Baltimore City County, Baltimore Rat Control Situation:
Hi There. I just saw your website.... and i'm wondering if you wouldnt mind answering a couple questions for me. We live in Baltimore... We had a rat come in through our dryer vent (we've since had it replaced with one with a flap) and it made a little "home" in the laundry room. anyhow...that one was "caught" and disposed of. Being afraid there may be others in teh house....I put out some traps. My question is....one trap went off the other day...well i noticed it this morning...I didnt hear it or anything. Anyhow...the trap went off and the peanut butter was "flat" but showed no signs of "gnawing" or teeth in the PB that was remaining. The trap was set behind our hall stand and the stand may have been pushed into it by accident. Do you know if this would cause th rat trap to go off? or would the "trigger" have to be touched? Also, would there be "teeth" marks in the PB if it WAS a rat? Oh and the reason I wondered is that I found 4 droppings under the couch the other day (the other rat was disposed of about a week or so ago) and the droppings were brown. Do you know if the droppings woudl still be brown after a week as I wonder if it went under the couch and then back into the laundry room, which is just off the living room. And wonder if those droppings are "old". I have found NO other droppings to date. I'm guessing they would drop wherever they go vs just in a nest right? Thanks so much in advance!!!
Baltimore Rat Control Tip of The Week
Tips On Removing A Rat Stuck In A Dumpster
If you have a rat stuck in your dumpster, please, don't forget that this is a scared creature that is now under a lot of pressure and fear for its life. Try not to additionally irritate it or mess around with it, as it might attack you, trying to protect itself. Rats carry illnesses which they can transfer directly through bites, scratches, or if their saliva drops on an open wound on your skin.
Place a lethal snap trap inside the dumpster. Accurately managing rats implies eradicating the vermin. You will need to do this as fast as possible as to not prolong the rat's suffering. Killing a rat with a deadly wooden snap trap is the most accommodating method of disposing of that rat. The rat will be frightened, so you might want to smear some peanut butter on this trap. Leave the scene, and return two or three hours later to check whether the problem is solved. If the rat was caught, use a fabric, towel, or gloves to place the carcass in a fixed plastic holder, pack or sack, which you will then be able to toss in a garbage sack. Most urban areas will permit you to discard rat remains in your garbage bin; however, you should first check your local laws.
You can also help the rat escape. You might not have any desire to kill the rat out of the blue, and would instead like to assist it with liberating itself to continue its life. The rat is stuck presumably in light of the fact that the dumpster isn't full enough, and it hasn't got anything to climb on. Toss in some more trash, or add a branch or something comparable for the rat to move up on. Stay away or leave the scene completely.
If all else fails, you can always call a wildlife removal expert.