Jackson County, Kansas City Rat Control Situation:
My mother has a medium size varment running around and we have put snap traps out only for it to get away with the peanut butter. waste of good peanut butter! The strange thing is it's eating the philadrium plant taking leaves off. not touching lucky bamboo in water ot the amarilys bad spelling. can you tell me why? Anyway, I've got a dozen traps baited with peanut butter on the obvious trails up there. My question is: should I put traps on top of the insulation (I've got loose blown insulation), on the joists (which aren't quite wide enough), move the insulation out of the way between the joists and put the trap on the ceiling drywall, or something else? I kind of did a mix for this first run, and I guess I'll figure it out eventually through trial and error, but I'd welcome any advice and any other tips would be greatly appericated. gail
I read the articles on your web site. Back in August, I had a new roof, soffit, eavesthrough done. Everything appears fine, the company did a great job, no complaints. About 2 weeks ago, we stated to hear scratching noises in the attic between 2 - 4 am. The noises are in the light to medium range, it does not seems to be a large animal such as a racoon. So, I have no idea what is up there, but I obviously have to deal with it. I walked around the house and up on the roof to see if I could find any entrances. I could not find any. Would you have any idea on what animal would be up there at this time of year. I live in Ontario Canada, about 30 miles west of Toronto. I'm going to start with setting mouse traps. Any advice/suggestions would be helpful.
Kansas City Rat Control Tip of The Week
Will Rats Hide From People?
The survival instinct of rats leads them to be cautious animals. The fear of being eaten by other predators makes them live in dark places and avoid being seen in broad daylight. People who come in contact with a rat may have several reactions, but the most common one is panic trying to shoo it away or kill it with whatever they have on hand. This situation causes fear in rodents who will look for hiding places and avoid being seen again.
The Mystery Of Smell
Rats use their powerful sense of smell as an effective survival technique. Through odors, a rat can perceive a predator, including species that are still unknown to the animal. Surprisingly, rats flee from cats not only because they know they may be eaten, but also because cat saliva contains chemicals that cause fear when rodents detect them.
Rats Are Pests To Humans
Farmers usually farm in warm places with relative humidity. Likewise, city dwellers tend to have a busy lifestyle, so their environment can quickly lead to clutter and disorder. Both scenarios are perfect for rodents who need the shelter and food provided by a barn, a dump, a messy house, or a sewer.
Rats are quite practical and, if necessary, can adapt to living anywhere, even in a somewhat messy house. The conditions for living comfortably and reproducing are emphasized in people's homes.
Human beings can unknowingly provide rodents with everything they need to survive, turning them into a pest. Rats, being able to take advantage of everything, from rigorously stored food to napkins thrown away, are able to grow as a population. The main consequence of a growing rodent population is the damage to people's health.
