this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2025
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[–] Bottom_racer@aussie.zone 11 points 3 days ago (7 children)

Saw a massive black rat climb in under the dishwasher last night. Have to head down the bellarine today and turn the alarm on here. Bugger. Thing would surely set it off.

Never seen a rat in the house before, just a few mice back in the day.

Hrmm

Time for a cat. Is Butters available for a ratting consultation?

[–] Eagle@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago

Would you like to borrow a Jack Russell?

[–] Catfish@aussie.zone 6 points 3 days ago

Massive Dislike! Pet rats nice, dishwasher rats bad.

[–] Seagoon_@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

rats seem to be a coastal thing 😬

[–] StudChud@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Trust me, rats are everywhere πŸ˜‚ we just don't see them too much in built up/inner city areas because there tends to be lots of food sources around so they don't often encroach into homes. Alleyways where dumpsters are stored, close to restaurants, etc.

Rural and coastal areas appear to have more rats, purely because it's less built up, so rats are attracted to homes for shelter and food. You'll see them more, but they are very much everywhere.

I love rats, and mice, but best not to touch wild ones. Most are introduced pests, though there are a couple of native species, like the Bush Rat and Swamp Rat.

[–] StudChud@aussie.zone 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Can you get a picture of it at all? There are a few types of rats near the coast, some are native but most are introduced pests

[–] Bottom_racer@aussie.zone 4 points 3 days ago (3 children)

They're so fast couldn't get one :( This one is actually at the place here in Melbs (which I have to leave and head down the coast, but alarm is the problem). I'm really not a fan of poison so plan of a attack is to stop it from getting into the house with a bit of wood under the dishwasher and deal with it on sunday somehow lol.

[–] SituationCake@aussie.zone 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Stainless steel wool balls, the thicker coil type, is excellent for stuffing gaps around pipework to keep rodents out. They don’t like to chew on it. The trickery part is to make sure the rat is trapped out of the house, and not in, when steel wool is applied!

[–] Bottom_racer@aussie.zone 3 points 3 days ago

ooh that's a very good idea thank you for that I'll go that method.

And yea, I don't know whether it's inside or still under the dishwasher / wherever so that's a problem heh.

[–] Thornburywitch@aussie.zone 3 points 3 days ago

If it has black/brown fur and a white tail tip, then might be a rakali - not a rat as such.

[–] StudChud@aussie.zone 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Good idea! If you're not interested in poison, I think Bunnings has humane traps that don't kill the rat. But I'm not sure.

[–] dumblederp@aussie.zone 5 points 3 days ago

I made one with a bucket, tp roll on a stick and Pb on the roll. Rodent climbs up tries to get to Pb and falls in the bucket.

[–] just_kitten@aussie.zone 2 points 3 days ago

I also vote for an excuse to borrow Butters (even if all he does is watch you and look stupidly handsome)