Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Rat Control Situation:
Hello David, Thanks for a comprehensive excellent web site. My cat passed away a while ago and the rats moved in ! Never had a Rodent problem in the 18 years previously. Always had cats though. I am from Western Pittsburgh and my house is a 1950's open eves with that blow in insulation that's about 25years old. I have done my best to wire up all holes but a few still exist . Aside from boarding up the whole eve all way round which then restricts airflow in our hot summer. I have laid 15 traps to start with, a few small and a few large. Baited with peanut butter and pressed the peanut butter onto the tab so it's not just resting on there. I got 1. Now whatever is up there is licking of the peanut butter of the large and small traps ! Damm varments. I have set all traps rights to the edge off the lever. On firm surfaces like the rafters. Maybe it's the quality of the trap ? I may have to order some of your victor traps from the U.S. So my recent rebaiting happened yesterday and I checked today, yep a couple with half the peanut butter licked off. It's the fancy organic smooth peanut butter too. Appreciate any suggestion's David, apart from getting another Cat.
David,Can you provide me with a telephone number of someone who actually can properly seal a home and clean an attic for rats in Pittsburgh PA? No one so far has sealed my home. They charge me to seal it but then the rats still come in. Thanks. I need your advise hoe to get rid of the small rat in my flat. ..just saw few days ago. everyone at home are afraid of it. We are must get rid of it...pls advice..
I'm writing to get some insight on how to get rid of mice in my wall. They may be coming in through the weeping holes outside of my house. We have put fiber glass wire in the holes after we though they were gone, but I still smell their poop after they have finished.
Pittsburgh Rat Control Tip of The Week
Do Rats Feel Pain?
Rats are one of the few animals with a developed brain and a sense of empathy. When handled with care, they can be playful and tickled. But when handled without compassion or roughly, they showcase a high level of anxiety and express their pain in a special kind of way. This clearly shows that just like every other animal, rats also feel pain.
When it comes to expression, rats express their pain in a special kind of way. They do this by slightly changing their facial appearance and making a grin that clearly shows that they are in discomfort. Apart from this, rats also show that they are in pain by narrowing their eyes, puffing out their cheeks, flattening their ears, and rhythmically increasing the size of their nose.
If you want to know if a rat is in pain or not, you will have to pay attention to its facial expressions. Since they are inaudible animals, waiting to hear them make excruciating sounds is a no-brainer. But with visual clues shared above, you will be able to know when a rat is in pain and when it is not.
Rats are sensible animals with a high level of empathy. Another way you can know when a rat is in pain without actually studying its facial expressions is when you see another rat showing concern for the isolated rat. This behavior in rats is also exhibited when one rat is wounded or ill. In situations like this, other rats will come around the indisposed rat to show their concern.
Having shared this, you can be certain that rats also feel pain. Therefore, if you notice any rat around exhibiting any of the signs above, the rat may be hurt or ill. Also, you need to understand the fact that rats are major carriers of diseases, hence you should avoid having direct contact with them.