Rat Problem

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iainfm

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I have been unable to sleep for the past couple of weeks because there are just so many rats in my attic. I have put a bunch of rat traps up there, but they just arents killing enough of them. I have plugged the hole which they have been getting in through, but I need a further bette way to stop them. By the way I dont like rat poison because I dont want the stench after they die in some corner. Do any of you guys have a better option? Would a pellet gun work?
 
iainfm said:
I have been unable to sleep for the past couple of weeks because there are just so many rats in my attic. I have put a bunch of rat traps up there, but they just arents killing enough of them. I have plugged the hole which they have been getting in through, but I need a further bette way to stop them. By the way I dont like rat poison because I dont want the stench after they die in some corner. Do any of you guys have a better option? Would a pellet gun work?
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Most rat poisons work by dehydrating the rat. It makes them leave in search of water, so they tend to die outside. Just a thought. Also, google sonic rat repellent. They use ultra-sonic(?) frequencies to annoy the hell out of rodents. I have been told that they work.
 
I would either use large brand name snap traps or some type of no kill mechanism. Being poisoned or de-hydrated to death would suck. Not to mention if they die in a wall or something. I think glue traps are just about the worst. Get yourself a good pellet gun, maybe and have fun hunting in your attic. Just make it as quick and clean as you can.
 
iainfm said:
I have been unable to sleep for the past couple of weeks because there are just so many rats in my attic. I have put a bunch of rat traps up there, but they just arents killing enough of them. I have plugged the hole which they have been getting in through, but I need a further bette way to stop them. By the way I dont like rat poison because I dont want the stench after they die in some corner. Do any of you guys have a better option? Would a pellet gun work?
Click to expand...

er... traps are on duty 24/7 -
how long do you intend to sit in your attic? :)
and rats mostly will not be visible when someone is in the attic -
so although it may be fun -
it's very unlikely that an airgun is going to be more effective than traps.

I have a communal attic, so when we had rat problem - we had to call in professional help - and they were good but expensive.

Basically what they did was to seal up the roof - where ventilation is needed they used chew proof meshing etc.

Then they set traps to catch any remaining rats that may have stayed inside. Then they sprayed to sanitized that roofing area - rats are not clean and can carry disease.

I don't doubt we could DIY -
but as you said you think you have sealed up all their entries -
but obviously they are still getting in.

However the problem may go away soon as the season warms up -
rats may not need the shelter ......
however they'll probably be back when it gets cold again.

--
Vincent

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First off don't seal the hole until the rats leave. Second, sticky traps work best but should be checked once a day and if there is a rat stuck you'll have to kill it. Bobcat urine, you can buy it at a hunting supply type store. When you are sure the rats are gone seal the hole with metal. Rats can chew through anything but they hate the taste of metal.
 
Mothballs. Or flakes. Rodents don't like the smell. Works for mice, rats, skunks (that was my prob... skunks moving in under the house) or any other furry things that skurry around. Sprinkle ordinary moth balls (paradiclorobenzine (SP?) ) around the perimeter of the attic and they will clear out quickly!

Stitchawl
 
We used this electronic trap when we had rat problems. We've also lent it out to a couple people at my work. It eliminated all the rats pronto; 14 rats so far, counting everybody's house where it was used. It worked so well, we even got it's little brother, the electronic mouse trap. "Your life made better through science" :D.

417RmNHxD-L._SL500_AA300_.jpg


http://www.amazon.com/Victor-M240-Electronic-Rat-Trap/dp/B000LNX06C

- Mark

BTW: The rat version also does a bang up job on squirrels who are a nuisance, since it pack a serious punch.
 
squishware said:
When you are sure the rats are gone seal the hole with metal. Rats can chew through anything but they hate the taste of metal.
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+1 - and they WILL chew through steel wool if there's something good to eat on the other side. Same thing with screen. Use sheet metal wherever feasible - the f'ers can't chew through that! I've found that a dedicated home owner will usually do a much better job than an exterminator. The one good thing about exterminators is that they can use tethered poison traps outside the house, which are dog safe.

Don't bother with no-kill solutions. Rats are an invasive species of disease-ridden vermin. You're doing the ecosystem a favor by getting rid of them.

Now I have to take care of some sparrows that have lifted up some shingles on my roof to build a nest...unfortunately my ladder isn't long enough...Mr. Sparrow, meet Mr. Powerwasher.
 
I had to deal with this last year, I used about 10 glue traps and a bunch of the green stuff from HD, problem solved. I used traps in the attic and along the side of the house outside, they like to run along the wall.
I probably killed 15 or 18. Haven't seen one in over a year now.
Now to get rid of that friggin coon...
 
Add a couple ofwater bucket traps to your arsenal they are quit effective. they will fall in and drown. Five gal bucket fill .25 to.50 with water take a wooden dowel run it through a plastic jar and lid center it ensure the jar freely spins attach acroos bucket rim to rim coat peanut butter on outside of jar.

Make a ramp for rat/mouse to walk onto rim they will smell the peanut butter walk the dowel to the jar once they attempt to eat peanut butter the jar spins sending them into the water trap.
 
a friend of mine got a 44gal drum and put some food in the bottom of it, then he made a ramp that lead up to the rim of the drum. the rats jumped in then couldnt get back out.

of course he then covered them in diesel and set them on fire but i guess that part is optional
 
Steel Talon said:
Add a couple ofwater bucket traps to your arsenal they are quit effective. they will fall in and drown. Five gal bucket fill .25 to.50 with water take a wooden dowel run it through a plastic jar and lid center it ensure the jar freely spins attach acroos bucket rim to rim coat peanut butter on outside of jar.

Make a ramp for rat/mouse to walk onto rim they will smell the peanut butter walk the dowel to the jar once they attempt to eat peanut butter the jar spins sending them into the water trap.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:

Back in my younger days I worked for the Forest Service. One of the cabins we had at a logging camp had a SERIOUS rodent problem. We used the bucket method and within days all the little devils were eliminated. The nice thing about this method is it keeps on working even after one has gone in. Just empty the bucket each morning.
 
Steel Talon said:
Add a couple ofwater bucket traps to your arsenal they are quit effective. they will fall in and drown. Five gal bucket fill .25 to.50 with water take a wooden dowel run it through a plastic jar and lid center it ensure the jar freely spins attach acroos bucket rim to rim coat peanut butter on outside of jar.
Make a ramp for rat/mouse to walk onto rim they will smell the peanut butter walk the dowel to the jar once they attempt to eat peanut butter the jar spins sending them into the water trap.
Click to expand...

Idaho Jarhead said:
:thumbup:
Back in my younger days I worked for the Forest Service. One of the cabins we had at a logging camp had a SERIOUS rodent problem. We used the bucket method and within days all the little devils were eliminated. The nice thing about this method is it keeps on working even after one has gone in. Just empty the bucket each morning.
Click to expand...

This sounds great and effective..... so much so that I did a google on water bucket rat trap and found this reference:

Bucket rat trap - Appropriate technology: Journey to Forever

But there is also an overview article that suggests another type of trap that they claim was effective:

A better rat trap - Appropriate technology: Journey to Forever

Chinese rat trap and How to make a Chinese rat trap

I like the idea of the water bucket trap as one trap can trap multiple rodents - whereas other traps seem to be mostly one at a time.

--
Vincent

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Are you allowed to hunt with ferrets in the US?

How about borrowing somebody's Jack Russell terrier for a couple of nights?

Warfarin works well as a poison but as others have said they might die in a place where you can't retrieve the body.

Peanut butter on traps is excellent, they can't steal it like they have a habit of doing with other baits.

If you want to shoot them then how about using night vision? It's a very popular way of doing it over here, instead of buying a very expensive hunting night sight you can connect a video camera to your regular telescopic sight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brZfAFvlBD0

There's a great book by Brian Plummer called "Tales Of A Rat Hunting Man", you fellows might enjoy it.
 
FTO_dude said:
a friend of mine got a 44gal drum and put some food in the bottom of it, then he made a ramp that lead up to the rim of the drum. the rats jumped in then couldnt get back out.

of course he then covered them in diesel and set them on fire but i guess that part is optional
Click to expand...

What's optional? The ramp or the food in the bottom of the bucket?
 
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