Ingham County, Lansing Rat Control Situation:
I was reading your site and I am trying to find a good way to keep the pack Rats out of the engine compartment of my car. I live in the Southern part of Lansing MI and it is mostly forest. I have a carport so it is open. I have to clean out a nest in my car about every two months because of a nest. I have used the traps in the common areas and have caught about 50 rats during the summer. My question to you after reading your article is the best way for me to take care of this is put a trap under the car, I have a live trap along one wall as well as one of the Victor traps. Hope you can help.
Morning David, Am I glad to check your website!! I have a rat problem in our house. These are not just rats, theyr intellects !! Trust me !! They first started with the kitchen lower cupboard, we cleared all food items from there and now they cruise around in the living room. We have set traps, blocked all holes that may be a source of entrance, we even used poison.. one night, we set the poison under the cupboard in one of the bed rooms as my husband saw a mouse run under it. In the morning both the poison tablets were away from the cupboard as if they were trying to say" Thanks but no thanks!!" They eat away the peanut butter from traps and still survive.. I'm really sick of them and the smell is even worse... using rat exterminators is expensive and we are trying to get rid of them ourselves.. the traps we have used are the old fashioned wooden traps, those plastic type boxes, and a few other similar ones, Poison as well.. nothing works.. Need your advice ASAP
Lansing Rat Control Tip of The Week
Are Rats Smart Animals?
Rats can be trained:
In studies on rats, it's been very easy to train these animals. Scientists have worked with rats to help teach them how to get through mazes, play fetch, train them to dismantle complex items to get a reward, and more.
Rats stick together:
Rats have high levels of emotional intelligence and they often communicate well with one another to warn each other of threats. In a borough of rats, each will work together to make sure that everyone can stay safe. With communications through their squeaks and noises as well as through pheromones it's possible for rats to continually relay information about the surrounding environment and work together to survive.
They have been shown to have personalities:
In observed behavior some rats are considered to be social, others are entertaining and some are fun-loving wanting to play with objects they find like toys. Each rat can have its own tendencies and display their own levels of intelligence.
Rats are social animals:
Rats live in groups and this makes them very social animals. Even though rats typically sleep 12-15 hours a day, they are social during the time that they are awake.
They can recognize each other and come when called:
Rats can be trained to recognize names, they can come when called and they can often tell more about rats and their behavior by watching them. Rats display recognition that goes far beyond what the average animal conveys.
Rats can smell and find their way into many spaces:
Rats have the power to make their way into many spaces. They are often some of the perfect creatures for making their way into your plumbing and they regularly travel through cracks and areas across the home to find food. They are tenacious creatures and they can be considered very smart when finding food.
