Los Angeles County, Los Angeles Rat Control Situation:
Hi David, I'm in southern California. I have at least one rat in my ceiling, maybe two or more. I've read your website and really appreciate the great insight you're providing. Based on your advice, I've caught 3 rats around the outside my house (over the last 2 months), trimmed trees back (3 days ago), and plugged all the access holes I could identify (3 weeks ago).
Yet I still have at least one rat in my attic. Though I've place several snap traps (baited with peanut butter and bird seed) in the attic, I get no nibbles. I also cannot find any evidence of their paths. I've moved the trap several time with no success. From inside the house, I hear them in sections of the attic (about 3:00 am) that are completely inaccessible to me (because of firewalls.)
So I hired a pest extermination company. For $275 they put some poison bait stations outside, and three snap traps in the attic that are baited with a beef jerkey substance. The traps are near the attic access panel - not near the rat noise activity. The guy's reply was that the scent would lure them. He also reviewed my hole-plugging and said it was fine. He didn't get onto my roof. It's been three days and I check the snap traps in the morning and around dusk each night.
My questions are:
1. Is it safe to assume that the rat(s) sleep in my house during the day and at night they are coming and going outside? Does this mean I've missed an access point?
2. Considering the inaccessibility, is it common to drill a hole in the ceiling (like a 4" hole for recessed lighting) to place traps in the attic for those inaccessible places? If I drill a hole, then I can stick a camera up there and take pictures to look for evidence, place the traps, monitor them, etc. But then I've got a hole to deal with.
3. Is it worth parking myself on the roof and patiently waiting to see where the rats are coming and going?
4. Have I given the beef jerkey snap-traps enough time to do their thing? Any other advice? Thanks for your help!
Los Angeles Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Sounds Do Rats Make?
We all know that particular rat sound that irritates us so much. This may be the best sign that there is something strange going on at home. You must act immediately or these rodents could take over more and more territory in your home and even start multiplying, which would increase the chances of hearing these annoying sounds all over the house.
When it comes to rats, there are different types of sounds you might hear. These sounds are their only form of communication.
Are Rats' Sounds Different For Every Situation?
Rats' senses of hearing and smell are better developed. This allows them to perceive objects around them more easily, and decipher whether they pose a threat or not. Some of the sounds rats emit are:- The recognizable squeak: rats have a way of communicating that can be irritating to the human ear. This is a really high-pitched sound used to communicate with each other. These sounds are emitted during sexual reproduction and in threatening situations. These squeaks can be short, long, or intermittent, depending on the situation they are experiencing and their acuity will also depend on the level of threat.
- Another noise these rodents make is the grinding of their teeth. Rats only do this when they feel happy, as their tail moves and jumps.
- Finally, we can't forget a loud sound that might sound like teeth grinding; a chattering sound they make when they're angry, usually when they feel threatened and are about to attack.
Animals have a unique way of responding to different situations, whether it is joy, anger, fear, or pain. Rats are not an exception; they can make sounds for any type of situation. It is important to consider what sounds a rat makes when it is upset or threatened, this could avoid any type of accident, like a bite.
