I admire your self-control. But this is not over.
I washed the trap, replaced the bait, and got nothing but a bigger pile of debris right next to the trap.
But this is not over.
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They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means “The Ultimate Argument of Kings,” and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. “We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it’s about: You’ll do as I say or I’ll send my goons to kill you.”
I thought about that for a long time. If there’s an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I’ve got bullets – he’s got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that’s not going to happen. So if there’s an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain’t bullets.
It finally came to me – and that’s when I abandoned the city and most of my stuff, and gave all that was behind me a good stiff Randian Shrug.
The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.
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The damn things are smarter than one would think (or the bait is not something it wants).
An example of animal smarts was an incident that took place a few years ago at work (I work at a large zoo). The Orangutan enclosure was only just finished and the Orangutans were reintroduced to their new area. Over the space of 6 or 7 hours one of the Orangutans kept bending a small tree (3 inch diameter base, monkey strong!) until it snapped. Then the little bastard dragged the tree to the wall and used it like a ladder and escaped. Yes we got it back but not before some serious mayhem took place on the part of that damn Orangutan.
So start thinking about a plan B for if and when the rodent figures out how to use the woof to trigger the trap and steel the food. Damn things… :^)
Kidding aside this is what we use at work and it works…
http://www.d-conproducts.com/bait-pellets-for-rats.php
I’m very reluctant to use poison. First there’s the dogs to consider. Also, a mature pack rat is the size of a small cat and it will go under the woodshed floor to die. I don’t want to have to smell it all summer, or tear down the shed to get at it.
Joel, I’m sure you know better, but for the benefit of your many readers without rat-related experience: Whatever you do, do not pick up a dead, kitty-sized rat by the tail. The tail sheath is fragile in life- in death it is just disgusting to hold with bare hands.
Oops, my bad. I forgot about the dogs. If you haven’t solved this dilemma by the time I go to work on Wednesday I will ask around to see what the best bait would be and flash you an email.