Everything I’ve read and observed about rats makes me think they’re probably smart enough to be publishing the equivalent of their own newsletter about all this.
Rats are thigmotactic, or maybe they practice thigmotaxis. What a swell word! I think your rat woman was agoraphobic or just ready for the great rat beyond—otherwise she would be abnormally long-lived and hence an animagus, like Wormtail.
We live in a rural home and with our chicken feed comes regular visitors every spring ( I believe they burrow close by and use tunnels in winter but they are almost invisible then ) rats are very smart ( as you know ) but we think we have outsmarted them finally! We don’t use traps or chemicals . We use the trusty metal garbage can ! It has to be empty - uncovered )other than a bit of peanut butter smothered bread and slanted so they can climb in but - not out. Then we trap them by putting on lid securely and driving them a distance and releasing in a forest area away from other houses. (I’m thinking your deceased rat got into garbage before lid was secured! )I hope this method helps you if others should visit !
Heather, it sounds like your chicken/rat situation is working out for you. We also had a chicken/rat situation and have been very happy with rat-proof feeders where the chickens step on a treadle to open the lid to get the food. There’s a brand called Grandpa’s but also other ones you can get. Just I case it helps. :)
I’m about to read it! My husband interviewed him as part of a kids graphic novel festival, while they drew. It’s on Instagram here if you want to watch it:
Oh my gosh that is amazing! Thank you for sharing! I'm going to share with library coworker who loved the book, as well as my graphic novel obsessed 10 year-old :)
If it’s of interest, my husband does these “Gab ‘n’ Doodles” live every Thursday on Instagram with children’s book (sometimes graphic novel) authors & illustrators. They make art while they chat.
For the summer, they’re at 2pm Eastern. His insta handle is @Studiohoffmann
I’m reading “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” which has some chapters written from the octopus’s perspective. I’m not sure how I feel about it—I know octopuses are smart, but google says they don’t read, as this octopus does in the book. This seemed like a conundrum up your alley. Where is the line in personifying the inner life of animals? It only annoys me if I think too much about it, otherwise it’s pleasant to read. Should I let it go as artistic license?
I don’t have a rat, but... yesterday I was 2:45 into a 3 hour car ride and I felt something on my foot I thought was my shoelace. NOPE. I bit after that a mouse ran up my leg!! I screamed like you would (yes, would) believe, stopped the car, and tried to process it all. But I had to get back in and get to my destination. Meanwhile my dogs were in the car and I was hoping wouldn’t meet the mouse too. I am still traumatized, and we have not found the mouse. I need to either buy a helicopter to get home or the mouse needs to reveal itself (not on me again).
Just when I think I've stamped the words "I'm sorry" out of casual conversation, it pops out again. It's all about who I'm with, how I allow myself to be somehow less than. Brooke, very few things are our fault. There, now we know to stop taking responsibility for anything that goes wrong. :)
And let's just believe your rat pal expired doing what she loved.
I absolutely feel the same about my kids. My son is smart and kind and generous? That's just nature, good luck is all. But he's also super depressed and anxious? That's clearly all my fault and my fault alone. Similarly, any talents I have are no big deal. Knitting? Like you said, anyone can do that. Cooking, baking, sewing, quilting? Same. All you need to do is follow directions.
I just started reading East of Eden, my first foray into Steinbeck. I don't know what I expected, but so far, I've been pleasantly surprised. The writing is beautiful and it's been unexpectedly funny.
It’s sad about the rat but I don’t think you should feel responsible for its demise or other things in life. We never really know the confluence of circumstances that lead to something happening. Removing one variable doesn’t mean a different result will occur.
We found a dead rat under my neighbors porch and wondered about his death as well. I surmised he had eaten poison from one of the alley traps and crawled under the porch to die. Maybe the same happened with yours.
Thank you so much, this is exactly how I feel:
Something bad: my fault
Something good: an accident of fate in no way a credit to me.
Maybe if everyone can learn to knit we can stop this whole climate change thing you started?!
Rats are thigmotactic, or maybe they practice thigmotaxis. What a swell word! I think your rat woman was agoraphobic or just ready for the great rat beyond—otherwise she would be abnormally long-lived and hence an animagus, like Wormtail.
Sorry about the rat. And that Kip sheds. Reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and enjoying it so far.
Hahaha “I’m personally responsible for climate change but can’t take any credit for teaching myself to knit (it’s easy, anyone could do it).”
We live in a rural home and with our chicken feed comes regular visitors every spring ( I believe they burrow close by and use tunnels in winter but they are almost invisible then ) rats are very smart ( as you know ) but we think we have outsmarted them finally! We don’t use traps or chemicals . We use the trusty metal garbage can ! It has to be empty - uncovered )other than a bit of peanut butter smothered bread and slanted so they can climb in but - not out. Then we trap them by putting on lid securely and driving them a distance and releasing in a forest area away from other houses. (I’m thinking your deceased rat got into garbage before lid was secured! )I hope this method helps you if others should visit !
Heather, it sounds like your chicken/rat situation is working out for you. We also had a chicken/rat situation and have been very happy with rat-proof feeders where the chickens step on a treadle to open the lid to get the food. There’s a brand called Grandpa’s but also other ones you can get. Just I case it helps. :)
Thank you Eevin ! it sounds worth checking out!
Love your substack and this post in particular. Just read a great new kids graphic novel called Timid by Jonathan Todd.
I’m about to read it! My husband interviewed him as part of a kids graphic novel festival, while they drew. It’s on Instagram here if you want to watch it:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5_k4S-P9V_/
Oh my gosh that is amazing! Thank you for sharing! I'm going to share with library coworker who loved the book, as well as my graphic novel obsessed 10 year-old :)
I have a graphic novel obsessed 10 year-old too!
If it’s of interest, my husband does these “Gab ‘n’ Doodles” live every Thursday on Instagram with children’s book (sometimes graphic novel) authors & illustrators. They make art while they chat.
For the summer, they’re at 2pm Eastern. His insta handle is @Studiohoffmann
Oh so fun- thank you for letting me know!!
I'm glad that rat will never jump out of the can and bite you. Sounds like you need some neutered feral cats in your neighborhood.
very relatable
I’m reading “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” which has some chapters written from the octopus’s perspective. I’m not sure how I feel about it—I know octopuses are smart, but google says they don’t read, as this octopus does in the book. This seemed like a conundrum up your alley. Where is the line in personifying the inner life of animals? It only annoys me if I think too much about it, otherwise it’s pleasant to read. Should I let it go as artistic license?
I'm currently listening to an audio book version of "the immortal life of Henrietta Lacks" and it is very good!
That book is a very revealing story about the total underhandedness of medical researchers.
We found an entire uneaten sushi tray for like ten people in our trash can this week, that we did not put in there.
Not a dearly departed rat, but still pretty stinky...
I don’t have a rat, but... yesterday I was 2:45 into a 3 hour car ride and I felt something on my foot I thought was my shoelace. NOPE. I bit after that a mouse ran up my leg!! I screamed like you would (yes, would) believe, stopped the car, and tried to process it all. But I had to get back in and get to my destination. Meanwhile my dogs were in the car and I was hoping wouldn’t meet the mouse too. I am still traumatized, and we have not found the mouse. I need to either buy a helicopter to get home or the mouse needs to reveal itself (not on me again).
Just when I think I've stamped the words "I'm sorry" out of casual conversation, it pops out again. It's all about who I'm with, how I allow myself to be somehow less than. Brooke, very few things are our fault. There, now we know to stop taking responsibility for anything that goes wrong. :)
And let's just believe your rat pal expired doing what she loved.
I absolutely feel the same about my kids. My son is smart and kind and generous? That's just nature, good luck is all. But he's also super depressed and anxious? That's clearly all my fault and my fault alone. Similarly, any talents I have are no big deal. Knitting? Like you said, anyone can do that. Cooking, baking, sewing, quilting? Same. All you need to do is follow directions.
I just started reading East of Eden, my first foray into Steinbeck. I don't know what I expected, but so far, I've been pleasantly surprised. The writing is beautiful and it's been unexpectedly funny.
It’s sad about the rat but I don’t think you should feel responsible for its demise or other things in life. We never really know the confluence of circumstances that lead to something happening. Removing one variable doesn’t mean a different result will occur.
We found a dead rat under my neighbors porch and wondered about his death as well. I surmised he had eaten poison from one of the alley traps and crawled under the porch to die. Maybe the same happened with yours.