Haha... Bonnie I'll send ya a few free of charge, my dogs get one every now & then... The rest I use as target practice while I'm sitting on my back deck.

agree with buddinman there. Squirrels will use the thorns like the rungs of a ladder to climb the trees even faster. I am sure glad that where I live, the squirrels are 5 busy streets away from my yard.

But birds are my problems, they can come from the furthest ends of the world and feast on my fruits.

Roof rats are my second biggest problems, but I appreciate these guys. When they eat fruits, they do not bite each one. They will come back to finish what they haven't finished the night before. Unlike the birds which will poke a hole on each and every fruit. And they don't finish each fruit either/

Know why the birds poke holes in them fruits? The fruits ripen quickly and ferment and then they drink the fermented juices and enjoy their version of life. Elephants do it too, and some other animals have been doing this millions of years before mankind found out about wine making.

Anyway, when we lived adjacent to the black walnuts, the squirrel capital of our city, it was then that all of our eggplants have bite marks, no ripe tomato nor even semi-ripe tomato were ever harvested. All citruses were hollowed out of their pulps, including lemons! Glad we moved 5 busy streets away.

Ok I give up... Whats a roof rat ?

rattus rattus morvegicus, but maybe not, can't remember exact sci. name. but these rats are nocturnal, are big too, primarily eats fruits and vegetable, and will feast on snails in your yard. What perfectly healthy diets these critters have.

During the winter, they go into the attic where it is warmer, that is why they are called roof rats. They climb from within the gutter into the roof and find weak ventilation port holes in the roof. Also they climb up and down tree limbs and jump from the branch near the roof.

Still another pesky type of "roof rats" are literally on the roof, these are those pesky piqeons. But the roof rat as I have used are rodents and not fowl.

Hmmm. Never seen one. Guess I should be glad we don't have them in my area (That I know of anyway).

They used to be field rats, but when urban housing took over, they have to adapt, and the well insulated attics of modern houses provided the best habitats. There's plenty of food around. Bird seeds from the bird feeders, cat food, dog food, snails, vegetables, fruits, especially Joe Real's yard where they can enjoy fresh fruits every week the entire year.

But hah, I took the role of predator. It used to be owls, but they have too much on their feet. I loaded my trees with heavy duty rat traps, enticed with the choicest Costco almonds. then the feasting stopped, perhaps I have taken out about 4 dozen of the big ones this past 2 years. I rebait promptly once I see some fruits that are being hollowed out or only the seeds remained on the trees in the morning. They are easier to control than the birds and the super smart squirrels. The best control predator would have been the owls, but they are elsewhere now.

OK, I'm curious too..rattus rattus m...?? Sounds like a tree rat to me! Squirrels are just rats with bushy tails.
15 yrs ago I could hear squirrels in the floor boards in my attic - thru my ceiling. They were in my gutter and ATE a hole thru house & nested in attic. I re-roofed my house (hired someone) & they got EVICTED LOL.
Laaz, what a treat for your dogs to catch a tree rat! Most dogs WISH they could but never do. My chow chow got a few too but I had to have him put down 2 yrs ago.
Thorns won't bother them!!!!! EEEEEKS
I have 2 "Scarecrow" sprinklers that I set up in spring. It's a motion detector sprinkler that will blast anything that sets it off,.. including me when I forget it's on & scares the hell out of me! Keeps deer away in the north, possum, racoon & idiots etc. even birds! They run on a 9 V battery and a hose hooked up. Anyone interested, let me know. They cost around $75.00--maybe cheaper now. I still like my pellet gun though.. gets rid of them for good.
Maybe this should be posted on 'citrus pests' huh? Sorry

OK , I'm really tired now but you mentioned OWLS!
6-7yrs ago I was working in garden & heard an unusual animal sound & looked for it. Was an owl in my neighbors tree, about 12" high & staring at me. I made same noises back to see reaction as this was rare for me to see an owl.
He swooped down at me & I dove to ground & covered my head as he almost hit me...I felt the wind from his wings. At first I thought he was thinking I was a threat to HIS garden for his food supply just for being there. I told friends about this...that I almost got attacked by an owl. Few days later on news they said a woman was attacked by an owl in her yard about 5-6 miles south of me & she reported it to humane society & news. Same description of owl. She had blonde hair as I do. They said the owl was in heat & was looking for a mate--mating season, & didn't know why it swooped at her. THIS WAS ONE HORNEY OWL !!!! What I did was a mating call to him & I didn't know it LOL.. that's why it came after me & her later that week!
Wish he woulda got a tree rat if he coulda held her still long enough LOL

Roof rats:

http://www.corkyspest.com/rat_roof.html
http://www.chandleraz.gov/default.aspx?pageID=436

I never heard of roof rats till now...that's a RAT alright.