Port Authority will not allow rat traps on docks?

[Jdege]

Originally Posted by tuffr2

Borrow a Jack Russel terrier while you are docked there. Or a bigger cat that is not afraid of rats.

I grew up on a small farm. We did have a few Tom Cats that would kill rats but that was rare.

A Jack Russel no problem. Killing any rodent makes their day.

Sent from my SM-G360V using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

My first Jack Russell was my brother's discarded, psychotic trouble-maker named Eve.

[JPA Cate]

TacomaSailor,

That's an awful story. Maybe she should take Mace or bear spray with her to the shower and surprise the little b----d next time!

[darylat8750]

If they are aggressive enough to challenge you carry a pitching wedge. You don't even need to go for distance. Just a nice firm swing.......

[UNCIVILIZED]

Sorry to hear this. As they were never an issue that even crossed anyone's mind when I lived there.

[rognvald]

"Rat stood up on it's hind legs and hissed at my wife who backed up the ramp and let the rat go by." Tacoma

Tacoma,
I suppose I will be relentlessly tracked down by the PETA Police for this confession but, when I was a kid growing up in Chicago we regularly hunted rats in the alleys with our BB guns. These rats were nothing like their rural cousins who plied their trade around barns and granaries but were large, street-smart bad-asses who never backed down and controlled the garbage can feeding stations with ferocity. The best time to hunt was the day/night before garbage pickup in your neighborhood when many garbage cans/containers were not closed properly. And, these urban rats grow to unbelievable sizes based upon the breed norm and the only effective way cities can control their populations is to destroy their food sources--largely open garbage cans and access to homes(in your case,Tacoma, boats). At one time in Chicago, rats were estimated at 1.5 million. Today, they say, the number is closer to 500,000 if you believe the politicians. So, take it from an experienced hunter of rats: buy yourself a high powered pellet air rifle with a scope(around $100.) and take the law into your own hands, Pardner. Once their buddies taste the smell of death on the docks, they'll find another area that is safer. Good luck and good hunting. P.S. A little known fact is that if a rat is cornered and stands on its hind legs, it can easily jump to the level of your face and do quite a bit of damage irrespective of the potential for infection from the bite.

[cp1]

I know a fair bit of nautical trivia after 40 yrs at sea.

One I just learned recently:
Wharf = Warehouse at the Riverfront. Duh lol

[reed1v]

We used the old fashion rat shields on all our dock lines. Worked. Not sure which would be worse: rat or Jack Russel? At least rats are reasonably quiet and self tending.

[Tayana42]

There are some very nice threads going about pets on board. Why not give the rats names and consider them to be pets?😃


S/V B'Shert

[autumnbreeze27]

You can do like my grandfather did on his property in Missouri... He would sit in a rocking chair on the back porch and shoot gophers when they stuck their head out of the ground.

Probably not a good idea though, since it's so hard to get ammo these days.

[seasick]

Throughout much of the Pacific basin it has been long and widely known that rats and octopi are natural born enemies. In Tonga and the Samoas fisherman have long fashioned octopus lures from coconut shells and sennet that look like rats to catch octopi. The octopi climb the pilings of wharfs to catch rats, their favorite food. There are varying versions of long told tales of why this is so and all center on an ancient feud wherein a bird an octopus and a rat were sailing between islands in a coconut shell that became swamped. The bird flew away and the octopus was kind enough to give the rat a lift to shore but the rat pooped on the octopus's head enroute and later taunted him about the fact. The octopus vowed to eat him the next time he ventured near the water.

I would suggest going to the Dollar Store and buying a few plastic octopi and placing them above and below the pier. Might not work at all but it could be a great conversation starter.

[Joel E Felt]

Don't hate the rats, with a little garlic, salt and pepper there not to bad!
Joel E felt

[rwidman]

I think for the answer, it's best to contact the port authority directly and ask if this is true and why. And also, what law their decision is based on.

[CaitB]

I am just back from spending a week on my boat in San Mateo - cleaning up after rats. My galley was destroyed and the f&$@#%s ate into teak cabinet moulding! This is the third infestation in 2 months and, while I actually thought about setting fire to my boat out of desperation, I have taken some drastic steps (because a cat or a dog is simply not an option):

1. Seal up ANY opening, no matter how tiny. It's amazing what these bastards can get into. The tiniest little crevice and they chew it until they can get inside.

2. I put a battery operated trap in the cockpit (little sparky!) and 2 more huge traps baited with smoked bacon. 3 dead rats in 1 night.

3. Cheap metal pie tins on the middle of the dock lines - all heavily sprayed with Pam to make them slick and uncrawlable.

4. Coyote urine. Seriously. There is a place in Maine that sells predator urine and for rats, it's coyote. Soak cotton tags with the stuff and place the tags out of sight about every 5 ft. I place drops of it on the dock lines, in the dock box and I also place them inside the boat as they have no smell to humans. I actually swear by this stuff - the rats stay away. I use bobcat urine for mice around my home chicken coop and haven't seen a mouse in ages! Resoak the cotton tags about every 2 weeks.

A week later - lots of disgusting cleanup (key words: hanta virus!) and I can say that there are no rats on my boat. Happy days!!!

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by rwidman

I think for the answer, it's best to contact the port authority directly and ask if this is true and why. And also, what law their decision is based on.

Law? What makes you think the Port District needs a law to restrict any Tom, Dick or Harry from dropping deadly poisons on the docks or in the water? It's seems like common sense to not allow this to happen.

[Schooner Chandlery]

I just read a note on Facebook about two different families cruising with a pet rat aboard. The smell of the pet rat keeps the real rats off their boat. Skip the dog/cat, just get your own pet rat to keep caged and deflecting the other rats.

I know people don't even want a rat on deck--but if you're in this situation you may have little choice so make sure your ports and cowl vents have strong screens and all entry points to the boat itself have closures that can't be chewed open by a rat.