Typical. The rain sets in and the air gets chilly, and what happens, a rat decides to move into our warm garage. The only downside is that due to the old heating system which was warm air heating, we have pipes all through the walls leading to, now sealed, vents but they go into the loft where they aren't sealed, so ratus ratus ventured up there also. GRR. So, first job of the day, pop to the DIY store and pick up some rat traps. Mark set 4 tonight, 2 in the loft, 2 in the garage, laced with nutella and peanut butter, and within 30 minutes we had a winner. A big old brown rat with his neck well and truly broken on a trap in the garage. I hate killing mammals regardless of whether they are a rodent or not because I do figure we all do our bit to keep things on an even keel, but not when they start to venture into my home!! Hopefully he was a loner, but this weekend we are completely emptying the garage and the loft, taking all the junk to the dump or freecycling it and sealing all holes to make sure this was a one off event.
Rats can do so much damage in a short space of time so I hope that the one Mark caught was the only one. We recently had to clear our loft out as a family of fieldmice took up residence. We caught them all in humane traps and let them go about five miles away. However, wild rats are an entirely different matter and I wouldn't think twice about despatching them.
Ew. Speaking of rats, my sister is about to have a baby here in December and she's got quite an infestation of rats in her walls. What's the best way to get rid of them? And quick?
Ewww! I'm always afraid the rats will venture over to my house from the barns in the neighborhood. How would I know? Rats creep me out!
I don't know a quick way of getting rid of rats from inside walls - we just set good old fashioned Tom and Jerry style rat traps and hey presto. You can put poison down also but I prefer the quick, didn't see it coming method, don't like the idea of a long lingering end. How would you know Netty....for us, we heard them first, then when we investigated, we found a few droppings, and from there we found a few chewed things, including some potatos from my winter store.
Eww. I hate rat traps, they all seem so inhumane but when they are infested in ones house, I think the people living there are more important.
I am with EJ I think id rather a trap that kills them instantly than a slow painful death through poison though I couldnt get rid of them once theyre caught I am sure. I will just have to pray we dont get an infestation though we live in a urban area so hopefully they stay away, My mum gets mice and voles in her garden and one got in the shed or two maybe and ate her birds fat balls so they got evicted just by clearing the sheed out and sealing any hole the little monkeys could get through, rats though are a totally different story.
We have them in our shed every once in a while. There is a large undeveloped area north of us along the railroad tracks, where they live when the weather is nice, then move into the neighborhood in winter or during a long hot, dry summer like we have had most years lately. Whatever bait you use in the traps, put a couple of drops of Anise Oil, the baking flavoring might work too. The rodents love the scent of it and will come to the trap a lot quicker.
Rats!!!!!!UGH!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I am fortunate to only be catching field mice! Gosh I can't imagine seeing a rat in the house! I'd scream and hide! HaHa!
