Brown County, Green Bay Rat Control Situation:
David, We have had rat problems on and off for two years. We've caught more than 20 rats in our attic. Several maintenance men, exterminators, roofers and a general contractor have inspected our house. We've removed bushes, trimmed trees, covered vents on the roof, put covers on the bottoms of the gutter downspouts. We have a hole in our house wall by our sink where they have chewed and chewed. We calledyour Wildlife guy in Green Bay. He was wonderful and spent an hour or two on our house and didn't even charge us. But he can not find where the rats are coming in. NO ONE has been able to find out where our rats are coming into the attic. Everyone says it's not our roof; but I don't know that. Angel said he'd come back because he has another theory about rats going through the sewer and up the pipes. He's coming back on Wednesday. My problem is what will I do if Angel comes and says he still can't find anything? We are literally trapped in our house. We can't sell it and we don't want to live here. I read the horrors about rats on the internet and I feel totally hopeless. Apparently there are no government agencies that can/ will help. What can we do? We're 72 years old and planned to live here for the rest of our lives. You can't imagine the psychological stress we're under. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi David, I have a rat or rats in my attic and I need your help. I have an old house that i could not possibly seal up. There is just no way because of inaccessible crawl spaces,etc. I have tried the large glue traps but he seems to go around them now. I will try the Victor snap traps but I think I am dealing with a very smart rat. Should I bait the trap first and not set it so it gets comfortable eating PB off the trap? Also do the expensive electronic repellants work at all. Tractor Supply sells one for $50. Please help me. I'm losing too much sleep!
I found what I thought was rat poop in a closet. My exterminator said I had to insulate the entire attic with their special insulation that kills all creatures. There were no signs if entry to that area. After he left I moved a box and found a large Palmetto bug which moved very slowly. I killed it and now wonder if the black things are eggs or feces. No stains or smell was in the area. Please help!
Green Bay Rat Control Tip of The Week
Dealing With A Rat Infestation In Your Attic
Black Rats are small rodents that are common in almost all areas across the United States, and because of their smaller size they are considered to be less of a threat and a pest than Norway rats, their larger cousins. However, rats also carry a range of different diseases and can also pose a health risk to you and your family, so if you do find an infestation, it is worth dealing with is promptly. Rats are also good climbers, so finding them nesting in your attic is not uncommon.
Identifying That You Are Dealing With Rats Rather Than Other Pest Animal Species
The first step to dealing with an infestation is to ensure you are dealing with rats, as the sounds of scratching from the attic can sometimes be other animals such as rats, squirrels or even raccoons. The best way of identifying that it is rats you are dealing with is to check on any rat feces that you can find. These small pellets of poop should be significantly smaller than rat droppings, and will be around the size of a small grain of rice, and is black when fresh, turning brown and then grey after some time.
Precautions Before Carrying Out Rat Control Work
Going into a confined space where pest animals are present can be dangerous as there are often diseases that can be transmitted by rats. Wearing long sleeved clothing and gloves will help protect you from any nips from animals and also prevent direct contact with feces of urine. Another smart precaution is also to wear goggles and a breathing mask, as some diseases transmitted by rats can become airborne, and can then prove to be a dangerous problem if those airborne particles are then inhaled.
Laying Traps To Catch Rats
By far the most common and affordable way of dealing with a rat infestation in the attic is to lay traps to catch the little animals. The standard snap traps on a wooden base are cheap to buy and just as effective as more expensive options, and can be re-used, which is particularly useful if you have a larger rat infestation to deal with. When laying traps in the attic, make sure to lay them near the areas where you see the greatest buildup of rat feces, and also near any entry points they may be using to get in and out.
Removing Carcasses And Monitoring The Rat Problem
Once you have laid the traps, the next step is to monitor all of the traps over the next few days, to see how effective the traps are at dealing with the problem. With any rat carcass, you can simply bag it and place it in the garbage, or it can also be incinerated as well if you have the facility. Keep re-setting the traps and continue to monitor until you are no longer seeing any signs of rat activity and you are no longer catching any rats in your traps.
Repairs Required After A Rat Infestation
The key step to take after catching and dealing with all of the rats is to seal the attic, as they will often have several entry points to help them get in and out of the area. These should all be sealed using metal flashing or a suitable filler to prevent other rats from being able to get back into the area again. You should also try to remove any feces that you can, and if insulation is heavily soiled then that should also be replaced. One wise precaution is also to fumigate the attic after your repairs, to kill off any remaining bacteria or other particles that could be harmful to anyone going into the attic in the future.
