Kanawha County, Charleston Rat Control Situation:
Hello David. I have a problem at my West Virginia home & not quite sure how to resolve it. I hear scratching noises between a wall in my house. I believe it's a rat. How do I get it out?
Thanks for your useful information about rat in the attic. I have tried to find and seal up all entry points as possible, but the rats still can get into the attic once in a while. You mentioned about vent, and I'm thinking about the roof splashing vent from the bathroom. There is big space under the "umbrella" covering the opening of the splash and I wonder if they can climb or jump up and get into the attic. Please advise. Thanks.
Hi David, I enjoy your website. It is very informative. I found your website after noticing a couple pieces of rat feces in the attic and, what looked like a hole burrowing down in the insulation. I got paranoid, and set a trap with peanut butter but have not caught anything in 4 days. I did not think there were any entry areas as our roof was just replaced a few moths ago, BUT after I did an inspection I did find what looked like a half-circle chewed where the wood meets brick. I couldn't believe it! I patched that with steel the next day and became paranoid there were other holes. After a complete roof inspection I found a couple gaps between brick and wood that could be entry points. I completely repaired/closed all entry points... My question is how long should I leave that trap in the attic if I haven't caught anything? I don't think that rat stayed in the attic???? Thanks again and very informative website!
My name is Julio and I am worried becuase I always hear running noises in my bedroom cieling. How do I get rid of these mice . Where should I look for holes ? Can I call an rodent exterminater. Thank for the article.
Charleston Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Likely Is It That A Rat In The Attic Will Have A Nest Of Babies?
Rats are among the most common pest animal species that people may have to deal with around the home, and because they are quite small they can often be quite elusive little animals to deal with as well. They are quite good climbers when it comes to moving around a domestic property, so if you are worried about rats, they won?t necessarily be around ground level. Because the attic or roof space of most domestic properties is rarely used, it can often be the dark quiet place where rats can get a foothold and build a nest without being noticed by the people living beneath.
Do Rats Have A Mating Season?
Like most wild animals, rats in the wild do have a mating season, where they will normally copulate and impregnate female rats in the spring, and then the female will then give birth a few weeks later, and can then have a few litters over the summer. However, the reason for the mating season is that in rural areas there are limited food sources available during the winter months, so it is impractical for rats to mate during these months. However, over recent decades, a growing number of rats are actually giving birth throughout the year because food sources are also present throughout the year, so whatever time of the year you discover rats in the attic, you may find there are babies there too.
How Often Will Rats Give Birth?
Because of how quickly rats can go from mating to giving birth to a litter of baby rats, a female rat can often be back and ready to mate again within a few weeks from giving birth. This means that in some cases female rats can give birth to up to ten litters a year, so the population of rats from one breeding female can increase very quickly. It is also worth noting that a baby female will actually become sexually mature herself after around six weeks from birth, so the possibility for a rat population to expand very quickly where there is sufficient food is certainly there.
Dealing With Rats In The Attic
When it comes to dealing with a rat infestation, the first step is to identify where in the attic the rats are active, and while taking the appropriate precautions, look for areas where there is a buildup of rat droppings. You should then place several rat traps in these areas of the attic, along with a small amount of food as bait, and the next step is simply to watch and wait. You should remove any rat carcasses as they are caught in your traps, and then re-lay the trap with a new serving of bait, and you should then continue this process until you no longer see any signs of fresh rat activity, and when you are no longer catching any more rats. You will then need to carry out the appropriate repairs.
What To Do With A Nest Of Baby Rats
In some cases you may actually find a nest of baby rats in the attic, and if they are very young they will often be unable to look after themselves, and will ultimately die if they have to live without the support and feeding from their mother. Because of how common they are, baby rats are rarely suitable to be looked after by a wildlife rehabilitator, so in this case the most humane thing that you can do will be to kill those baby rats as humanely as possible.
