Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Anyone have any experience with Rats getting into their outdoor enclosures?

I built what I though was a secure room (see photo) I even went so far as to install latches so that the doors could not be lifted by unwanted creatures. However, yesterday I can home and found that there were two large rats in the pen. I got out my hose and let 'em have it. The first flew through the chicken wire so fast that I was sure he has ripped it apart. (he didn't)

The second apparently could not get out the same way it came in and got it's head stuck in the wire mesh. I hosed it until I could tell it was exhausted (didn't want it coming after me) and then I unlocked the lid and let it out.

Fortunately, my torts were ok and showed no signs of a fight. Tonight's task is to change the chicken wire out with 1/2" hardware cloth. Less attractive that chicken wire to be sure, but at least it's steel and less prone to stretching.

My question is this: in a fight, can a Russian adequately defend itself from a rat?

A friend of mine had the same problem but unfortunatelly he was late. A rat ate the half of a tortoise. It was a testudo graeca of about 3 inches.He found the rat when he lifted the tile were the tortoise used to hide. They found the tortoise about ten meters outside the pen, the rat took the animal away. The pen had no wire at all, he had never seen rats and he didn´t think this could happen.
I don´t know if the caparace of a Russian tortoise is harder at this size and it would resist the attack.
I suppose if you use a good fence you won´t have problems.
Good luck!

I can only speculate, fortunately I have had no damage attributed to rats. They are commonly blamed for chewing on shells, rattlesnake rattles etc. When a reptile is cool/torpid, they are near defenseless from rats. Rats are bad news in so many ways, they will pack off the tortoise food, stash it and trash where it doesn't belong etc. They will gnaw on your handsome cage, etc. It is a good plan to wire them out, but you may also want to alter the availability of food etc. that attracted them. Some rats are more agressive than others, in the Santa Cruz mts. you could get "pack rats" or Norways or even black rats. I would wage war on the latter two especially. Good luck, you are getting lots of experience in a short time! lol Vic

Rats are BAD NEWS.They will eat little tortoises and injure all.They also cary desease that is spread from their fecies.(though to have killed a tribe of American Indians back in the 80's)Remove ANY rat dropings.Clean up all left over food each day.This alone might do it.THEY WILL BE BACK. If they are coming in the wire you could change to hardware cloth.If you paint it black you can see through it like its not there!You could make a solid cover for night. A Rat snake would come in handy! Good luck, stay on it until you win.I had them in a large cage attached to the side of my house that i could open a window to the inside of the cage.I got real good with a 22. They love seeds and would risk their life for them.Of cource I was single with no one to tell me not to shoot a gun in the house out the window!!! Victor.......pic no match for a rat

Funny stuff. Thanks for the advice, I did change out to hardware cloth last night but it is very hard to see through. Any advice on how to paint it?

I'd watch for them digging under the sides of your pen.The rats here will burrow right in so, wire covered with dirt makes a safer bottom.. My experience is long tunnels. Rat poison or a big cat works if you don't want to shoot your neighbors.
I have visions of Vic in camo attire and a sniper rifle waiting for the rats.HAHA
I caught an opossum in the tortoise yard the other day.Think rats are bad, these guys are scary.
Charlie

Paint roller,black paint. Vic