Rats in the attic

[bradiston]

Third time these critters have returned. They are extremely noisy. The local "cure" is mothballs. It's a wooden ceiling and a sheet metal/foam sandwich roof. I'm convinced the only way forward would be to cut a section out of the ceiling big enough to get head and shoulders through, and check to see just what is going on. Otherwise we're just working blind. There is a vine growing all the way to the top floor which is probably their access route, but nobody has ever actually seen one. Previous attempts to deal with them involved blocking their entrance but eventually they find away in.

 

Any ideas? I've no qualms about poison/traps etc. I'm not in residence so I have to figure it out from afar. Thinking I might have to travel down there to try and sort it.

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Third time these critters have returned. They are extremely noisy. The local "cure" is mothballs. It's a wooden ceiling and a sheet metal/foam sandwich roof. I'm convinced the only way forward would be to cut a section out of the ceiling big enough to get head and shoulders through, and check to see just what is going on. Otherwise we're just working blind. There is a vine growing all the way to the top floor which is probably their access route, but nobody has ever actually seen one. Previous attempts to deal with them involved blocking their entrance but eventually they find away in.

 

Any ideas? I've no qualms about poison/traps etc. I'm not in residence so I have to figure it out from afar. Thinking I might have to travel down there to try and sort it.

Had a similar problem a few years back. As fast as I was setting spring traps I was catching rats, refused to use those sticky traps, that's just too brutal. As a last resort tried scattering a few mothballs around the roof cavity, rats disappeared and never had a problem since.

[Mike Lister]

Buy half a dozen glue trays, designed to capture and kill rats, spread them around, close up the attic and replace the trays in three months. Highly effective.

 

Also make sure no tree branches overhang  the roof and stick wire mesh into the down spounts of rain water gutters.

[worgeordie]

They will be tree rats ,don't usually come into the roofs till the rainy season,

we get them every year ,and find the best thing is the sticky traps ,baited

with nuts , we have removable ceiling tiles so easy to get in ,you would have

to cut trap door in ceiling to get the traps in ,cut the vine back ,with us its

trees they just jump from the trees to  ground floor roof , good luck.

 

regards worgeordie

 

[MrJ2U]

8 minutes ago, bradiston said:

to cut a section out

 I had these ceiling covers installed so I could access the attic space from every room.

 

I put sticky rat traps sprinkled with uncooked fragrant sticky rice and poison pellets.

 

Usually catch them in a few days.

 

Make sure your mother in law isn't leaving BBQ rat or discarded food anywhere as to attract these vermin.

 

Lots of rats after the rainy season and rice harvest.

 

 

 

[worgeordie]

6 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Had a similar problem a few years back. As fast as I was setting spring traps I was catching rats, refused to use those sticky traps, that's just too brutal. As a last resort tried scattering a few mothballs around the roof cavity, rats disappeared and never had a problem since.

They are rats ,spread diseases , the wife's father died of leptospirosis no sympathy

for them at all. the only good rat is a dead one , by whatever means.

 

regards worgeordie

[MrJ2U]

4 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

They are rats ,spread diseases , the wife's father died of leptospirosis no sympathy

for them at all. the only good rat is a dead one , by whatever means.

 

regards worgeordie

Definitely not pet material. 

[BritManToo]

These traps work really well, about 50bht on Lazada. I use bread and jam for the bait, needs new bait every evening.

[bradiston]

Great, thanks guys. Definitely will cut some access panels and take it from there.

[BritManToo]

Just now, bradiston said:

Great, thanks guys. Definitely will cut some access panels and take it from there.

If you catch the live rats, best to release them a couple of kilometres away, they're good at finding their was home.

[giddyup]

40 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

They are rats ,spread diseases , the wife's father died of leptospirosis no sympathy

for them at all. the only good rat is a dead one , by whatever means.

 

regards worgeordie

  I don't like rats either, but I have no wish to make another creature suffer unnecessarily.

Edited December 9, 2023 by giddyup

[Morch]

IMO the traps are useless. Especially in a small confined place where you cannot change their placement often. They learn pretty quick, and will out breed their 'losses' anyway. Also, those stuck in the glue will take a long time dying, in the meanwhile making a racket as they try to get away. Any rat killed and not immediately disposed of will make a horrible stench and can cause other issues. Cage traps just mean you'll have to deal with killing them yourself later on (and careful when handling the trap with the rat inside).

 

Mothballs never worked for us. They shy away at first, then learn and ignore them. If you choose these - change the brand or scent every couple of cycles for better results.

 

Poison works, and most seem to make them thirsty so they go to die outside. Problem is with this being a potential danger for pets.

 

If you have someone with a not-fancy aggro cat, that would sort things out quick. And the cat would get some exercise. One place I stayed (not in Thailand) long ago the cat was also kind enough to bring back the corpses for treats by owner. There are guys providing a similar service with snakes. Doubt it's very effective.

 

Another thing you could look into is installing some light in the ceiling area, maybe with a random blinker option. And as it's a confined space, one of them sound emitting gadgets may be effective (we had mixed results).

[BritManToo]

35 minutes ago, Morch said:

Cage traps just mean you'll have to deal with killing them yourself later on (and careful when handling the trap with the rat inside).

 

I always took them on a m/c ride to the jungle and released them.

[Stocky]

Similar problem here during the wet season. We've managed to shut off access in most places, but we've a couple of spots they always seem to find a way in. Mothballs have some effect, we tried traps but handling and disposing is an issue, best we found, but brutal, was to drop the trap into a large bucket of water and leave for 20 minutes. Glue traps laced with food and poison pellets is the preferred method, also brutal but more hands off. It's a problem that always seems to return, regardless what you do.

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

IMO the traps are useless. Especially in a small confined place where you cannot change their placement often. They learn pretty quick, and will out breed their 'losses' anyway. Also, those stuck in the glue will take a long time dying, in the meanwhile making a racket as they try to get away. Any rat killed and not immediately disposed of will make a horrible stench and can cause other issues. Cage traps just mean you'll have to deal with killing them yourself later on (and careful when handling the trap with the rat inside).

 

Mothballs never worked for us. They shy away at first, then learn and ignore them. If you choose these - change the brand or scent every couple of cycles for better results.

 

Poison works, and most seem to make them thirsty so they go to die outside. Problem is with this being a potential danger for pets.

 

If you have someone with a not-fancy aggro cat, that would sort things out quick. And the cat would get some exercise. One place I stayed (not in Thailand) long ago the cat was also kind enough to bring back the corpses for treats by owner. There are guys providing a similar service with snakes. Doubt it's very effective.

 

Another thing you could look into is installing some light in the ceiling area, maybe with a random blinker option. And as it's a confined space, one of them sound emitting gadgets may be effective (we had mixed results).

Yes, I saw the lights suggestion, and also a radio. They don't like some kinds of noise and lights. Maybe I'll experiment with flashing LEDs. And electric shock. But better to keep them out altogether. Will report back.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

I always took them on a m/c ride to the jungle and released them.

 

I don't like putting my hand and fingers anywhere near them when they are alive. Plus if you're in a city it's more difficult finding somewhere to release them. It's one of them critters I don't feel bad about killing, but not enjoying it either. Thankfully the dog got a knack and a passion for it (and doesn't eat or play with the corpses), so all's well.

[OneMoreFarang]

4 hours ago, bradiston said:

I've no qualms about poison/traps etc

Be careful with poison.

Because maybe one or more rats die in the wrong place where you have no access.

And then imagine a rotten rat corpse somewhere where you can't remove it...

 

I know about this problem from a bar with wooden wall panels. They used poison and a rat died somewhere behind those panels. Not good. 

[bradiston]

It seems the entry/exit point has been found. Next step will be interesting.

[proton]

5 hours ago, bradiston said:

Great, thanks guys. Definitely will cut some access panels and take it from there.

 

we did that, spray it with the can you can get from Tops etc and put poison down. The buggers ate through a lot of our wiring and the lights went. Not tried mothballs.

[Lacessit]

I don't know if they have carpet snakes in Thailand, one of those in the roof would either clean them up or scare them away.

[theblether]

Be careful with mothballs, the smell can permeate the house. 

[AhFarangJa]

On 12/9/2023 at 2:19 PM, worgeordie said:

They are rats ,spread diseases , the wife's father died of leptospirosis no sympathy

for them at all. the only good rat is a dead one , by whatever means.

 

regards worgeordie

Had a good friend in Brunei in the early 80's who died of Weils disease. Left a Wife & 2 young daughters. Horrible way to go, will never forget it. I am with you, whatever works, use it.

[sammieuk1]

Years ago after a visit here I arrived back at my house in Turkey and an excited neighbour was telling me how he had seen a big mouse on my roof .

 

I had no idea of what he was waffling about until I went inside the rat had bit through a 100 gallon water pipe to a tank sat on the roof that in turn the water sat on top of the concrete ceiling for 6 weeks covering everything in my bedroom in black mould a sight I will never forget.

 

Advice here is get it out at any cost🤔

[Luuk Chaai]

our neighbors burn their pineapple fields after a harvest ,, last year we had a field rat ( big sucker ) come i our property from under the rolling gate .    the dogs chased it and cornered against  a wall ..  I introduced it's head to a shovel  ..  problem solved

[steven100]

you need access so the Man hole is a first requirement ...

then I would try moth balls sparingly thrown around  ( remember they can be quite pungent )

also,  I would spray vinegar around in the ceiling as it's a strong deterrent.

 

Try this and I'm sure your rats will move out in no time ....

[Crossy]

A is for Apple.

B is for Ball.

C is for ...

 

We've seen no rats since we were adopted by a "C" 

[brianthainess]

On 12/9/2023 at 3:46 PM, BritManToo said:

I always took them on a m/c ride to the jungle and released them.

I put the trap with the rat in it, into a big bucket of water and let 'em drown. then got a cat, no more rats ever. 

[brianthainess]

8 minutes ago, Crossy said:

A is for Apple.

B is for Ball.

C is for ...

 

We've seen no rats since we were adopted by a "C" 

We got our cat as a kitten, the first night we put her in the bathroom, she was mewing all night, that was enough for the rats to pee off, never heard one again.

What I have thought about often, since then, is if you just had a recording of a cat meowing, maybe that would work, got to be worth a try init (al rights reserved )

[sandyf]

On 12/9/2023 at 2:58 PM, BritManToo said:

If you catch the live rats, best to release them a couple of kilometres away, they're good at finding their was home.

Quite, apparently can return from about 10 miles away.

When we had a bit of a problem thought we were getting a lot. One day one got it's tail trapped and bit it off, caught it again a few days later and realised they were just coming back. From then on wife put a bit of spray paint on the tail and took them further away. Problem resolved quite quickly.

[charliebadenhop]

I was hesitant ot use poison because I thought they would die up in the roof, but then I discovered they come out of the roof area and go outside to find water. After trying several supposedly clever traps that did not work, I found poison quickly did the job. Takes about three or four days. If you have any dogs you need to be careful, because they wil pick up and play with, dead animals.