Ideas for Dealing with Rat Infestation

Phacelia · #1 11/26/14, 09:25 AM

Hi all,

We live in a state park residence, and we've been dealing with a wood rat (we think) infestation for many years now. We hear them all night, making a racket in the walls and attic. We have no idea what kind of damage they are doing in there.

We recently, FINALLY got the state to replace the duct work, as well as the HVAC unit.

It wasn't long after that that we began hearing gnawing coming from the vents, and started seeing shredded ducts and insulation blowing into the house.

Yep. They are chewing through our new ducts. This is now, the last straw.

We haven't put any bait out all these years, mainly because we live in a state park, where the animals are technically protected.

We could probably get permission to bait under the house, but we have outside dogs that would undoubtedly eat any rats they could get to, putting them at risk.

What are some good, environmentally friendly ways to deal with these rats?

mnn2501 · #2 11/26/14, 09:47 AM

First thing to do would be to seal all holes otherwise you'll just get more. Rats can get into very very small holes, their bones are very elastic.

Rat traps (the spring type) if you can handle them (some people are squeamish) .

Or get yourself a Rat Terrier.

billinwv · #3 11/26/14, 10:41 AM

If there isn't a food source for rats, you may have squirrels. They like to store nuts in attics and do a lot of damage. Hardware cloth every hole. Careful where electrical lines come in! Don't leave food out for the dogs.

moonkitten · #4 11/26/14, 11:24 AM

Trap, trap, trap. I just finally cleaned out the last rat in my barn using the T-Rex/Tomcat brand snap trap. You can also buy rat attractant to use in the bait cups, the brand I got was Provoke. I found these "toothed" traps worked much better than the old metal bar style.

I also picked up a cheap infrared security camera that stored pics/video to a disc. I found that actually being able to identify how many beasties, what they looked like and what direction they were coming from really helped with successful placing of the traps. If you know they are running through the vents you may not need a camera, but if they are in the attic or coming out into the house, you may want to see what is really happening after the lights go out!

Best of luck!

Phacelia · #5 11/26/14, 05:46 PM

Thanks for the ideas, everyone.

While the state may cover costs to get rid of the rats, they aren't going to spend a dime on replacing the siding and sealing up holes. This pretty much sucks, since we are paying rent and utilities for the first time this year. We are hopefully moving out in a few months, but it would still be good to fix the problem before another ranger moves in.

Zimobog · #6 11/26/14, 10:01 PM

Rat shot and a head lamp.

mrs whodunit · #7 11/26/14, 10:43 PM

I know packrats love to run through things so using a rat trap inside a stove pipe works very well. Make sure to put some chain or wire on the trap so you can fasten it down so the rats don't run off with it.

anniew · #8 11/27/14, 09:40 AM

Sticky traps...tied down so they don't drag it away...or chew off a foot to release themselves.

SueMc · #9 11/27/14, 09:48 AM

Traps and real peppermint oil on cotton balls all over the place, if you can put up with the odor yourself. Dried mint works too but the essential oil is stronger. Rats and mice are repelled by the smell.

CurtisWilliams · #10 11/27/14, 11:36 AM

A few years ago, I had a rat infestation. I set rat traps with limited success, then they learned to avoid them. They are not dumb. After a month I finally broke down and bought 2 three pound buckets of Tomcat brand poison. D-con is useless imho. I broadcast this through out the basement, put it in every rat hole that I could find, put it in the ducts, ect...

A few days later, I started gathering corpses for the burn barrel. By the time I was done, I had found 57 of the little buggers. And who knows how many I didn't find?

I wouldn't worry about your dog eating the rats. Many years ago, I had a stray that was going after my chickens. I couldn't get close enough to catch it. So I tried to poison it with rat poison. I don't remember how much it ate, but it only got a nose bleed, and then was fine. It takes quite a dose of rat poison to hurt a larger animal.

Good luck,
Curtis

SueMc · #11 11/27/14, 12:51 PM

Tomcat brand works great. We throw it under the chicken house, in the machine shed, around feed barrels (under the pallets) and in every field mouse hole I find in the orchard. I'd be afraid of the the dead mice I didn't find in the house so don't use it there. I have read though that poisoned rodents will leave a building to find water since they're bleeding internally.

Rustaholic · #12 11/27/14, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CurtisWilliams

I wouldn't worry about your dog eating the rats. Many years ago, I had a stray that was going after my chickens. I couldn't get close enough to catch it. So I tried to poison it with rat poison. I don't remember how much it ate, but it only got a nose bleed, and then was fine. It takes quite a dose of rat poison to hurt a larger animal.

Good luck,
Curtis

The last dog my mother had got into the rat poison in the basement and died.
Because she has hard clay Murphy is buried out back just inside my property line.

gila_dog · #13 11/28/14, 08:50 AM

bucket trap

freegal · #14 11/28/14, 09:11 AM

A few years ago we had a rat infestation in the barn. Then a weasel moved in and cleaned out all the rats. When it was done with the rats, it started on the chickens so we had to eliminate the weasel. Now we use the TomCat bait in bait stations and that works really well for both rats and mice. And the mice are plentiful this year!

Rustaholic · #15 11/28/14, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freegal

A few years ago we had a rat infestation in the barn. Then a weasel moved in and cleaned out all the rats. When it was done with the rats, it started on the chickens so we had to eliminate the weasel. Now we use the TomCat bait in bait stations and that works really well for both rats and mice. And the mice are plentiful this year!

You need a couple barn cats.

freegal · #16 11/29/14, 10:44 AM

We are down to one barn cat but he doesn't hunt for mice. Our house cats are keeping busy though. Everyone around here is infested. I thought the rodent populations would be down this year after last year's bitter cold winter.

Rustaholic · #17 11/29/14, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freegal

We are down to one barn cat but he doesn't hunt for mice. Our house cats are keeping busy though. Everyone around here is infested. I thought the rodent populations would be down this year after last year's bitter cold winter.

I will not have a cat here that won't hunt mice.
Even our 75 pound dog will eat mice and chipmunks.
Chipmunks are just rats with stripes.

CountryMom22 · #18 11/29/14, 03:42 PM

We live in a 200 yr.old farmhouse and get a few mice every winter but so far we have caught 11 mice in 7 days. We are even catching them during the day and we are just using the old spring type traps. I also notice higher than usual amount of predators around. Anyone else seeing this?

freegal · #19 11/29/14, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustaholic

I will not have a cat here that won't hunt mice.
Even our 75 pound dog will eat mice and chipmunks.
Chipmunks are just rats with stripes.

He's a beloved pet that doesn't like to be in the house. He hunts other things that we don't want in the barn.