Oh My Word!!

Mice are cute [don't want them in the house] but see them in our gareden, rats are very un-cute.Millions of them, everywhere.However, I have never seen one, not ever.

I`ve never, luckily, come up against rats, although I have made hubby drive around them on the roads at night, can`t bear to think of running over them. Mice don`t bother me, I`ve rescued no end from our cats over the years, I know they`re dirty and vermin, but find them quite cute, don`t want the house over-run though.

Agreed Ana but was just hoping to make the point that not all rats are scary/horrid/vicious etc.

Now, the rats I used to get in the feed store that I set the Russell on were a different matter!

And this was the same dog that was literally (yes, I do mean "literally) "henpecked" as when we used to go through the paddock on the way to check the sheep, the chickens would chase her and peck her!

When we moved to Kingston in the 80s there was a street cleaner and dustmen's strike. One of the first things I saw was a huge rat running across the patio of our new house.

We have had them here (Wales) a couple of times - a neighbour used to feed them . That is why we don't put peelings on our compost heap.

Not quite the same sort of rat, phoenix!

How old are your children, Paula8 ?

Nice one, janerowena definitely a good example of priorities!

Many years ago, Mr P had a pet rat (before I met him) but I have known other people with one, not least one of the teachers when Jack was at primary.

Mrs Griffiths white pet rat, Jasmine, seemed to have the run of the classroom for much of the time, and was much loved by all the children!

I had flu once, so did my young daughter, we were both alone in bed in the (very old country) house in our own rooms, when she said 'mummy, a mouse just ran over my face and pillow.'

I turned my head sideways to see it run through into my room. I remember saying 'Don't worry, darling, it's in here with me now'. And we both just drifted back to sleep - we were too ill to care!

I wish I was half as brave as you jane you should see me when we get the odd tiny little mouse, I am not as bad as I once was but still not keen and as for going anywere near a dead or alive rat, well thats just not even a remote possibility but I really wish I wasn't as afraid. I do drive my family bonkers if we get a mouse, my youngest had to physically carry me out of the house once when I saw a mouse because I wouldn't get off the chair--I know..its ridicilous..but as I said not as bad as that now

Well yes I did pick one up, I didn't want it left on the lawn and didn't have anything with me to put it in - our garden is big.

Yes, the rats in Winchester all appeared after heavy rain, when they were flooded out of their sewer homes. When people say it is a wonderful place to live, and very posh, I always have a grin. It is lovely, but very expensive. And full of rats.

our local council have a pest control department, which responds very quickly to residents who have seen a rat in their garden. It's a free service, and they know where to put the poison, so dogs and cats etc aren't killed by it. They also lay traps. Our problem occurred after the drains on the road were replaced, and it rained very heavily, rats appeared in gardens. I share a horror of the things with others.

Wheaten terriers are great ratters too.

A good Jack Russell is what you need or even better a pair.

Featuring on Tonight right now (ITV) if you want to be horrified even further!

If it was dead, Paula It would not be likely to do her any harm. I would definitely not pick up a living one!

jane did you say you picked one up!!! oh my, are you not scared, I HATE rats and am so terrified of them!!

My chickens were killed by rats, too. The farmer next door had an infestation, it was snowy and we think they were desperate for water (the poison makes them thirst) so broke in wanting water and eggs. The chickens tried to defend the eggs (they were found outside) and were bitten on the throats. Fine in the morning, dead by mid afternoon.

We have them, but perhaps not the poison resistant ones, although they were jolly big. We laid down packets of poison which were eaten and we found one dead rat in our shed, correction, we smelt one dead rat in our shed and then found it and disposed of it. Next door got the rat man in and he set traps around their very large garden and caught a lot. Hopefully that is the problem dealt with for now.

We need the terrier-man in to clear infestations. The dogs are quick and clean and there's no poison down to harm birds, hedgehogs, cats etc.

I don't know what it is about rats but I absolutely hate them - and am scared of them too.

Too late. I saw them in my garden in Winchester. Apparently when the old Workhouse in Winchester was converted into flats and houses, the sewage pipes had to be replaced and the whole of Winchester was suddenly overrun with giant rats. A couple of years later, the prison half a mile away had two new blocks built and the problem happened all over again. My house was halfway between the two, and we were still connected to the ancient pipeworks. My neighbours warned me, I was sitting by the window one day and I saw two huge rats playing on the patio. I put down loads of poison, nothing seemed to stop them and others appeared. In the end the Rentokil man was called out and a huge nest was discovered under next door's decking. All the time they were warning me, they were standing on them! Definitely small cat sized but with shorter legs. I picked a dead one up that was lying in the garden and it was very heavy.

To be fair, the warnings about it have been out there for years. As a gardener, we certainly knew about it, since rats eat people's veg as often as any pigeon or rabbit. But unless you go to a country store and buy the poison in bulk it is very expensive, so people don't keep it up. They use it once or twice and so the animals recover and develop an immunity. The rats in Winchester weren't dying because I thought I was killing two, so putting down enough I thought. In reality, I was probably dealing with over a dozen.