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Yesterday, I was bitten by a rat…. šŸ€

(64 Posts)
Shinamae Sun 19-Jul-26 11:14:48

I have a new puppy patterdale cross with border terrier,16 weeks old (and I know his breed is a ratter) and he gets on very well with my young cat about 15 months old. My older cat George is nine he wants nothing to do with either of them. He will just sit and look very aloof if they are performing which they do rolling around in the grass with each other.
Anyway, I digress, Yesterday morning I let Duke out for his run around my garden,is quite big and even though the ground isn’t hot at this time of morning the Sun is still beating down so I will not take him out for a walk til about 9pm this. He can run around in the garden and come in when he’s finished.
In the morning he was down the bottom of the garden and he was barking quite frantically. I knew he had something there when I went. It was a terrified little rat. I pulled Duke off and put him indoors went to get the rat picked him up. Was trying to walk him to safety and he bit me.I know he must’ve been terrified so I don’t hold a grudge against being bitten by him šŸ˜µā€šŸ’«
111 advised a tetanus the Hospital after being checked, I haven’t had a tetanus jab since 99
So I got two buses to get to local A&E long story short They basically washed the wound with iodine they put a dressing on. and gave me some antibiotics and that was it basically
I came home let the dog out and he went straight to the place he went before and that the poor rat he had moved at all. I don’t think he could move, so I picked him up again (I probably shouldn’t, but did it because I don’t like to see anything in a state of fear 😰 )
Anyway I put him in a little container with some grass and some water and thought he really not gonna make it, but I’d assume that he would pass away in peace and quiet and out being pounced upon by dogs and cats
I have been out this morning he’s still alive, but his back legs are damaged and I don’t think he’ll survive. I am going to ring my vet and see if anything can be done.
I know, I probably do have rats under my Shed and that’s my business before anybody jumps on me, I do have two cats and now a terrier as well, so I’m hoping that the head of the family will be talking to the family of rats and sayā€ Hey, it was bad enough with two cats now she’s got a blinking terrier. We really must move on.ā€
I will not poison down or set nasty traps (I don’t want any creature to die in agony)Have seen him this morning and he seems very weak. I think his back legs have been damaged so like I say I will get hold of my vet…


a small container in my small shirt with a bit of grass and some water

Blossoming Sun 19-Jul-26 11:20:26

Sorry, I would have let the dog finish it off. I’m a hard hearted Hannah when it comes to vermin. A good ratter will do the job quickly.

Shinamae Sun 19-Jul-26 11:24:37

Blossoming

Sorry, I would have let the dog finish it off. I’m a hard hearted Hannah when it comes to vermin. A good ratter will do the job quickly.

The thing says the pup is young and he was more or less just playing with it and terrifying it….😢

Chestnut Sun 19-Jul-26 11:27:50

I couldn't watch an animal suffer like that. If there was no man around I would grit my teeth and hit him over the head with a hammer a few times. I just can't bear to think of the pain that animal could be in. Just do it. 🄺😢

Maremia Sun 19-Jul-26 11:29:43

Just as as a cat will torture a mouse.
You were very brave. Hope you take no ill from this.
A handy pair of thick gloves next time.

MT62 Sun 19-Jul-26 11:29:47

Ooh you are brave 🤣I don’t like rats.
Funnily enough I watched a YouTube last night, clip of a woman who keeps them as pets… so clever, doing tricks & all sorts.
I think it’s the teeth & tail that puts me off.

Usedtobeblonde Sun 19-Jul-26 11:38:08

My cat brought a dead rat in last week.
She just dropped it on the carpet and walked away from it.
It is the second one she had brought it in recent months and we found a huge one dead on the lawn , I don’t know if she was responsible for that.
I think they are everywhere, nasty creatures.
I hope your bite clears up without further trouble.
The Bleck Death springs to mind.

Sago Sun 19-Jul-26 11:38:47

We had a Patterdale Terrier, I miss her every single day.

ViceVersa Sun 19-Jul-26 11:40:04

Should have just let the dog deal with the rat. That's what I would have done.

Cossy Sun 19-Jul-26 11:40:49

Omg! That all sounds horrific. Not sure at all that a vet will treat a ā€œwildā€ rat and I’m afraid I do feel that they are vermin

Esmay Sun 19-Jul-26 11:41:13

I would kill the rat .
It's suffering .
If there's one rat -there are more and your dog will seek them out .
It's his natural instinct.
I hope that the bite will not cause you any problems.
Please wear gloves next time if you must touch them.
I would not allow rats to breed under my shed -they are a health risk.
I know that you are tender hearted and kind !

Cossy Sun 19-Jul-26 11:42:46

MT62

Ooh you are brave 🤣I don’t like rats.
Funnily enough I watched a YouTube last night, clip of a woman who keeps them as pets… so clever, doing tricks & all sorts.
I think it’s the teeth & tail that puts me off.

To be fair (though I don’t like rats at all) pet rats are totally different to ā€œwild ratsā€ and very bright and learn quickly. Not for me I’m afraid, though one of my cousins had two, always loose, sitting on her shoulder - ugh shudder!

Cossy Sun 19-Jul-26 11:43:42

Sago

We had a Patterdale Terrier, I miss her every single day.

We were advised not to have one (I love them) because our children had hamsters and guinea pigs.

Aveline Sun 19-Jul-26 11:51:48

What a horrible dilemma. You were very brave to rescue the poor creature but I completely understand your reluctance to actually put it out of its misery. Ghastly prospect to kill an animal especially an animal lover like yourself. Good luck.

Fallingstar Sun 19-Jul-26 11:52:31

Oh no! I really couldn’t pick a rat up!
Good job you got the bite treated. I’d be worried about hanta virus among other possible awful diseases.
Am afraid I am terrified of rodents.
But agree that the rat shouldn’t be left to suffer, and if you can put it out of its misery you should do so. Just don’t pick it up.

shysal Sun 19-Jul-26 11:54:46

I keep a rubber mallet in the house, ready to finish off any badly injured animals brought in by my cat. It is a hard thing to do, but the kindest. I wouldn't think of taking your rat to the vet, you have to be cruel to be kind and put it out of its misery.

merlotgran Sun 19-Jul-26 12:02:29

I would have let the terrier deal with the rat. It’s in their nature. Rats are vermin and should be avoided for health reasons.
Keeping an injured rat in a plastic container increases the risk of coming into contact with its urine. That is how Weil’s disease is contracted - through bites and scratches and you’ve already been bitten!
Sorry to sound alarmist but if anything like this happens again, let your dog deal with it and if there’s a body to dispose of, use a shovel and wear gloves.

MT62 Sun 19-Jul-26 12:03:21

I use to get them in my garden as they would come up from the river. My Cat would kick box them all around the garden 🤣

nanna8 Sun 19-Jul-26 12:15:29

Kill the rat quickly and humanely. It sounds as though it is suffering. They carry diseases that you and your dog wouldn’t want to catch.

merlotgran Sun 19-Jul-26 12:15:51

I’m a country girl who has had to learn to be a townee.
I was moaning to a friend about an urban fox making regular visits to my garden after my Jack Russell died and she said I should be glad because they keep the rat population at bay.
So…If it comes to a choice I’ll settle for Oscar taking liberties rather than worrying about rats.

PS I never feed or encourage him. That would be a huge mistake.

Bellanonna Sun 19-Jul-26 12:16:00

Your post says a lot about you Shinamae. What a kind person you are.

Bellanonna Sun 19-Jul-26 12:19:01

Lovely pics Merlotgran.

GrannyIvy Sun 19-Jul-26 12:37:06

I’m sorry you were bitten but never handle a rat without gloves!! In fact I would run a mile from a rat I am scared of mice & rats. Call pest control to deal with it and see if you have a rat problem under your shed. Goodness how awful for you and hope you have no problems from the bite.

Plevey08 Sun 19-Jul-26 13:01:51

I have a phobia about star...yes even my grandkids have been trained to say them backwards. They are vermin and carry multiple diseases, so I'd still call your GP and ask if you need a tetanus jab. Hospitals are busy and may not have had the time. My dear friend with dementia had to go into a care home because her garden was over-run by them due to excess rubble from a neighbour. Environmental health told her that she shouldn't go in the garden or touch anything and if she did she must wash her hands thoroughly. She couldn't follow those instructions so she had to go into a care home. The neighbours rubble is still there.

Luckygirl3 Sun 19-Jul-26 13:08:40

Surprised you were not given tetanus.

Let the wee rat die. Or it will grow into a big rat that will reproduce at an alarming rate and infest your garden. Goodbye wee rat! Time to be recycled!