Rats In The Attic

[jitagon]

Rats have eaten my very expensive convector oven. They somehow managed to get inside and make a nest - little bits of newspaper and all. I've managed to have it repaired. But they keep coming back. In fact, I believe they're still in there somewhere, but don't want to have to pull out any more of the insulation for fear of damaging it beyone repair.

I have wooden ceilings with gaps in between, although I wouldn't have thought a rat could get through them, they do. One of my dogs killed one, I've left the cat locked in the kitchen every night - he's useless. Poison?

[Lite Beer]

Rats have eaten my very expensive convector oven. They somehow managed to get inside and make a nest - little bits of newspaper and all. I've managed to have it repaired. But they keep coming back. In fact, I believe they're still in there somewhere, but don't want to have to pull out any more of the insulation for fear of damaging it beyone repair.

I have wooden ceilings with gaps in between, although I wouldn't have thought a rat could get through them, they do. One of my dogs killed one, I've left the cat locked in the kitchen every night - he's useless. Poison?

Rat Glue.

A tray covered in glue with some food in the middle. Mr Rat tries to get the food and gets stuck.

Can buy at most small shops or Tesco, Big C etc.

[mangotogo]

Hi, I bought some sticky trap ( any supermarket has them): like large pizza trays with glue on them: bait with dry cat food and slide under furniture where the cat can't get to it. While i was away we one was disposed of: my partner being buddhist did not want to kill it: so took it outside and used some solvent to free it in a rubbish bin....the next day I was talking to my neighbour and she said that her kitten was so smart: it had killed a rat and left the tail and the head in it's food dish....something sticky was on it!!! Full circle!

[Gary A]

I had a friend bring me some D-Con from the US. That has always been the best rat "food" you could buy. We tried sticky boards in the garage and only caught a cat so we moved on to the mechanical rat traps. That caught a few of them. The attic was where the problem was. I waited until my wife was out and about then put the D-Con bait boxes up there. I have heard no scurrying sounds since I fed them.

[Farma]

Sticky plates are good once you master the art of applying the glue and not gluing yourself to the trap.

ARS have rat baits that should do the trick. Look for a cigarette packet sized yellow box with a drawing of 2 rats sitting down for a picnic.

[Daffy D]

The few times we’ve had rats in the attic problem I bought those pink colored pellets that come in a yellow box (probably what Farma is talking about) and just thrown them over the attic as much as I could through the attic opening.

Has always worked so far and never had any problem with rat bodies. I think they go somewhere else to die.

[girlx]

the problem is if you poison them and they crawl into the walls to die then the smell will haunt you

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

In Australia we had two possums in the attic and they were very noisy at times. Checked the attic frequently and they were not making any messes and they are cute little guys so we let them be. After about 3 years we heard some squealling one night, went up to check and had a large carpet snake ( a python). He ate them both. With the food gone he left.

So get yourself a nice python and he will keep your attic clear.

[Daffy D]

the problem is if you poison them and they crawl into the walls to die then the smell will haunt you

I realize this is the conventional thought that is why I included the second paragraph.

Getting into my attic is difficult and the ceilings are suspended so getting around once up there is not without hazard, throwing the pellets through the attic opening is just the easiest way.

In the 4 years or so we have been here never had any problem with rat body smells.

[Sheryl]

One word, 3 letters: CAT

Adopt one. Help her get up into the attic (if it's not possible for her to do so on her own) periodically.. She'll make quick work of them and any future rats that dare enter, altho not many will as rats can usually tell if a place has a cat and avoid it

Plenty of abandoned cats in need of homes...

[londonthai]

for the serous rat infestetion nothing bits a cat - rats do learn from each other, several of them will die from poison or trap, but the other will avoid the mistake. The rat family sends 'foot soldiers' to taste the food so only they die, the top rat's hierarchy survives and adapts, they might move from your attic somewhere close by, but still they will be around.

cats do spread in their urin a virus, which makes rats unwary of cats, changes their behaviour.

as to cat not eating rats tail - it's cat's instinct. Rats tail do have a poison which will make a cat sick

[Mosha]

What I saw on Discovery is that when a rat comes across a new food, it samples it. If it does not become ill. It adds it to the diet.

[rutteketuut]

Rats have eaten my very expensive convector oven. They somehow managed to get inside and make a nest - little bits of newspaper and all. I've managed to have it repaired. But they keep coming back. In fact, I believe they're still in there somewhere, but don't want to have to pull out any more of the insulation for fear of damaging it beyone repair.

I have wooden ceilings with gaps in between, although I wouldn't have thought a rat could get through them, they do. One of my dogs killed one, I've left the cat locked in the kitchen every night - he's useless. Poison?

The sticky plates are very efficient,put some food (bread or so) in the middle and guarantee that the rats will come on it,when one rat gets stuck in the glue it will start making noise and the others will come aswell.Simply the best.

[Daffy D]

As we’re talking about rats my friend just came back from a few days in BKK and rats had started to eat his CD’s - Brand new ones still in the packet.

Lucky he took his laptop with him.

[owengeary]

mix half cement and half jelly crystals. it blocks up their system or they will be producing bricks. i did at my place.....it worked for me