Rat problem (seriously) [vanity]

08/16/2017 | self

[logi_cal869]

Neither a joke nor metaphor, I have a rat problem and seek learned wisdom from others who've combatted these cunning creatures.

I have a lone rat (I believe) lurking somewhere in my house. Without regard to the accuracy of that statement or my seeming inability to find its lair, this smart SOB freed itself from a sticky trap and has been Ninja ever since, sometimes not taking my popcorn bait for days (there are NO other food sources other than our occasional lapse in leaving the dog's food out).

Spring traps don't work; it's too smart. Or, to be more accurate, they don't work with the bait I've been using. I prefer not to use poison, as my neighbor has incurred significant expense in tearing into walls to remove decomposing flesh.

I'm hopeful for meritorious advice, as all of my requests to borrow/rent a farm cat have fallen on deaf ears...

[Tennessee Conservative]

So true! I never had a mouse in the house problem when I had my JRT. After he passed at 14 in January I got a Feist/JRT mix that is related to him. She is going to make a terrific mouser. Meet my girl Abby. No mouse or rat will get past this girl.

As far as traps go, get a small live trap and bait it. They make a trap especially for rodents that will catch several without having to empty right away. It's extremely affordable. I have two live traps that I have used for larger pests and they work great. I had to trap a raccoon in one not long ago. My two Black Mouth Curs had it tree'd in their yard. I put them in the other yard and the raccoon walked right into the trap after dog food and apples.

Rodent Trap

For very large rats you might have to use a regular small live trap.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Mice and rats are night time prowlers looking for food.
They travel along walls, in the dark, with their whiskers as feelers.
They need to gnaw daily (wood, leather, cloth)as their teeth continue to grow daily.
They follow an odor trail left by previous travels since they pee and excrete as they move about and leave a trail for others.
The bait needs to be odoriferous - seasoned meat, or premium cheese - we aren't talking processed cheese or 'cheeze whiz'.
Multiple traps need to be checked daily.
Then check how it got into the house - any hole the size of a quarter, or even under doorways is an entry point.
Go around the exterior of your house with "stuff it" canned foam and/or calking gun (even check wiring, water line,TV cable, etc.) .
Chances are if you are aware of one, ..there are already three, ..and they breed every 13 weeks with multiple litters.
Trapping without eliminating the point of entry means that you will continue to have activity until you find it.
Mice carry fleas and are virus and bacterial vectors;, which is why daily checking traps and removal is essential.

[logi_cal869]

Glue traps have always worked for me...until now. This critter got stuck to one of my large sticky traps and freed itself after what appeared to be hours of struggle (lots of fur and a number of droppings on the trap).

Now the sticky traps are useless, as are the other baited traps.

[Red Badger]

That works only once, if you have an infestation of rats. The others learn to equate the smell of peanut butter with death and danger. I know. I tried it. Caught ONE rat. Others would not touch the stuff after that.................

[logi_cal869]

Peanut butter has failed.

[Mark17]

Chow chow dogs love eating mice as well.

My little dog gets the mice, and the bigger dogs get the rats, but they just kill them. The dogs don't eat them.

[logi_cal869]

I found all the openings and have glue traps beneath them.

I might have to relent and try one of those, but I’m skeptical the critter will take the bait.

Will reply if so...

[Red Badger]

Your local county extension office should have some safe baits that they usually give out free for the asking......usually come in a bag like microwave popcorn that the rats will tear into and consume...............

[firebrand]

Tres Pasitos.

Rats take three little steps and die.

Unfortunately, it’s illegal.

[4yearlurker]

Are you sure its a rat? Could be a raccoon or a possum. Go to Lowes and buy a live trap. They worked for me.

[logi_cal869]

RAT.

Long story, but I caught the other 2. Simply, rats somehow populated the natural area in our development and I believe 3 juveniles wandered into the open door early one morning.

I got 2 rats...the only reason I suspect a 3rd is disappearing popcorn my bird occasionally drops on the floor and having since used it to determine its continued presence and location (somewhere in the central area of the house).

[Red Badger]

We have a Lhasa Apso-Shih Tzu mix and he pounced upon a rat in the back yard, shook it to death! These dogs are considered lap dogs!.....................

[Chickensoup]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTI_0K9Dqg

There are many youtubes on this.

Best advice.

smear peanut butter in the middle of the spinning part.

Use antifreeze

empty often. they can pile up. Then you have live rats in the bucket.

[DallasGal]

Exterminator? My blue heeler once killed a rat in the back yard. She gifted me with it in my dining room. She was confused at being praised and yelled at, at the same time

[barmag25]

Find a friend with a pit bull.
Bring him for a play date. Problem solved.
Unless you have cats...then disregard.

[logi_cal869]

It’s avoiding PB like the plague...

[central_va]

You have to use crunchy peanut butter and force a small chunk into the loop on the trigger. The rat is licking the bait; you need to get it to bite the nut and spring the trap. You see that hook on the trigger? Force a nut into the hook then smear just a little peanut butter on the rest of the trigger to attarct the rat. When the rat bites it it's dead meat.

[longfellow]

Sounds like one of those N.Y. super rats.
You got dynamite?

[Mercat]

It’s the little dogs that will go after the rats. Do you know how that little rat terrier is?

[Red Badger]

We did not teach the dog to be aggressive, he just saw it and pounced like it was the most natural thing! He has a muzzle like a Pekingese, stubby and flat faced, so it wasn’t easy for him, but he did it!...................