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Why are my rats so bit up? #7077024
12/06/20 08:50 PM
12/06/20 08:50 PM
Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
DecoyMacoy Offline OP
trapper
DecoyMacoy  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
Started a new line, of 17 rats caught so far 8 have been badly bitten up damaged. See one of the worst examples pictured. Of the previous 100+ I've put up this fall I had maybe 3 or 4 with some bites. These sets only had 10hrs between checks. Why is this happening? Is this other rats biting the dead ones in the trap or something else?


[Linked Image]

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7077038
12/06/20 09:00 PM
12/06/20 09:00 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
East-Central Wisconsin
B
bblwi Offline
trapper
bblwi  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
East-Central Wisconsin
What is the density of rats where you are getting these. If there are a lot of rats they will fight and bite. a trapper near me trapped a short section of a ditch and caught 50 rats in about a quarter of a mile. When he started fleshing he noticed about one out of three were so bitten up that holes were common. Your wounds don't look all that fresh but if you are setting den openings and or n colonies you could get more rats biting the dead ones.

Bryce

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7077057
12/06/20 09:06 PM
12/06/20 09:06 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
james bay frontierOnt.
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Boco Offline
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Boco  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2011
james bay frontierOnt.
Actually,that dont look that bad.i seen rats in spring bit up way worse than that.


Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: bblwi] #7077088
12/06/20 09:18 PM
12/06/20 09:18 PM
Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
DecoyMacoy Offline OP
trapper
DecoyMacoy  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
Originally Posted by bblwi
What is the density of rats where you are getting these. If there are a lot of rats they will fight and bite. a trapper near me trapped a short section of a ditch and caught 50 rats in about a quarter of a mile. When he started fleshing he noticed about one out of three were so bitten up that holes were common. Your wounds don't look all that fresh but if you are setting den openings and or n colonies you could get more rats biting the dead ones.

Bryce


Density hard to say. Appears to be plenty of rats here but its public land and a fairly easy walk. I'm sure it was previously trapped near opening.

Sets were almost exclusively body grips at den entrances. One was a leg hold set at a toilet though that was bit up.

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7077116
12/06/20 09:32 PM
12/06/20 09:32 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
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SNIPERBBB  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Rodney,Ohio
Any flooding and do you have blue herons?

Toilets are territorial so those can get bit up sometimes.

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: SNIPERBBB] #7077168
12/06/20 09:53 PM
12/06/20 09:53 PM
Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
DecoyMacoy Offline OP
trapper
DecoyMacoy  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
Originally Posted by SNIPERB🦝
Any flooding and do you have blue herons?

Toilets are territorial so those can get bit up sometimes.


Neither is an issue. Most of these caught under ~1" ice.

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7077199
12/06/20 10:04 PM
12/06/20 10:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
minn
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fossil2 Offline
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fossil2  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
minn
dont know about the throat, but the rest of those bites look to be dead bites, or post mortem. no bruising/blood or scars.

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7077204
12/06/20 10:06 PM
12/06/20 10:06 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
minn
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fossil2 Offline
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fossil2  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
minn
also, a dead rat stuck in a den entrance will get bit and dragged out of the way by the next rat coming through. appears to be the case here.

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: fossil2] #7077917
12/07/20 11:49 AM
12/07/20 11:49 AM
Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
DecoyMacoy Offline OP
trapper
DecoyMacoy  Offline OP
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Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
Originally Posted by fossil2
dont know about the throat, but the rest of those bites look to be dead bites, or post mortem. no bruising/blood or scars.



For sure post mortem for reasons you specified. Also moisture between the fur and meat when skinning.

Thanks for the comments. Hopefully just a run of bad luck here.

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7077966
12/07/20 12:31 PM
12/07/20 12:31 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
minn
F
fossil2 Offline
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fossil2  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
minn
if the water levels are right, maybe move the coni back away from the entrance so its not plugged with the dead rat. hopefully just a run of bad luck, like you said, and things straighten out for you.

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7078033
12/07/20 01:30 PM
12/07/20 01:30 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Wisconsin
M
Moosetrot Offline
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Moosetrot  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2007
Wisconsin
Drink less Hamms! grin

Moosetrot

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: Moosetrot] #7078175
12/07/20 03:39 PM
12/07/20 03:39 PM
Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
DecoyMacoy Offline OP
trapper
DecoyMacoy  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
Originally Posted by Moosetrot
Drink less Hamms! grin

Moosetrot



Ha!

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: DecoyMacoy] #7078263
12/07/20 05:11 PM
12/07/20 05:11 PM
Joined: Sep 2015
Maine
A
AndrewM Offline
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AndrewM  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2015
Maine
I had this happen a few years back with beaver. It was a very dry fall. I think that some beaver were forced to relocate as their habitat dried up. This created territory conflicts I'm guessing.

Has it been a dry season around there?

Re: Why are my rats so bit up? [Re: AndrewM] #7078329
12/07/20 05:55 PM
12/07/20 05:55 PM
Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
DecoyMacoy Offline OP
trapper
DecoyMacoy  Offline OP
trapper

Joined: Jul 2016
NE Wisconsin
Originally Posted by AndrewM
I had this happen a few years back with beaver. It was a very dry fall. I think that some beaver were forced to relocate as their habitat dried up. This created territory conflicts I'm guessing.

Has it been a dry season around there?


Hmmm maybe something like rat displacement could be playing a role. The areas I'm trapping has water controls (so no fluctuation) but the other side of the dike is at the mercy of the river, which was high for long period of time but is now finally receding some. Getting a fair amount of rats on the checks here but nothing too crazy. Thanks.

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