keeping rats away

Karma Queen · Mar 16th, 2005, 23:24

I'm writing a short piece about India for my creative writing class, and was wondering if anyone knew how they keep rats away over there, parrticularly in slum areas... I remember seeing small bonfires in the old city in varanasi - were they for the rats??

cheers! KQ

Merchant · Mar 17th, 2005, 00:33

I don't think Indians--or anyone else--can do anything about the rats. Fires won't keep them away. I live in New York, and we have periodic rat problems, especially in construction sites, which disrupt the rats' usual habitations and routines. Aside from industrial-strength poison, which the city deploys, or an army of cats or snakes, rats resist all attempts at control.

Those fires in Varanasi were probably just people cooking or keeping warm or biding time at night. If they were along the banks of the Ganges, they would be smouldering cremations.

crvlvr · Mar 17th, 2005, 00:35

I agree with merchant. Getting a predator -- a dog or cat, is probably the best option.

Karma Queen · Mar 17th, 2005, 00:37

they weren't cremations - they were actually inside the old city, and they were placed in the corners, not necessarily outside houses like you would expect for cooking. and they were lit in the daytime, so they weren't for keeping people warm. any ideas? i thought the rats wouldn't like the heat or smoke or something

Merchant · Mar 17th, 2005, 00:47

Ah, those little fires in corners are devotional--little pujas.

Karma Queen · Mar 17th, 2005, 01:07

oh right. thanks

rangss · Mar 17th, 2005, 01:52

In India, people use a rat trap. As a kid I saw my dad use it and catch many rats and mice. he would then take them out of the town and release them into the country-side. A Rat trap is a box with a spring-action trap-door. The trapdoor is drawn up and held by a spring that is connected to a hook that hold sthe door upright. To the hook one dangles a piece of bread or "chapathi". When the rat gets into the box following the smell of the food and tries to pull the piece off the hook, the hook releases and the trapdoor falls in place, trapping the rat.

Read this:
http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanhe...005/middle.asp

Raed these as well:
http://journeytoforever.org/at_rattrap1.html
http://journeytoforever.org/at_rattrap3.html

rangss · Mar 17th, 2005, 01:55

Karma Queen, I have seen many agricultural documentaries on TV where Indian farmers smoked the rat holes to get rid of them. So your hunch isn't entirely off-track.

Mar 16th, 2005, 23:24	#1
Karma Queen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: England Posts: 365	keeping rats away I'm writing a short piece about India for my creative writing class, and was wondering if anyone knew how they keep rats away over there, parrticularly in slum areas... I remember seeing small bonfires in the old city in varanasi - were they for the rats?? cheers! KQ

Mar 17th, 2005, 01:52	#7
rangss Bulk Carrier Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,846	In India, people use a rat trap. As a kid I saw my dad use it and catch many rats and mice. he would then take them out of the town and release them into the country-side. A Rat trap is a box with a spring-action trap-door. The trapdoor is drawn up and held by a spring that is connected to a hook that hold sthe door upright. To the hook one dangles a piece of bread or "chapathi". When the rat gets into the box following the smell of the food and tries to pull the piece off the hook, the hook releases and the trapdoor falls in place, trapping the rat. Read this: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanhe...005/middle.asp Raed these as well: http://journeytoforever.org/at_rattrap1.html http://journeytoforever.org/at_rattrap3.html __________________ ...and I took the road less travelled.

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Mar 17th, 2005, 00:33	#2
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,212	I don't think Indians--or anyone else--can do anything about the rats. Fires won't keep them away. I live in New York, and we have periodic rat problems, especially in construction sites, which disrupt the rats' usual habitations and routines. Aside from industrial-strength poison, which the city deploys, or an army of cats or snakes, rats resist all attempts at control. Those fires in Varanasi were probably just people cooking or keeping warm or biding time at night. If they were along the banks of the Ganges, they would be smouldering cremations.

Mar 17th, 2005, 00:35	#3
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,667	I agree with merchant. Getting a predator -- a dog or cat, is probably the best option.

Mar 17th, 2005, 00:37	#4
Karma Queen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: England Posts: 365	they weren't cremations - they were actually inside the old city, and they were placed in the corners, not necessarily outside houses like you would expect for cooking. and they were lit in the daytime, so they weren't for keeping people warm. any ideas? i thought the rats wouldn't like the heat or smoke or something

Mar 17th, 2005, 00:47	#5
Merchant Maha Guru Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: New York Posts: 2,212	Ah, those little fires in corners are devotional--little pujas.

Mar 17th, 2005, 01:07	#6
Karma Queen Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: England Posts: 365	oh right. thanks

Mar 17th, 2005, 01:55	#8
rangss Bulk Carrier Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,846	Karma Queen, I have seen many agricultural documentaries on TV where Indian farmers smoked the rat holes to get rid of them. So your hunch isn't entirely off-track.