Jefferson County, Louisville Rat Control Situation:
Good morning David. I came across your website and would like to ask you for some advice! I am currently dealing with mice in my ceiling/walls. They have not made it into my house itself but they are driving me nuts and will ultimately cause damage to my house at some point. I have an exterminator that comes to my house every 3 months and that has helped to prevent any mice within my home. The problem with them in my ceiling and wall began in December. I mentioned this to the exterminators and they baited my house... I guess to draw them out. It's been months now and they still are in my ceiling and getting worse... waking me up at night... I can hear them running around and squeaking... yuck. Drives me and my cat nuts to say the least... The big dilemma is that I have an old city row home... it has a flat roof and no attic or access via panel to the ceiling. The exterminators are lacking in their services... I have them coming out on Monday to get on my roof and look for holes etc... Can you provide me with some guidance on how to resolve this major issue... Can they put bait boxes on my roof to draw the mice out... or should I create an access panel to my ceiling so we can bait or set traps? HELP PLEASE! Thank you so very much!
My response: Never use bait boxes or ultrasonic sound machines. Niether help. Inspect the house and find out how the mice are getting inside. Seal up every single last entry/exit hole and gap with steel. Trap, properly trap on rat runways, ALL the mice, and remove them from the house. Clean up the attic space or home once they are all gone for good.
Thank you for responding. My main issue is how to get traps in my ceiling without an access panel? I have all finished ceilings and a flat roof... The exterminators are saying there is no way to get traps in my ceiling... I can inspect and seal all the holes and gaps but all that will do at this point it trap the mice inside my house... I dont know how we are supposed to draw them out of my ceiling and walls... They are not getting into my actual house... just ceiling and walls... Im really at a loss now.
Louisville Rat Control Tip of The Week
Non-lethal Ways To Get Rid Of Rats
If you are the type that considers rats as small cute-looking creatures, you might feel bad for wanting to kill them because they are causing a nuisance in your home. The fact is, your feelings do count. But at the same time, you can't afford to continue watching as these little creatures destroy your home and put your life at the risk of contracting diseases.
We understand how you feel, which is why we will be sharing non-lethal ways to get rid of the rats in your home. With this, you will be able to get rid of the rats without actually killing them.
1. Get A Cat
Cats and rats are natural enemies. If you have a cat in your home, rats will try as much as possible to do all they can to avoid your home. The sound and smell of the cat alone will trigger the sense of the rats and will make them stay as far away as they can. With this method, you will be able to get rid of the rats in your home without even having direct contact with them.
2. Trap And Release
This is another way to get rid of the rats in your home, the only issue with the use of this method is that cannot be used in a home where there are many rats. This is mainly because rats are smart and will end up figuring out that it's a trap after they see it capture one or two other rats. To trap and release a rat, all you need is a live trap and bait.
Also, you need to understand the fact that when you capture a rat and release it into another environment, its chances of survival are very slim.
3. Use Natural Rat Repellent
Just like other animals, rats are sensitive to some smells and they will do all they can to stay away from those areas. You can take advantage of this as well and use it to get rid of the rats in your home. A mixture of cayenne pepper and peppermint will help you get this done.
