A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

[Amish Country]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

Another expensive lesson:

Oh, I have been putting my rancid oil in the garage, because I read you can use it in lanterns. I'll bet it stinks, though.

We are in the process of reorganizing and inventorying what we have. Unfortunately we have several cans of olive oil that will be relegated to the lamp oil storage due to being out of date and rust.

Rats got into our storage area and have since been eradicated. They defecated as they roamed. It appears their pee is corrosive and now rust has appeared on metal can lids including the tops of several olive oil cans. It is a problem I have not encountered before. I'm not sure what can be done to prevent this. Maybe wiping down the tops of cans with mineral oil prior to storage? I don't mind the loss of the smaller cans as much as the loss of the expensive olive oil. I'm afraid the rust will or has breached the cans seal and do not want to risk my families health. This is a major loss to our preps. Hopefully our misfortune will stand as a warning so other may avoid our loss.

If we do have the misfortune of running it to them again at least I will know now to wash stored can lids with hot
soapy water and thoroughly dry them. That may prevent the rust. In the mean time we have gotten a house cat.

Has anyone else run into this? Any precautions or suggestions?

[BestlaStormcrow]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

We have 3 cats, 3 dogs, and make copious use of restaurant style rodent bait stations in strategic areas, since we also have multiple outbuildings with chickens, sheep, pigs depending on the season. The few times we did have mice in the house was when one cat, now deceased, would bring them in to hunt later. Ugh! I even found a very lively baby rabbit behind my couch once.

So far nothing stored in our garage or shed has been broached, not even feed bags and gunny sacks of wheat ears and dried corn.

Not sure what to do about rat pee, preventative or otherwise. I've had rodents chew ignition wires supposedly for the silicone 'lube' so mineral oil might be just as tasty for them.

I'm in the same boat with needing to inspect and rotate preps, and i think there just isn't a substitute for doing so sooner than later. Now to find the time....

[Zac]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

Another expensive lesson:

Rats got into our storage area and have since been eradicated.

Has anyone else run into this? Any precautions or suggestions?

I had a similar problem and fixed it by first sealing every opening that mice/rats could enter with steel mesh. Then, I used repeater traps (that can hold more than 1 mouse) to remove all the mice.

[Amish Country]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

Rats are an entirely different issue from mice. A few traps baited with peanut butter took care of the influx of mice when the weather started to get colder in the fall. Rats were much worse. They did significantly more damage to preps and were much harder to get rid of. We used rat snap traps and glue traps with a variety of baits. The traps may make a dent in the population but did not get rid of them. Finally we were desperate enough to use poison bait. I really did not like using it but it is what finally got rid of them. We also sealed holes and cracks in the foundation as a preventative measure.

On my wish list are more rat snap traps, because they are reusable and they break with extended use. Also more poison. I don't like it, as in really don't like it but it worked. It is also expensive, nowhere near a expensive as replacing the destroyed preps so I will not begrudge the cost. As soon I get it I will have to put it locked in a secured location. I would not want a child or anyone or anything else getting into it by mistake.

[BestlaStormcrow]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

I really did not like using it but it is what finally got rid of them.

Yeah, it was a bit of a decision, but we have woods across the road and had noticed rats coming & going from our coops, and aren't in a position to attempt rat-proofing the outbuildings.

We use the plastic bait housings tucked into a square cat litter bucket on its side. The buckets are placed with open side a couple inches from whatever wall looks to be under attack, and a flat cement 16 x 16" paving stone set on top. So far no wanted critters have gotten into the bait, and we also noticed the **** english sparrows have figured out how to fly in and help themselves

All the bait stations are checked every other week and topped up as needed. Hate to use such a heavy hand, but we need the food and peace of mind.

[Lizw]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

Yeah, it was a bit of a decision, but we have woods across the road and had noticed rats coming & going from our coops, and aren't in a position to attempt rat-proofing the outbuildings.

We use the plastic bait housings tucked into a square cat litter bucket on its side. The buckets are placed with open side a couple inches from whatever wall looks to be under attack, and a flat cement 16 x 16" paving stone set on top. So far no wanted critters have gotten into the bait, and we also noticed the **** english sparrows have figured out how to fly in and help themselves

All the bait stations are checked every other week and topped up as needed. Hate to use such a heavy hand, but we need the food and peace of mind.

Bucket traps work well for mice (look on youtube if you need directions). They have the advantage of needing bait, and will catch numerous mice in one trap. Rats are too big for traps made of 5-gallon buckets. I suspect it would be possible to use a larger container, though.

I have never seen the Norway rats here, what are locally called "wharf" rats. We do have several varieties od smaller rats, but I've never seen one inside, thanks to the cats. The livestock guardian dogs will kill them too. What has worked best for me in regard to rodents is black snakes. I saw one in the barn last year, and have found shed skins a couple of times. No more mice in the barn. A few weeks ago, I got back late at night from an out of town weekend, and found a black snake stealing a dead mouse out of a snap trap. It was quite a shock, and I still don't know how it got inside. But there have been no more mice in the house since then, so I assume it has taken up residence underneath, where it is welcome to live. The mice did a huge amount ot damage here, not so much to stored food, because that is all inside plastic totes. But they have destroyed books, family pictures, clothing, and the soundboard of my piano. Among other things.

[Amish Country]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

Another thing we are doing or rather not doing to discourage vermin is not to feed anything outside near the house. No bird feeders, no crust thrown out for the birds, no pet bowls on the porch.

[Lynda]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

I just opened, for testing purposes, 10 year dry-food preps packed in mylar and 02 absorbers. Results are spectacular. Everything did well except for Pinto Beans, but I haven't been a fan of those as a storage bean for years. I prefer smaller, thin-skinned beans.

Rats and mice can (and will) eat through mylar bags. I've even seen them munch through a 5 gallon bucket. Oddly, Rubbermaid Roughneck 18 gallon totes seem impervious to their little razor teeth. They are VERY heavy when loaded, though, so be sure you have a cart or dolly to move them when necessary.

Living in Dallas has inspired me to give the ol' preps some needed attention.

[BestlaStormcrow]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

I just opened, for testing purposes, 10 year dry-food preps packed in mylar and 02 absorbers. Results are spectacular. Everything did well except for Pinto Beans, but I haven't been a fan of those as a storage bean for years. I prefer smaller, thin-skinned beans.

Rats and mice can (and will) eat through mylar bags. I've even seen them munch through a 5 gallon bucket. Oddly, Rubbermaid Roughneck 18 gallon totes seem impervious to their little razor teeth. They are VERY heavy when loaded, though, so be sure you have a cart or dolly to move them when necessary.

Living in Dallas has inspired me to give the ol' preps some needed attention.

Good to know!

We have our super-duper last resort food in mylar, in buckets, from Walton Feed, bought about 10 years ago. We're planning to just keep it as is, under a pantry shelf and hopefully still mouse-proof.

[annaraven]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

Rats and mice can (and will) eat through mylar bags. I've even seen them munch through a 5 gallon bucket. Oddly, Rubbermaid Roughneck 18 gallon totes seem impervious to their little razor teeth. They are VERY heavy when loaded, though, so be sure you have a cart or dolly to move them when necessary.

And I have a roughneck tote that had the corner of the lid chewed off so the rats could get in to the chicken feed.

[Amish Country]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

The mice did a huge amount ot damage here, not so much to stored food, because that is all inside plastic totes. But they have destroyed books, family pictures, clothing, and the soundboard of my piano. Among other things.

To keep mice out of the house I found plugging up holes and cracks in the foundation with mortar helped. For around pipes that stick out through holes in the foundation I packed steal wool (not the ones impregnated with soap) around the pipes. It has to be check periodically. After a few years they managed to make a path through the steal wool but it took them a while.

[Sollydog]

Re: A reminder and expensive warning to check and rotate preps

I just ran across this site which some might find useful:

Still Tasty: Your ultimate shelf life guide

http://www.stilltasty.com/