to throw bird seeds on the ground. Yesterday when I looked outside there was a big rat eating the bird seed in the yard. Well that's the end of that, the birds are going to have to forge else where

I throw seed on the ground daily for the last 15 years. I don't live in an area with rats though. I have birds of all kinds, ducks, squirrels, raccoons, opposum, skunks and they are all welcome to come eat all day and all night. I also have a couple resident hawks that prey on the birds that eat the seed. I enjoy watching them from my desk as they come and go.

Even rats need to eat. I always feed everything that wanders by. Nice safe place (totally fenced) and they all surprisingly, eat together sometimes. I've had a night where there were feral cats, a possum and a raccoon, all eating at the same table. Each took it's 'space' but nobody attacked any of the others. So fun to watch. Held my breath the whole time.

Good luck with the rat(s). They might become regulars and then you will have to name them.

Same here Sorta! All mine will eat together and I love seeing them not care. I welcome everyone to come eat!

Starlie

it sounds like people could learn a lot from these animals about getting along.

I constantly feed them all. I spend a lot on bird food. I buy big bags of unsalted peanuts for some of the critters. I enjoy watching them all. One year I had a mallard duck and his mate come every single day for awhile to eat. We're near the water.

I feed too... get a bird feeder and a pole for it... hook it up and the birds will be happy

We feed the birds and the squirrels. Hubby was really happy to find a bird feeder that the squirrels can't use. So we fill the old one for the squirrels and the new one for the birds

We don't feed the birds but we have a bird bath and all the critters use it including squirrels who also wait for the birds to drink and bathe before using it!

We feed the birds and any other animal that wanders in. We have fruit rats here because of the citrus trees, they like the birdseed. The birds like to bathe in our ponds. The Racoons and Blue heron like to eat our fish. We have an owl that stops by some times. I love to sit in the back yard and listen to the birds and the waterfall. One morning we had a hawk in the greenhouse. It was not happy as the sprinklers ran that night. Hubby had to remove some screen so it could get out.

We have one too l4l that when the weight of anything larger than a bird touches it a grate covers the openings so no food is available. I do sprinkle seeds on the ground for any thing that does not want to get to the bird feeder.
We had issues with rats.. field mice in California I think because we lived in front of a creek and green belt. No problems here though.. maybe because of all the cats around.

Winfrey, that's the one we have too We sprinkle food all over our deck and windowsills, so everyone is "covered."

It's so awesome that so many of us here at GB LOVE critters of all kinds. I sometimes am afraid that the neighbors will call me 'the crazy cat lady', but I see I'm in good company. One of my friends keeps telling me to stop feeding the ferals. I've tried to explain that if I do, they will probably die for lack of food and water since they have known only this habitat their whole lives. She doesn't understand. My goal is a happy life for any wild thing that happens to find me. Makes me happy too.

I wish I could throw nuts outside for the squirrels but Max chases them away.

They come right back, TLC! My dogs love to chase them too. I think the wildlife consider a game some days. They will sneak back in while their backs are turned and wait to be chased again. And the ducks wait on the roof until the coast is clear.

Hubby and I smack the door and yell, "Run, Squirrels, run" before we let the dogs out

We knock on the patio door, L4L! But sometimes I have the door open and it's a free for all!

Oh ok, I'll give it a try.

PS. I just put some on the deck table, to keep out of Max's reach, hope it attracts the squirrels.

They are so fun to watch

Thanks, Looney.