There seems to always be a downside to just about everything. Having a home in the Arizona Desert city of Lake Havasu for the past 10 years, has provided us with a nice warm climate to spend the winters. However, the downside is that it's brutally hot in the summer, and many folks like us, take off for cooler environments during those 100+ degree months.
Now that we are in the process of moving from a city environment, to a rural environment, one of the downsides is that we have to deal with many more types of "critters", than we did in our home in the city. About the only creature that we had to worry about in Lake Havasu, was the ever present cricket, and a twice yearly spraying by a pest control company, pretty much kept them under control.
Flash forward to our new home on 4 acres, surrounded by wide open desert, and the issue of dealing with unwanted critters, has been amplified considerably. Yesterday, I had a local pest control company come by, and spray the house, inside and out. There was a lot of conversation about how to deal with the various pests that inhabit the area, and yes, we can expect to encounter rattlesnakes on our property. When, and hopefully if, Patty encounters a rattler, I know the scream will be heard clear back in Lake Havasu! As much as Patty and I don't like snakes, the critter that dominated the discussion was the "desert packrat". I have already run across evidence outside the house, that they are present, and these rodents can cause a heck of a lot of damage, if they are not controlled. I have heard several stories from folks about how these critters can cause huge damage in vehicles, and in houses, when they start chewing on things like wiring. Not quite to the panic mode, I had the pest company set out some bait stations, around the house and the motor home, and then made a quick trip to the hardware store for some mothballs, (it seems that packrats don't like the smell), some D-Con poison, and some super size, good old fashioned mouse traps. Despite all the advancements with chemicals, and other pest control devices, the wooden mouse trap still serves as one of the best ways to deal with rodents.
So far, so good, after spending about a month on the property. No evidence of critters in the house, and let's hope it stays that way!
THE TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF DAN AND PATTY CHANCE
About Me
- DAN
- VAIL (Tucson), Arizona
- Patty & I have been married for 33 great years, & have raised 3 children. Mike & Marc - mine. David - hers. We lost our beloved Beagle Sami in April, 2013, and our kitty Gracie in Sep. Since retiring from co-ownership of Jamestown Harley-Davdson in 2001, we have traveled all over the U.S. in 2 different motor homes. In 2002 and 2003, we traveled the N.H.R.A. Drag Race circuit, pulling the Harley-Davidson, Screaming Eagle merchandise trailer. In the summers of 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, Patty worked retail and I drove a tour bus in Skagway, Alaska. The summer of 2008, I worked as a supervisor for the Glacier National Park transit system in N.W. Montana. During the summer of 2009, we decided to travel, and completed a 5 and 1/2 month, 12,000 mile loop around the U.S. and Canada. During the summer of 2010, we traveled mostly in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon & Washington. We spent the summers of 2011 & 2012, working at the Grand Canyon, where I drove a transit bus, and Patty worked in the General Store. The winters have mostly been spent at our home in Lake Havasu City. We recently relocated the home base to Tucson, AZ.
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