[Noisebridge-discuss] The rats are getting ballsy

[Rubin Abdi]

If you've responded to this thread and would like to actually help 
instead of just making suggestions, I've created a list out of this 
discussion and memory from past discussions of things people can do. I 
can tell you all right now that just by simply keeping the space clean 
has helped in the past.

https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Rats

==On Going==
===Food and Kitchen===
* Do not leave food out after you've left the space. Rats love left overs.
* Use trash cans with lids. Rats love to jump into open cans.
* Wash all your dishes and put them away. Rats love that you don't clean 
your plate.

===General Space===
* Don't create hiding space. Rats love to hide under and around tight 
spaces, such as build out materials.
* Don't create nesting spaces. Rats love them too.
* Don't leave the doors open during the later hours when no one is 
around. Rats could much rather walk right in then create a new hole to 
sneak in.

==The War on Rats==
===Geneva Convention===
* Can't kill or hurt the rats. --The Vegans
* Can't get a cat. --The Allergenic

===Defensive===
* Find and eradicate (clean with soap to get rid of any scent they'll 
want to return it) all nests.
** Under the stairs leading up to the fire escape.
** In the elevator room.
** Under the DJ booth.
** Possibly under the hack and user shelves.
** Possibly under all the build out materials next to the classrooms.
** Possibly under all the spare wood and shelves in the shop.
* Patch all new holes (fill with steel wool and spray foam so they wont 
bother with it).
** In the elevator room.
** Under the DJ booth.
** Under the stairs leading up to the fire escape.
* Install rubber gaskets/sweepers under doors to reduce space for the 
rats to run under.
** Main entrance.
** Not-a-fire-escape.
** Door at the end of the stairs under the DJ booth.

===Offensive===
* Build a better mouse trap.
** Trap cannot hurt the rats as to not make the vegans angry.
** Let go of the rats at Pumping Station: One.

===Experimental===
====Ultrasonic====
* Get ultrasonic emitters. 
[http://www.amazon.com/Victor%C2%AE-PestChaser%C2%AE-Ultrasonic-Rodent-Repellent/dp/B0015WM4QA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267045186&sr=8-4]
* Set them up outside of the space.
** At the end of the ledge holding the lights in the main stairs.
** In the not-a-fire-escape stairwell.
** At the bottom of the stairs under the DJ booth.
* See if any humans can hear them.

====Peppermint====
* Get some peppermint.
* Spread it around the space without stinking up the space.

-- 
Rubin Abdi
rubin at starset.net