Well I have bowed to requests and removed one picture of a rat. After all my experiences with rats I get kind of a warm fuzzy feeling when I see a dead rat, or even a live one that is hopelessly trapped. So my perspective is a little different. This blog about living in Southwest China is supposed to cover what life is really like, what we struggle with, what we like. So this is the definitive story on rats, at least in my life.
| http://www.tourguizhou.net/the-trouble-with-rats/
http://www.tourguizhou.net/the-trouble-with-rats-update-1/ http://www.tourguizhou.net/the-trouble-with-rats-update-2/ I haven’t seen a rat in my place for over a month now. I think the problem is solved. I have a macho mentality on many issues here in China. “I can handle it” is my attitude and it works for most things. A little over month ago I caught two rats, large ones, and drowned both of them. Then I called the “Waiban’s office” (Foreigner Boss) and told them that this was out of control and needed to be taken care of. I am a teacher at Guizhou Normal University of Guiyang, and the school is responsible for providing suitable housing. A day later a worker came by and we put a new secure plastic tube on the kitchen sink drain, where we figured they were coming in. It worked, for a few days. Another rat came up and ate the soft plastic of the tube and came through the hole in the pipe. I never caught that one. He left right after he invaded. I got the worker back the next day and we put a screen device in the plumbing to stop the rats from getting to the soft pipe inside the home. Problem solved. No more mice or rats. I learned something. When dealing with a health and safety issue, it is probably a good idea to ask for help sooner, rather than later. I’ve learned some interesting things that may be useful for people in my position:
|