Pah
Joined: 23 Jun 2003
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2003 10:44 am Post subject: Tomatoe eating rats |
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| :( When you hear this you will know that I am new to gardening. I have planted tomatoes and have a wonderful crop of plants. However, a couple of weeks ago we went out of town for a few days and upon return I discovered all the large tomatoes I'd been waiting patiently to ripen had been eated by what I believe are rats. My husband suggested that I throw out some rat poison pellets we'd had used previously in our attic and I was so upset I did so without considering any consequences to my soil and/or plants. I've just spoken to the Plano health dept and they have assured my there is no reason to be concerned about eating the tomatoes. They say that the rat poison used these days will not be absorbed by my plants. I'm looking for an organic experts opinion. Help, please!!! :( :( |
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Dchall_San_Antonio
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 2002
Location: San Antonio,TEXAS
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2003 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Assuming the rat poison was warfarin, you're probably okay. Warfarin is a vitamin K suppressant. Vitamin K is required for blood clotting. If a rat eats freely of the warfarin bait, the next time it gets the least scratch, the blood will not clot and the rat will bleed to death.
Yes, this is the same warfarin that is used in human heart medicine and used for the same reason, to prevent clotting. The difference is humans are given a prescribed dose while rats eat freely without respect to the dose.
I'm not sure what the source of warfarin is, but for some reason I'm thinking it happens to be organic. I'll check into that and get back.
Could it be you have squirrels or chipmunks eating your tomatoes? |
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