wild or domestic? pics of his holes added

[henry's_mum]

I got a phone call the other day requesting I come to their home, this poor woman was SO upset...
She got my number from my vet, she's spotted a rat eating from her feeder. I told her i'd work on getting a live trap and i'd be there to help over the wknd...
Went today, on my day off, and grabbed a havaheart. Phoned the house and talked to the husband who was happy to have me come over right away.
Popped over, and spoke to a less hysterical hubby.... he says the rat is a male, and it's 'tame' it will allow you close enough to ALMOST touch it, but then it bolts to it's home.
He's made quite a nice home too! It's in the dirt, between the garden and the foundation of the house. he's insulated it it with leaves and dired lily leaves.
The wife and the husband describe him as being 'grey' and 'not flecked'... with 'pure white feet and tummy'
:?
So please keep his safe capture in your thoughts and prayers.... it's REALLY cold out there, and he's eating Walmart beed feed.... and being chased away by squirells....

 

[Godmother]

Poor little sweetie. I hope he gets into the trap asap, so that he can be whisked away to your hammock-infested lair! Winter is coming on fast now.

 

[jorats]

Poor little guy... I hope he will soon be safe.

 

[SQ]

So glad they called you.
Keeping you and the little guy in my thoughts and prayers

 

[Moon]

Were you guys able to cover up the trap in any way after setting it? That might help keep at least some of the draft out if he's caught.

Crossing fingers and toes....

 

[mamarat]

Any luck with the little one? Fingers crossed today is the day.

 

Poor guy! I hope he gets safe soon :heart:

 

[Joanne]

Any sign of him yet? Did you bait the trap with something yummy to entice him?

 

[Chevalrose]

Aw poor little guy. I hope he smartens up and gets caught so he can get warm and well fed!

 

[victoria]

I think Lyndsy mentioned on FB today she got a call that he was caught today *fingers crossed* I'm waiting for news too....

 

[mamarat]

That would be fantastic!

 

[henry's_mum]

nope, no sightings or anything of the wee dude today.... traps still set and we're not giving up!
These ppl are checking it all through the night as well. Bless them that they care SO much!
I will post when he's caught guys, I promise! Thus far nothing. I phoned and left a msg today before work, and she called and left me a msg while I was at work. Nothing.... not even a sighting of him, but then she said no squirells or chipmunks either, it was SO windy and SO cold out today tho, so maybe that's why...
Keep the prayers coming folks, i'll let you know what happens tomorrow!

 

[lindsayfawn]

I hope he's caught soon I dunno about up there but down here's it's getting flippin cold!

 

[lilspaz68]

Send pics of agouti rats Lynds to at least nail down the colouring of the rat. Its good to have an idea and to keep them involved. Just send them pics of different rats to keep them interested.

 

[henry's_mum]

so I had her google wild norway rat, and she says he's def. 'brown' not like in the pics.... he's got white on his feet, and his tummy is all white, he also has lighter to white shading on his face....
They've got his times when he comes out pretty nailed down by the sounds of things, although they aren't home when that is, and they keep taking the trap inside when they aren't home... UGH!
I'm getting SO frustrated as she won't listen that if he is caught he'll be ok as they've got a box for shelter to cover the trap. Her newest fear is that she'll have a chipmunk of a squirell in the trap and it will be there all day....
He's coming out and peeking into her windows, and doesn't seem overly upset to see them or their cats in the windows, but runs when ppl are outside.
Does anyone have ANY advice I can give her as to ease her fears and to leave the darn trap outside.... i'm getting frustradted now.

 

[Godmother]

You've probably said it all already, but he would definitely be safer once trapped. The trap we have is meshed, so I put a water bottle on it. And there is food inside beside the bait. If you do those things he would be fine (better than he'd be in the garden), and so would any chipmunk or squirrel.

 

[lilspaz68]

you put a dish of water in there and leave it all night. She's more likely to catch him at night when he thinks its safe.
chippies and squirrels will be sleeping then. Tell her that.

If you want to forward her email to me, I can tell her about Rennie, etc...

 

[henry's_mum]

She says he doesn't come out at night.... I tried lastnight while I was at Ashley's to get her to leave it out,and apparently they've got a few raccoons that frequent their property every night.
They see him only in the late mornings she says.
Shel, i'd LOVE to, but she and I have only communicated via phone. I don't know if she has email, her son had to google the pics for her yesterday as she didn't know 'how'...
ok, so i'll go and drop off a bottle to clip onto the cage, and a dish that she can put some food into. I'll talk to her again about leaving the cage out all day and night, and i'll see about popping over to check the trap tomorrow when i'm off after Coley's neuro appt. it's not far, but it's far enough that it's hard to keep going back and forth to check on.
i'll also try and get her email addy if she's got one Shel.
*sighs*
I wish she'd just leave it outside for me....

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

I hope someone is able to get through to her *fingers crossed*

 

[PitLuvs]

Just a thought, but you said he's fine peeking in windows at them and the other pets, but not ok when they are outside around him. Sounds to me like a domestic rat that was kept in an aquarium, without much socialization. Maybe if you tell her there is a huge chance he's domestic and wont survive, she will leave those traps out.