Need rodent advice....

[xlxo]

A family of rats have gotten in my home drywall (not the Disney version). One rat caught in a trap was over 4 inches in the body and more than that with the tail. Surveillance cameras have shown a 2nd rat the same size over the dead body when I'm asleep at night. What I can hear.... there may be several more.

Pest control has been called, but everyone is busy and no one is available on Sunday's. I bought traps and baited with chocolate and peanut butter. That rat is smart at getting away.

Just wondering.... what are other people experiences with rats that have gotten into homes and behind walls. I hate to demolish my heritage home.

• Is the only solution to set up traps and wait for them to come out to a trap?
  • How long does it take for your home to be rodent free? days? weeks? months?
  • What does it cost?
• I realize poison is not the answer as the dead animal can return behind the wall making the job more complicated.
• At what point would you need to repair wall damage to insulation?
  • How do they check? Do they drill holes every 3 feet?
  • Do I need to check the wiring?

 

[mjkacmom]

Are you sure they're not mice? Our pet rats were way bigger than that. A male and female rat, if left to breed for a year, can produce 2000 offspring (probably not what you want to hear).

Our rats were probably close to 18 inches from nose to tail tip.

 

[DeaverTex]

Your county health department may have rat poison that you can get for free. One of the side effects of the poison is extreme thirst, and they'll go outside to look for water. That's usually where they die.

The smell is better than some of the mischief that rats can do -- like gnawing on electrical wires and shorting them out, causing fires.s

 

[TipsyTraveler]

They sound like mice if they're that small. Just know that if you use poison you're putting other animals at risk, whether it's your own pet/s getting into the poison in the house, or the poisoned mouse making its way outside and being eaten by another wild animal like an owl, or a domestic animal such as your neighbor's dog. Also, your first priority should be to find where they're entering your house and block that off. Otherwise it doesn't matter how much exterminating you do, they'll keep getting in.

 

[xlxo]

Are you sure they're not mice? Our pet rats were way bigger than that. A male and female rat, if left to breed for a year, can produce 2000 offspring (probably not what you want to hear).

Looking at the feces, thick tail, and showing pictures to friends.... it's a RAT. I've seen mice in the area... however it was a RAT in the trap.
http://ratbehavior.org/RatsMice.htm

Yep... after discovering a problem on Friday... I started calling pest control immediately. Everyone is stretched thin for the weekend. They are visiting tomorrow afternoon to reassess the situation.

Anyways.... what's other experience with "rodent" problems.

 

[xlxo]

They sound like mice if they're that small. Just know that if you use poison you're putting other animals at risk, whether it's your own pet/s getting into the poison in the house, or the poisoned mouse making its way outside and being eaten by another wild animal like an owl, or a domestic animal such as your neighbor's dog. Also, your first priority should be to find where they're entering your house and block that off. Otherwise it doesn't matter how much exterminating you do, they'll keep getting in.

I've got no pets and the rat problem is inside the house. We buried a hole in the garden next to the house thinking it was old..... looks like we forced the mouse deeper into the home. Any poison will mean the rat will die in the walls... not something we want either.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

I use to raise snakes. I never had a rodent problem. They tend to stay away from their natural enemies.

You could get you a nice little snake he'll eat them right up for you

 

[ronandannette]

Looking at the feces, thick tail, and showing pictures to friends.... it's a RAT. I've seen mice in the area... however it was a RAT in the trap.
http://ratbehavior.org/RatsMice.htm

Yep... after discovering a problem on Friday... I started calling pest control immediately. Everyone is stretched thin for the weekend. They are visiting tomorrow afternoon to reassess the situation.

Anyways.... what's other experience with "rodent" problems.

I've got a persistent, bizarre mouse problem where they appear to be living in the underside of my stove. They are not inside the cabinets nor do they appear to be eating or gnawing anything (I am practically obsessed with checking this) except the insulation around my oven, which I find in tufts inside the pot drawer below the oven. Weird - truly weird. I'm experimenting right now with peppermint, ammonia and moth-balls, which according to the world-wide-web are scents that rodents find intolerable. It's too early to tell if they're gone for good or not.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I've got no pets and the rat problem is inside the house. We buried a hole in the garden next to the house thinking it was old..... looks like we forced the mouse deeper into the home. Any poison will mean the rat will die in the walls... not something we want either.

They're intelligent creatures, so the odds of one of them being trapped by a regular spring trap is slimmer now that they've seen what it does. If you think you only have one or two more in the house, set a live catch-and-release trap. You can get the critter out of your house, it won't be able to come back in since you said you've blocked the point of entry, and you won't risk it dying in the walls from poison and stinking up the place.

 

[ronandannette]

They're intelligent creatures, so the odds of one of them being trapped by a regular spring trap is slimmer now that they've seen what it does. If you think you only have one or two more in the house, set a live catch-and-release trap. You can get the critter out of your house, it won't be able to come back in since you said you've blocked the point of entry, and you won't risk it dying in the walls from poison and stinking up the place.

Hi! Any insight on why my mice are doing what they're doing? I swear - they are not eating ANYTHING.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Hi! Any insight on why my mice are doing what they're doing? I swear - they are not eating ANYTHING.

Whaddup!

First question, are you sure it's mice under the stove? You've seen one, or seen mouse poop? Because that also sounds like it could be damage caused by insects. If it is mice, I would guess they're there because they've found your stove to be a soft, warm place to nest. Same advice as I gave the OP, find the point of entry and seal it off.

 

[smokeyblue]

I would just move.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No experience catching rats, only mice, but you do have to find the entry and exit points and seal and/or use steel wool to fill in gaps.

We would search for gaps at night. One person is outside and one inside with a flashlight in the dark. If you can see light they can get in. Gaps under doors, foundations, vents, attics, etc.

As far as taking down the drywall, I would do it. Behind the drywall will have rat feces.

 

[cvjw]

We had mice in our basement ceiling when we moved into the house. We sealed up the holes they had chewed to get inside - they were coming in thru a vent. We then put peanut butter and pecans in rat traps in the affected ceiling area. It took months, but we finally killed them all. Even though others say they are smart creatures, they could not say no to peanut butter and pecans That was their downfall.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

We had mice in our basement ceiling when we moved into the house. We sealed up the holes they had chewed to get inside - they were coming in thru a vent. We then put peanut butter and pecans in rat traps in the affected ceiling area. It took months, but we finally killed them all. Even though others say they are smart creatures, they could not say no to peanut butter and pecans That was their downfall.

I couldn't say no to peanut butter and pecans

 

[low-key]

cat

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I would just move.

Yes. This is the only solution besides just burning the whole thing down.

 

[bcla]

Your county health department may have rat poison that you can get for free. One of the side effects of the poison is extreme thirst, and they'll go outside to look for water. That's usually where they die.

That's a myth, and even if it were true there are different poisons out there with different mechanisms. Anticoagulants basically cause them to bleed out internally. They die slowly and can most definitely die inside walls and crawl spaces. There are others that are basically nerve agents.

http://www.motomco.com/farm_faq.html#outside

Are there poisons (baits) available that will make rodents go outside looking for water?

Eating bait will not change a rodent’s “normal” water requirements. It is a myth that rodents will seek water outdoors after eating a bait and then die outdoors. There is adequate water in your home to meet all rodent needs. If water wasn't available, rodents wouldn't live there.​

 

[DeaverTex]

That's a myth, and even if it were true there are different poisons out there with different mechanisms. Anticoagulants basically cause them to bleed out internally. They die slowly and can most definitely die inside walls and crawl spaces. There are others that are basically nerve agents.

http://www.motomco.com/farm_faq.html#outside

Are there poisons (baits) available that will make rodents go outside looking for water?

Eating bait will not change a rodent’s “normal” water requirements. It is a myth that rodents will seek water outdoors after eating a bait and then die outdoors. There is adequate water in your home to meet all rodent needs. If water wasn't available, rodents wouldn't live there.​

What? What? I'm spreading a myth? Impossible!! (Not really. I was repeating what the county agent told me, and I know how wrong the county can be at times. )

We've had rats twice, and both times we used traps, poison bait, and plugging possible entrances, with great success. Around here, they live in the trees and come inside during the summer when water is tough to find outside. While they're inside, they do rat things like poop everywhere and gnaw on everything. I honestly don't mind them outside in the slightest; they're quiet neighbors and less mischievous than raccoons.

 

[bcla]

What? What? I'm spreading a myth? Impossible!! (Not really. I was repeating what the county agent told me, and I know how wrong the county can be at times. )

We've had rats twice, and both times we used traps, poison bait, and plugging possible entrances, with great success. Around here, they live in the trees and come inside during the summer when water is tough to find outside. While they're inside, they do rat things like poop everywhere and gnaw on everything. I honestly don't mind them outside in the slightest; they're quiet neighbors and less mischievous than raccoons.

Most aren't going to drink much liquid water anyways. They'll get the bulk of their water via their food.

I wouldn't be surprised if some random county worker just repeated something he heard from someone else.