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Old 04-11-2012, 14:28   #1
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Roaches and Rats and Bats, Oh My!

As one cruises into subtropical zones, one encounters various exciting types of fauna. They may be nuisances that can infest one's boat and make life aboard much less happy. Some crew members may feel that the boat is unclean, and demand to be put ashore until the unwelcome visitors are gone.

What vermin experiences have you had?

How have you gotten rid of these uninvited guests?
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Old 04-11-2012, 14:53   #2
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

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Originally Posted by westsail374 View Post
As one cruises into subtropical zones, one encounters various exciting types of fauna. They may be nuisances that can infest one's boat and make life aboard much less happy. Some crew members may feel that the boat is unclean, and demand to be put ashore until the unwelcome visitors are gone.

What vermin experiences have you had?

How have you gotten rid of these uninvited guests?

The only trouble I've had is with palmetto bugs, and I bomb the boat if I see one. I'm one of those "Get me out of here!" people. Don't like bugs.
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Old 04-11-2012, 15:40   #3
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!






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Old 04-11-2012, 15:48   #4
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

We have had rats and bugs on our boat. We had a boat near ours that was known to be infested with rats. Suddenly we also had a rat. He made a mess of everything...he chewed on holding tank, water pipes, life jackets, and just about anything else he could find. Initially we put out a mouse trap that was too small and it just hit his nose and made him mad. We finally had a 2 pronged approach. Peanut Butter with rat poison and huge rat traps. The Peanut Butter and rat poison finally did him in. ( I didn't eat PBJ's for a looong time).
The Palmetto bugs are easily done in with either boric acid and powdered sugar or bug tables which I put everywhere in cupcake papers.
The best thing to do is to do preventive measures. We never have any type of cardboard boxes on board and if we are going to be away for any period of time we remove all food that isn't in a can.

Nellie
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Old 04-11-2012, 15:54   #5
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

Wow! That's something I've never before seen on a boat, but what the heck, fruit bats will go for fruit!

As to more frequently encountered pests:

Borax "pills" in small aluminum foil trays spread around in out of the way places and around the edges of the cabin does very well as a preventative measure with all types of insects. They will get on the boat through various means, but the borax keeps them establishing a foothold.

Ratguards around dock lines and power cords! Especially so if the boat is unoccupied for very long. When on board, having a good mouser-cat. (Despite the theory, there are cats who aren't mousers.)

Avoid docking anywhere close to trees with overhanging branches. It's not only the birds -- rodents like to use them, too. Rats and squirrels will go through a sail quite quickly.

If you find a good solution to keep the birds off your rigging, you'll make a bunch of money!

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Old 04-11-2012, 15:59   #6
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

Wow, Conachair! I had no idea that bats would be a reality!

Or are those pets?

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Old 04-11-2012, 16:15   #7
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

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Wow, Conachair! I had no idea that bats would be a reality!

Or are those pets?


Scotland bay, Trinidad.

It was only afterwards my friends told me.. "No, you leave the ripe bananas *outside* "


PS Dunno what it is, but looking at that pic i feel a strong pressing need for a large glass of Bacardi.....
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Old 04-11-2012, 17:55   #8
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

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Originally Posted by Sunchaser View Post
We have had rats and bugs on our boat. We had a boat near ours that was known to be infested with rats. Suddenly we also had a rat. He made a mess of everything...he chewed on holding tank, water pipes, life jackets, and just about anything else he could find. Initially we put out a mouse trap that was too small and it just hit his nose and made him mad. We finally had a 2 pronged approach. Peanut Butter with rat poison and huge rat traps. The Peanut Butter and rat poison finally did him in. ( I didn't eat PBJ's for a looong time).
The Palmetto bugs are easily done in with either boric acid and powdered sugar or bug tables which I put everywhere in cupcake papers.
The best thing to do is to do preventive measures. We never have any type of cardboard boxes on board and if we are going to be away for any period of time we remove all food that isn't in a can.

Nellie

I keep everything that is not canned in plastic bins. Palmetto bugs are the flying kind. According to what I read on line, they eat rotting vegetation, but they like small dark places to live in. I haven't had roaches, thank goodness. I forgot to mention that I had a *very* weird ant infestation -- in the cockpit! Never saw an ant in the cabin. I got Terro ant bait. It comes in two shapes -- a flat one you snip the end off of, and small domed containers. The latter are better IMO because the former tend to leak out on the cockpit or your hands. The ants were all outside, including the anchor locker. They looked like little sugar ants but I never saw even one in the galley.

If I had a bat aboard I'd call an exterminator. The fruit bats don't hurt anyone and others eat lots and lots of mosquitoes.
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Old 04-11-2012, 17:57   #9
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

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Originally Posted by Intentional Drifter View Post
Wow! That's something I've never before seen on a boat, but what the heck, fruit bats will go for fruit!

As to more frequently encountered pests:

Borax "pills" in small aluminum foil trays spread around in out of the way places and around the edges of the cabin does very well as a preventative measure with all types of insects. They will get on the boat through various means, but the borax keeps them establishing a foothold.

Ratguards around dock lines and power cords! Especially so if the boat is unoccupied for very long. When on board, having a good mouser-cat. (Despite the theory, there are cats who aren't mousers.)

Avoid docking anywhere close to trees with overhanging branches. It's not only the birds -- rodents like to use them, too. Rats and squirrels will go through a sail quite quickly.

If you find a good solution to keep the birds off your rigging, you'll make a bunch of money!

ID
In a marina -- could they jump from boat to boat? I meant to say that I would use an exterminator for a bat, but ask for a humane capture.
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Old 04-11-2012, 18:30   #10
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

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In a marina -- could they jump from boat to boat? I meant to say that I would use an exterminator for a bat, but ask for a humane capture.
just open the door/hatch, move the banannas, it wont bite you unless you start trying to swat it or pat it or something stupid (they can carry a type of rabies), the cute little critter will soon move along it wont want to live on a boat.
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Old 04-11-2012, 18:54   #11
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

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just open the door/hatch, move the banannas, it wont bite you unless you start trying to swat it or pat it or something stupid (they can carry a type of rabies), the cute little critter will soon move along it wont want to live on a boat.

Yeah, they can carry rabies, but it seems more likely that that particular bat just had a taste for bananas. Someone told me it's considered bad luck to keep bananas on board -- maybe this is why?

I wouldn't call a "game catcher" unless the critter showed no inclination to leave on its own. As soon as he left the fruit I'd put the fruit outside and that would probably do it.
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Old 04-11-2012, 19:32   #12
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

Bats can carry some nasty viruses. The attached is from CSIRO in Oz: Managing diseases borne by bats - SIROSCOPE - May 2009
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Old 04-11-2012, 19:43   #13
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

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Bats can carry some nasty viruses. The attached is from CSIRO in Oz: Managing diseases borne by bats - SIROSCOPE - May 2009

All animals can carry nasty diseases, but we're unlikely to catch anything from a fruit bat unless we try to tame it and teach it tricks. If it flies in, flies out, no harm no foul. If it bites you, your doctor's gonna get real curious.
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Old 04-11-2012, 20:59   #14
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

^Fair enough! Oz Authorities say one must not handle bats under any circumstances. The difference between an animals disease (rabies etc) and a bat borne virus (Lissa, Hendra, SARS etc) is that a virus can be transmitted through the air.

"Unlikely", yes; impossible, certainly not.
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Old 05-11-2012, 04:07   #15
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Re: Roaches, and Rats, and Bats, Oh My!

I will second the terro for ants works.marc
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