Oh no, that's horrible! I'm so sorry that happened...
However, I SINCERELY doubt that a squirrel was responsible. The only sort of meat squirrels generally eat is baby birds they find in nests-- they do not actively seek meat. Moreover, I doubt that they would attack a glider for no reason as a squirrel's natural instinct is to run from other animals rather than fight. I think it's far more likely that a rat was responsible.
Re: something horrible happened
[Re: Slickable3]
#211440 02/02/0712:49 AM02/02/0712:49 AM
Rats are predators. Squirrels are not. Plug up the hole in your roof that is letting the squirrels in as they will do major damage to your electrical wiring and home. I don't think a squirrel could enter the house from the attic unless you have an uncovered opening to your attic from that room and, in your climate, I can't believe you would. You can use a humane trap, but if a rat has a choice between a humane trap and your gliders, he/she may not choose the trap.
You can buy rat poison that will not poison other animals that might eat the rat and if you take this route, put it in your attic and inside your walls. Also clean the rim around your rooms very well w/strong soap and water or enzyme cleaner as rats and mice urinate and defecate along the perimeter of the room to mark the path for other rats or mice to follow. The greatest likelihood is that you have many more than 1 rat. Don't rely on your maltese to alert you or protect the gliders. Get rid of the rats. They carry diseases that are dangerous to you, your dog and your other animals.
I don't think it was a squirrel either. I was thinking more something a raccoon would do. I hope she updates us - I was thinking about this post all night.
I'm pretty sure it was a squirrel. My mom caught one that broke into our house and was eating our guinea hen food. Correct me if i'm mistaken, but don't rats usually live in towns/citys? I live in the middle of the woods. If it is a rat, i've seen no evidence. I also found cujo's body in near the food dish, it appeared what ever got him was first interested in the fruit and yogurt. But, if this is something a squirrel would simply not do, please let me know as i don't want the culprit to go uncaught. I have wrapped the cages in wire and window screen, and set out traps. I will try the rat-only poison, just in case. As for squirrels, i don't think there are any left near my house. Bird feeders make efficient targets.
I'd say that it's something a squirrel wouldn't do. And yes, rats do and can live in the woods. It sounds to me like a rat smelled the food in his cage and tried to get at it, only to discover that Cujo was an easier source of food. Rats are predators, squirrels are not.
Correct me if i'm mistaken, but don't rats usually live in towns/citys?
Rats live anywhere and everywhere. I remember going hiking in the woods a couple of years ago and I noticed nearly every cactus patch I passed had something rustling around in it. Finally I saw one and figured out they were rats. There must have been hundreds of them, with little trails from one patch to another. Also, they would be attracted to a human home if they lived in the woods because your garbage is easy pickin's. We have a hunting lease where there are a few travel trailers parked to stay in. You have to drive 25 miles out a dirt road that requires 4WD in wet weather to get there and the nearest town has a population of about 800 and is about 35 miles away. We always have a rat problem there.
Originally Posted By: kati
But, if this is something a squirrel would simply not do, please let me know as i don't want the culprit to go uncaught.
I really don't think it sounds like a squirrel. I don't think they are carnivorous. A rat is far more likely.
Originally Posted By: kati
I will try the rat-only poison, just in case.
I don't think there is such a thing as a poison that only kills rats. They have evolved an extremely tough digestive system over the centuries, eating rotten garbage and whatever we throw out, so it takes the strongest poison to kill them. Rat poison is so labeled not because it only kills rats, but probably because it's so strong.
Squirrels can be preditory. They are very oportunistic, and much more similar to rats than you think.
I've had pet rats, as well as a pet grey squirrel. There is very little difference.
They will only eat meat if they are starving and there is no other source of food. I used to volunteer at a wildlife rehab center and I've had tame squirrels since I was little-- never once have I heard of a squirrel attacking and killing something the size of a glider to eat. If they're absolutely starving they will eat baby birds and snakes, possibly mice. But a mouse is a lot smaller than a sugar glider.
Re: something horrible happened
[Re: kati]
#212136 02/03/0708:40 AM02/03/0708:40 AM
I also don't think it's a squirrel. If you've ever seen the way a squirrel moves(stop, go, stop, jump..etc) you would hear it in your house. However, I am also doubting that a rat could have the strength to put its very short paws into the cage, drag a sqirming, biting glider through bars and eat it UNLESS the glider was already deceased - which is possible. Are you sure the animal in your attic is not a raccoon? It just fits their MO.
Also, poison is poison - there is no such thing as rat only poison. It's a bad idea. I've seen a dog that got into rat poison - please don't use it.
My traps have gone untouched for the past couple of days, if it is a rat he does not want to show himself (well, i geuss that is typical). I hate the indecision and not knowing what did this. Ugh.. if it wasn't a squirrel i'm going to feel pretty bad about the umm lack of squirrels near my house
Last edited by kati; 02/03/0708:45 AM.
Re: something horrible happened
[Re: Gossamer]
#212138 02/03/0708:48 AM02/03/0708:48 AM
Oh, you underestimate rats, they most certainly can and would do something like that! If it had been a raccon, the cage would have been at the very least moved, if not throw to the floor and destroyed. And I would THINK if something that large was in her room she would know it (or the dog would have barked.) Keep the traps up, but again, if it were me, I would cover that cage in very small chicken wire to keep the others safe (just use zip ties).
I wouldn't put it past a squirrel to do something like that. They are very smart and strong animals. I hand raise a pair that had fallen out of a tree after a real bad storm. They were sweet little animal excpt when they were hungry. For the most part I have never seen a squirrel eat meat, but when my little one got hungry they always went over to my parakeet cage until I brought them food. I also saw (many different times) where a squirrel attacked a dog and won. That is chased the dog off. Need less to say that happened to one of my friend's dog and now that dog has a complex. He runs away yelping when he sees a squirrel (even when it is through the window). I don't know maybe we have some ill tempered squirrels here in East Texas. I would eliminate that from the picture. hope you get to the bottom of it soon, and don't loose any more gliders over it either. Good Luck!!!
Most likely the squirrels were interested in the bird seed, not the birds. As far as chasing a dog, yes, they will, as they are VERY TERRITORIAL and will challenge most other animals in those situations. But they do not eat meat. But bottom line is trapping whatever it is and eliminating the danger.
To clarify: there isn't a "rat only" poison. The compound I was referring to is primarily corn oil and will not poison your Maltese like regular poison will if he gets a bit of it.
It's called Safe+Kill and is a corn oil/corncob mix that disrupts the digestive mechanism in the rat but contains no poison and isn't an anticoagulant like many other poisons.
If you are keeping feed inside your home, rats, especially in cold weather, will do anything to get into your house to get the feed.
A rat will eat the abdominal contents of another small animal to get the food that the prey has already consumed.
I'm so sorry you had to go through this! It sounds just horrific! As much as I love my rats, I know that their wild cousins can and will eat other animals. You can find 1/2" x 1/2" pvc coated mesh at hardware store, which is better than the galvanized.
Originally Posted By: jungleflockmom
They carry diseases that are dangerous to you, your dog and your other animals.
I just wanted to correct you on this. The only thing that wild rats carry are possibly lice or mites. They do not carry the plague, and they do not carry rabies, so this is not so much a concern.
true true... rats might have parisites... but carry nothing else. we are adopting children and had to have shot recored of all my animals... and i had to get vet recored stating that rats had no shots they recieve, as well as they are not carriers of disease. - that they would be safe around my children.
i have 3 rats... big ones... 1 blue one, 1 hairless one, and 1 brown one.
they are very strong and when it is time for dinner they will pull their food through the cage to get it if they feel the need. but other than that - they have neve bit me, or anyone, and are really neat animals. very smart.
Speaking of rats, as I wrote earlier in the week, my Ginny passed away. Well, yesterday, Snow White, one of her girls passed, and Pinky, another girl, just passed. They are all over a year and a half now. I now have five boys and five girls left. Yes, they really are great little companions! Godspeed sweet Ginny, Snow White and Pinky........I am glad you are all together. We will miss you.
I know that rats can chew through most things, but I have a plexi-glass screen around my cages to keep the cats from hunting glider tails. I don't think even a rat could get thru it. My cages are against the wall so mine are only 3-sided but you could make it 4-sided easily. I bought 2 pieces for each cage and cut one in half. Used clear duct tape to connect the sides to the front.
Here is a picture to help explain.
Again, very sorry for your loss and I hope you find the monster that is after your suggies very soon.
I too would have to say that it's not a squirrel. I am a wildlife rehaber and have raised several squirrels and they would not eat another animal. They typically eat seeds, nuts, fruits. You did not say if your glider was attacked during the day or after dark but I would assume at night if you glider was running around the cage. Squirrels always sleep at night. They never roam at night no matter what. It is an instict that mother nature gave them. I have had pet rats off and on for years, they make great pets, and if they can get there nose and eyes through a hole they will get there body through the hole. Another thing, is the room the gliders are in is it close to a bathroom? I know of a couple cases where rats have come up throught a toilet. Very hard to believe but it can happen. We also had the same situation but it was with a Pigeon that was pulled through the cage in pieces. It took us 3 weeks to catch the rat and when we did lets just say it suffered for what it did. My father loved the bird and he made that rat pay.
I am sorry for your lose and hope you catch what did it. My heart goes out to you.
Re: something horrible happened
[Re: ]
#212530 02/04/0712:08 AM02/04/0712:08 AM
Is there any update? Did you find out what did this horrible thing to your babies? I hope so, so no more will be injured, I'll keep you and them in my thoughts!
Re: something horrible happened
[Re: ]
#215771 02/10/0702:39 AM02/10/0702:39 AM
ok so i just talked to my dad and he is a certified pest and rodent management specialist. he has been doing this for 17 yrs and he does not believe that either a squirrel nor a rat did this. he say's that wild rats DO carry disease and pass it through their feaces. if you do have your house baited then the exterminator will most likely use a rodentacide which will kill whatever eats it and whatever eats it feels no pain and will not stink up your house, plus the poison is not transferable through another animal digesting whatever was killed. i won't say to rule out rats, but squirrel deffinately. please feel free to ask any questions you can think of about pest and rodent control and i will ask my dad. he takes yearly refresher courses, and is very knowledgeable. and traps are only 40% accurate if that. also an experienced exterminator will be able to place the bait were your animals will not find it or be able to get to it.
Re: something horrible happened
[Re: ]
#215808 02/10/0703:40 AM02/10/0703:40 AM