You would think if it was a wild animal killing it, they would eat it. I saw a rat or big mouse on my walkway last week. I am glad to see one of these almost daily, too.

It takes more than city wide coordination when there is a problem each resident needs to do their part. While I disagree with some of the things that were suggested for homeowners and it would be hard not to feed birds in the winter there are some suggestions easily found on the internet to lessen the attraction. You will never have an area that is totally free but the population can be reduced by removing things they can feed on.

Please dump it asap into your garbage bin as it may have been poisoned.

It's not a squirrel, not an opossum....it's a RAT.

sjerin, that is a good point. Will do as soon as I find my disposable gloves!

Looks like a rat to me.

Our old neighborhood had rats that would move about by running along the fence tops. One time one of the local kids had his pet white rat escape. It started hanging out with the wild rats and became quite large. Apparently it bred with the wild rats because within a couple of months we stared seeing brown and white spotted rats

Our dogs killed a couple of them in the back yard and received bites to their noses as a result. That did not discourage the dogs from going after them though. Fortunately, I've never seen any signs of rats where we live now.

I hope you are able to nip this in the bud before they become well established. Once that happens, they are difficult to get rid of because they are prolific reproducers and they are also quite adaptable.

I do wonder if it was poisoned, which would account for it being right in the middle of the yard. And, to me indicates that someone near by has an infestation.

Come to think of it, I saw an Orkin truck parked across the street last week.

Also cats and dogs.

Unfortunately, rats are not easily trapped. They're too smart. So pest remediation companies and homeowners resort to poison bait boxes and just plain open poison caps. They work...but they also pose a huge threat to wildlife and domestic animals...as well as curious children. Maifleur and Elmer are right. Bag it as soon as possible and get rid of it.

Also, I would suggest your skip feeding the birds for a while...or forever....depending upon your area. The biggest attraction for rats is bird seed. It's what brought them actively into my area and until owners could be convinced to stop putting out pounds and pounds of bird seed...there was no controlling the infestation. It's a shame because those who feed seed are well intentioned people who only want to help mother nature but the end results can be devastating.

In our area, folks like to put their dog and cat food bowls on the patio, which is perfect for the rats. They like fruit trees too.

winter, maybe it depends on the type of rat. I live in a hillside area, not rural but not strictly urban either.

A friend about a mile away has traps in his yard, protected from dogs and cats, and catches (by his description) one or two a week. We use a service (I don't want to empty dead rats from traps) that comes every 6 weeks. They use non poisonous bait (PB and jelly) in covered trap stations around the house perimeter and in the garage (door usually kept closed). They catch maybe one rat a quarter. Just enough for me to want to continue the service.

Some, not all, they've caught are large, like 12 inches long (not counting the tail). So yes, these can be trapped and no, I don't want to remove them from traps.

Back when I lived where rats moved in to back yards (ours included) when a new housing addition came in... we all set out a bunch of traps (snap traps) daily except one neighbor... who had dogs that caught between 2 and 5 daily. After a while, we saw no rats anymore... and not to long after that, we moved. No idea, if they got the rat problem totally under control

My dog killed a rat recently. Not sure if her breed is why she's so determined. She's part Cocker Spaniel and part poodle. Someone told me the Cocker Spaniel is bred to be a bird and small animal hunter. Regardless nothing was going to dissuade her from hunting that rat down when it came into the yard.

We don't have any fruit trees and we don't have any food outside so not sure why they're attracted to our yard. A lot of neighbors compost but we don't so maybe we're just on the path they take to get there.

They can't get in the house as everything is covered in thick small holed wire mesh. I was told that a mouse could squeeze into a place a hole the size of a dime so I got extra small holed mesh.

Raven, that arm and hand looks like the very rare 'arm and hand' stick, to me. ;-)

bird seed attracts mice/rodents. there is no discriminating who comes to the feeder. raccoons come at night.

we had a feeder once. looked out my window and saw a huge rat, in the daytime. end of feeder for us. i throw out bread or old crackers and such in the morning and by night all is gone. squirrels, chipmunks and birds eat it. i am sure mice get some but very little. i only throw out small quantities that can be eaten in one day.

if u have a crawl space with vents, be sure to seal those as well, mice can and will get in. stuff with sos pads or something equivalent, that's one thing they can't chew through.

they are persistent, so u have to be persistent as well.

looks like rat was poisoned, get rid of immediately so there is no collateral damage to other animals/birds that would eat it.

I went out last night (in the rain and 40mph wind gusts!) to bag it up. Just went out again to take a closer look at it -- it has fur on its feet, and its tail is actually longer than its body (which would not be typical of a Norway rat) so I think it might be a mangey squirrel. I hope! It didn't have the lighter cheeks that are typical of squirrels around here, though.

omg - I'll take our bears over snakes and rats anyday.

Sorry but that is not a squirrel - that is a rat and likely a roof or black rat. They are extremely common just about anywhere that has a human population or plentiful food and shelters sources.

They're illegal in Alberta. Not sure how they know not to cross into us through the 4 borders that surround us...……. ;) On a serious note, if I find one here dead or alive and report it to the province, I get a $10,000 reward! They do manage to sneak in via train or feet but we have safe guards in place. Not sure what they are or how they work, I just know I've never seen a rat in my life and hope I never do.

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/All/agdex3441

Yes, gardengal48, you are probably right. It seems pretty large for a roof rat though, although I am just going by the descriptions online. I am going to call an exterminator tomorrow to identify it for sure and see about setting traps.

No what I circled is directly below the stick. It is an arm, with hand and fingers. It even looks like it has it has hair.

I edited it so it's just the part I am looking at. What ever it is it's weird looking.

Ravencajun, that is a honeylocust seed pod. It's a little frayed and the tip is under some bits of chopped dry leaves which give it the appearance of having fingers. I see why you thought it was an arm, it truly does look like it could be with a hand and a narrower wrist! I pick up hundreds of those darn things off my patio and yard every year -- some years have filled my 35 gallon yard waste can 3-4 times (which I guess would be several thousands). They have to be picked up and sent to the yard waste collection because they don't compost down very well -- they sprout.

Elmer...I didn't say they couldn't be trapped. Only that they're not easily trapped. Once they identify a trap or a fixture that is a trap...they often just avoid the area where the trap is. That's one of the reasons they're so plentiful. Just think! For every one rat that you've trapped...there are probably a dozen or more who sauntered by that trap knowing full well that it was something to avoid. That's the reality of these distasteful critters. I'd keep your service, too. Along with their help, the best defense is still to secure your home and take precautions not to temp them with a tasty menu of bird seed or other edibles.

Feed the birds from a basket hanging from a tree limb ... or a cross-arm atop a tall pole (and a good shot of grease on the pole wouldn't be a bad idea). Make it impossible of access for a rat.

And that critter is a rat!

I can catch one in a snap trap occasionally ... but, mostly, whether they sniff it on the way by I'm not sure ...

... but they sure don't poke their nose(s) near the bait or business end of that trap!

ole joyful

There is practically no way you can make bird seed unavailable to a rat if it wants it. Rats are phenomenal climbers and can jump up to four feet from any firm surface. If you can reach an area to hang a bird feeding supply of seeds...then, so can the rats. Best just to avoid the problem altogether if you live in an area that's under siege.

And for those of you putting out carved or whole pumpkins to decorate for Halloween...reconsider. Rats just love fruits and vegetables....especially when they've been pre-pared. You may be decorating but to the rats...you're putting out a delightful and irresistible entree.

It is RAT :-(

Oh rat for sure, as lots of others have said above.

And I don't believe there's any way to totally eliminate them for good. Just try to keep them from getting inside your home. It's about all we can do. Like roaches and other vermin, they're great survivors.

If they can get their nose into an opening, they can get their entire body in.

I walked out back and around the corner where I had some old lumber stacked to find a mother roof rat sitting on top snacking on a small black racer (snake). I had always assumed it should be the other way around but the rat was a lot bigger than the snake.

That's the first and only rats I've seen on my property. A nearby lot had just been cleared so I assume that's why.

I've seen rats in Ohio and thought they were creepy nasty looking critters. Norway rats? Like the one you posted maybe?

I suppose these ones are nasty too and because of the possibility of disease I wouldn't have wanted to have touched one of them but if it's even a little bit possible for a rat to be "cute", I suppose these ones were. At least the littler ones I found under the lumber pile.

This is not one of the ones I found but it sort of reminds me of them.

(image from: https://rats.onpointwildlife.com/local/rat-trapping-in-vero-beach/ )

BTW, if you don't have disposable gloves, or even if you do, a shovel works well.

I'm squeamish so would much rather use a shovel than gloves. :-)

winter, I agree with most of your comment other than to say I think they're your wrong about trapping them, my experience is that it's not all that hard. With the right bait and the right equipment. I especially agree with the suggestion that rigorous sealing of entrance points to a structure is essential, even holes that look too small because (I'm told) their ribs are hinged and big animals can get through very, very small holes.

My service guy has said an important step for trapping is to never touch a trap or a bait station without using gloves. That way, there's no human (or at least "animal") smell coming in contact with them. Every time we've seen evidence of activity (he puts out bait in some stations with no traps, to "signal" activity), he catches at least one. And the opposite is true too, no evidence of activity (bait untouched in boxes with no trap), there will be nothing in the real traps. He refreshes the bait with every visit so I think we have the situation well controlled.

My friend is also careful to wear gloves when touching the traps. He uses uncovered snap traps along buildings and fences where cats and dogs don't normally go.

Rats are cute, and smart. Some people keep them as pets and as pets they rarely bite. But non caged rats are just a horrible scourge, they eat crops, carry disease.

That's the first and only rats I've seen on my property.

Rats are fairly pervasive, many people would be surprised at how many rodents there are per square mile both country and urban. But they are good at hiding.

Yeah - there's never just one rat - just like there's never just one ant.

Elmer...It's not a matter of whether it's difficult or not. It's a matter of convincing the rat to volunteer for the trap and the bait. They're very smart critters and whether it's built in radar or aroma...something alerts them to the fact that the trap is something to be avoided. One can trap anything as long as the "something" can be lured into the trap. Rats are rarely lured into the traps. And especially not when the trap has had an occupant. If your service puts out a clean bait box every time they come around to check...then the chances of trapping a new occupant are better. There's no lingering odor from the last occupant...and the next victim is probably young and inexperienced.

Wearing gloves is SOP for any type of rodent remediation. Primarily to protect you [collective "you"] from any disease that the rodent may be carrying. Rats carry salmonella and leptospirosis as well as other nasty diseases. A study in New York City found that they also carry of a form of transferable MRSA.

Yes...rats, mice, squirrels and chipmunks all have collapsible rib cages. Rats and mice can squeeze through a hole no larger in circumference than a dime or smaller in some instances. They'll chew through almost anything to get to what has lured them into the area....food, water, nesting material, etc. Having them in your home can be very dangerous because they chew through house wiring...often causing fires...and will chew through PVC piping, wood and insulation as well. If they can't find a food of choice...they'll nibble on building materials. They're dangerous critters never be underestimated. Not just to us as humans but to our homes.

this made me laugh

You have a Wood Rat. Around here we have the Dusky Footed. There are others. They are like skinny tailed squirrels. Squirrels have better PR but they exist in pretty much the same niche. We also have Bushy tailed wood rats. They seem to be more acceptable to people. When they are outside of your house they have their place in the world. Too many Squirrels and chipmunks are just as much a problem as too many wood rats.

Funny mouse story. My Orange Kitty Wesley was a great hunter. He liked to sleep on the big circular dog bed. One day he was napping there with a mouse. The mouse kept trying to get up and creep away but Wesley would reach out, grab it and tuck it back up against his side to nap. I do try to snatch and release when I can. Unfortunately that one didn't survive as a pet.

Patricieae_gw, what identifies it as a wood rat?

winter, maybe rats are different in different areas. There doesn't seem to be much effort needed to get them to go for the bait here. They go for the bait in the trap and that's it. I'm not sure what you're suggesting, but I've described what's done at my house and my friend's house and what seems to work without too much difficulty. On three different kinds/sizes of rats.

" I think it might be a mangey squirrel. "

It is a RAT. Not a squirrel. Not even close. Rats are everywhere.

chess, are you saying it's not a short-eared, long-tailed pygmy grey pet ferret?

Not suggesting anything, Elmer. Just adding info to the discussion and relating known experiences. It's good that you've had such positive results. Be glad.

Indeed. I'm very glad.

In downtown Charlottesville the main street was converted to a pedestrian mall many years ago. A couple of times this summer I went out with co-workers to bars in that area and ended up being out quite late, (1 or 2 in the morning) and about every 30 seconds or so you'd see a rat scurry here or there right across the pedestrian mall.

Every now and then we'd see a rat while walking around Bangkok in Thailand. One night we were talking with a local Thai woman and the subject of rats came up. She was shocked to learn that rats are a problem in the US; she was under the impression that these types of problems didn't exist in America. When I told ther that cockroaches are also a problem here, she thought I was joking until I assured her that I was not.

Elmer J Fudd

"chess, are you saying it's not a short-eared, long-tailed pygmy pet grey ferret?"

LOL. I've never seen a ferret that was not kinda cute. There is nothing cute about a rat, in my book.

Rats are nocturnal and also tend to avoid areas where they sense movement. I know some urban rats can be bold and do their thing no matter what's going on. But otherwise, they do tend to sleep during the day and remain in hiding when humans and other animals (including their predators) are sensed.

Here's some good info on trapping from our state AG/Extension site - emphasis added by me:

"...Trapping—Trapping is an underrated method of controlling rodents. One reason trapping is often overlooked is that snap traps have been around for a long time and are cheap. Traps can be used to eliminate rats where poison baits would be dangerous, to avoid dead rat odors, and to eliminate bait-shy rats.

It is important to place traps where the rats are. Rats and mice are used to human odors so there is no need to use gloves when handling traps. Since mice travel only 10–30 feet but rats travel 100–150 feet from harborages, more traps are needed to trap mice than rats in a house.

Rats and mice also have different behavior around new objects. Rats are cautious, and it may be a week before they approach a trap. Mice are curious and will normally approach traps the first night. If you don't catch a mouse in the first few nights, the trap is in the wrong location. To help rats overcome trap shyness, place traps unset, in place, for several days. This allows rats to overcome shyness and results in better catches.

Baited traps rely on the rat's being attracted for feeding. The bait must compete with other available foods, so no one bait is ever the best bait for all locations. Rodents living on garbage or spoiled food prefer something fresh. The following are some baits that have proven to be successful:

• Whole nuts for rats and mice.
• Raisins or grapes for roof rats.
• Sardines packed in oil for Norway rats.
• Peanuts or peanut butter for rats and mice (soak whole peanuts in water overnight; old peanut butter becomes rancid so replace it frequently).
• Dry rolled oatmeal is excellent for mice.
• Bacon squares.
• Small wads of cotton for mice and rats (they look for nest material).
• Gumdrops for mice.

Baited traps should be set a right angles to rat runs (Figure 6). Traps can be nailed to rafters and beams to take advantage of areas where rats travel. Set traps along walls, behind furniture, and near holes. Remember to set traps where children and pets will not be hurt..."

And lots more here:

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/dh044

lily316

"I must live a sequestered life or else my eyesight isn't good but I have never seen a rat before in the wild"

Wow. Lucky you. :-)

Raee, size, appearance, length of tail, appearance of tail. This is most likely a wood rat so far as you can tell from a picture.