I'm so disappointed - I need to pull out my huge and productive tomato plants.

[QED]

I found a rat feasting on the plants this morning. We've had an issue with mice and rats in the neighborhood although I've never seen them until today. I hate to do this but I can't let the rats proliferate.

[BoRaGard]

1. .

[MayReasonRule]

2. Put Out Live Traps... They Really Do Work...

[pansypoo53219]

8. oh yeah. roadwork scared themn out of the sewers + took residence in old chippy tunnels. also trappped a squirrel.

[SARose]

3. We had rats when we lived in the Houston area

Even in broad daylight! Ugh

Fair warning - could be triggering for some



Here’s what we did:

No more gas grill - they were inside the grill and feasting on grease.

No more bird food. They were running up and down the damn feeders.

They were eating dog food left out by neighbors.

They were also eating fruit in several neighbors yards. Fruit like bananas, strawberries, etc.

And, yes, we found they were nesting under a small deck. So we put rat bait there and watched our doxies carefully.

It took almost the whole street working together to get rid of them.

And then the Big Mama Possum moved it. Omg! My husband used a live trap and relocated 15 possums until he caught Big Mama, finally!

Ahh yes suburbia with the wildlife! Thank goodness it wasn’t skunks or coyotes.

Good luck!

[QED]

6. This is why I need to get on this....

Some of my neighbors are hoarders and I know there are rats in their stuff - I'm seen a large, feral cat stalking prey around their place. I don't want them here around my dogs. Of course, rats don't observe property lines.

[NJCher]

9. Wow

That’s an impressive offense.

[Srkdqltr]

4. They got in our travel trailer and ate everything. It was ugly.

[Keepthesoulalive]

5. Live traps

Getting rid of tomato plants might work. We had to get rid of a car because they would get in the engine, chewed through the gas line on another. I’m trying to say they will just find something else. You have to get rid of the mice or they will find someplace else to eat or nest.

[rickford66]

7. I had mice ruin the clutch on my pickup twice.

They built nests in the bellhousing. So much grass and straw the pressure plate couldn't touch the clutch disc. About $1,000 each time. I was able to get about $500 out of my auto insurance by claiming comprehensive. It's a shame to miss out on the homegrown tomatoes.

[NJCher]

10. I'd try

Repel-it first. The stuff is damned amazing.

Besides, getting rid of the tomatoes isn’t going to get rid of the rats. They will love your sunflowers.

Your neighborhood needs a tuff guy cat like my Oliver. After Covid closed a restaurant up the hill, they came around and he knocked ‘em all off.

Not a one to be seen.

[QED]

11. All gone!

Given the neighborhood problem, I had my yard guy pull it all. His wife and I harvested as many tomatoes as we could before mass destruction ensued.