

>
> So, I more than welcome beneficial snakes here. I have no fear of them...

Seriously, I'd establish some Rats or Glossys. They are less likely
to eat the birds than the rats. Sounds like you have a cool property!

-L.

On Sun, 28 Dec 2003 21:59:15 GMT, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>Nancree wrote:
>
>> Mice also love gumdrops. Honestly! I read this tip years ago. They seem to
>> like the color and taste. The advantage is that the gumdrops last. They don't
>> dry up and fall off like cheese.
>
>In my experience, Resse's Peanut Butter Cups are beloved
>as trap bait by both rats and mice.
>
>Unfortunately, squirrels seem not to care for them a bit.
>Still working on that squirrel in my attic.
>
my dad had a raccoon in the attic. the exterminator told him, 'well
you got to watch where they come in and out.'

dad says, 'how can i watch them? they're nocturnal'

the exterminator says, 'i know they're not. but you got to watch them
anyway.'

your pal,
blake

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 01:03:21 -0600, "jmcquown"
> wrote:

> It's not like... oh wait...
>are you one of those people who believe cats suck the breath out of babies?!
>
>Jill
>
hell, adults too.

your pal,
blake

jmcquown wrote:

>
> I had a mouse problem when they started digging up the field across the
> street to build some houses. True, your regular mouse trap is a tad messy.
> And after hearing the thing snap shut and emptying it about 6 times in an
> hour I decided perhaps poison bait would be better. Put it well behind the
> refrigerator so as not to allow the pets access. They ate it, gluttons that
> they are, then wandered off to wherever they go when you can't find them and
> were not seen or heard from again.

Living in the country, we get mouse problems every winter when the mice decide
to find warmer quarters. I never found traps to be much use. We catch a few but
that does not get rid of the problem. Rodent bait seems to be much more
effective.

I keep meaning to try something that I heard on the radio. Leave pieces of
Juicy Fruit Gum for them. Mice and rats will not eat mint, and Juicy Fruit has
no mint in it. The rodents will go for it because it is sweet. They cannot
digest it and it clocks up their intestines and they die. It sounds like a
cheap solution to a rodent problem.

In article >,
blake murphy > wrote:

> On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 01:03:21 -0600, "jmcquown"
> > wrote:
>
> > It's not like... oh wait...
> >are you one of those people who believe cats suck the breath out of babies?!
> >
> >Jill
> >
> hell, adults too.
>
> your pal,
> blake

Especially when they pounce on your stomach in the middle of the night...

Oof! ;-D

K.

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 18:11:38 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>
> I keep meaning to try something that I heard on the radio. Leave pieces of
> Juicy Fruit Gum for them. Mice and rats will not eat mint, and Juicy Fruit has
> no mint in it. The rodents will go for it because it is sweet. They cannot
> digest it and it clocks up their intestines and they die. It sounds like a
> cheap solution to a rodent problem.
>

IOW: Rodents will be constipated to death? That'll put a
damper on people buying it for human consumption! <S>



Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 18:11:38 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>jmcquown wrote:
>
>>
>> I had a mouse problem when they started digging up the field across the
>> street to build some houses. True, your regular mouse trap is a tad messy.
>> And after hearing the thing snap shut and emptying it about 6 times in an
>> hour I decided perhaps poison bait would be better. Put it well behind the
>> refrigerator so as not to allow the pets access. They ate it, gluttons that
>> they are, then wandered off to wherever they go when you can't find them and
>> were not seen or heard from again.
>
>Living in the country, we get mouse problems every winter when the mice decide
>to find warmer quarters. I never found traps to be much use. We catch a few but
>that does not get rid of the problem. Rodent bait seems to be much more
>effective.
>
>I keep meaning to try something that I heard on the radio. Leave pieces of
>Juicy Fruit Gum for them. Mice and rats will not eat mint, and Juicy Fruit has
>no mint in it. The rodents will go for it because it is sweet. They cannot
>digest it and it clocks up their intestines and they die. It sounds like a
>cheap solution to a rodent problem.
>
>
Sounds like a Smelly rodent problem if they go off and die inside the
house in some unreachable spot. Call an exterminator or get a
[mouser-type] cat.

Harry