I need help - we have rats

[Serenity Now]

It's not just us, it's the entire county. We're all swamped with rats! They are under my front and back porch, under my A/C unit, and I have fears that this winter they will move in. How can I get rid of them safely? I'm ashamed to admit I have some pest control people coming out today to look the place over, but I don't want those dangerous chemicals around my daughter and my dog! But we can't have rats either. Should I get a cat? I hate to get a cat, and then make it stay outdoors to keep the rats away instead of living the life of luxury inside like any kitty really deserves.

Any thoughts, mamas?

[srain]

I would try hard to enclose the spaces they're getting in (though even big rats can get in small spaces, so that may feel impossible). Many rats can do a cat a lot of damage, so I'd try to borrow a proven ratter rather than just adopt a cat that may or may not help. (Large snakes may actually be more effective, but most people don't like having them around much!) Using traps rather than poison is better for your family and environment, though you'd have to be sure your dog can't access the traps. Some pest services will come once a week to reset/ empty traps if you don't want to and if you're unwilling to use live traps.

[mirlee]

I would also recommend traps, but you have to be careful because sometimes they put poison bait to lure them in.

Sealing up all the areas where they might come in is a must. Also, keep any possible food source off the floor. Sealing it in plastic bins will usually do the trick. This goes especially for any kind of pet food. It is high protein and rodents love it. Of course, they will also eat your insulation. (go figure...) :LOL You should also trim back any brush away from the house. Keep it clean so they have nowhere to hide up close. If you have a birdfeeder, you may want to discontinue its use. The seeds that the birds drop will attract them.

If you are motivated, you can set up a lightly charged electrical wire to run around the perimeter of the house. I have seen this used to keep deer and rabbits out of gardens. I don't remember exactly how it's done, but I think it just uses a car battery for the electrical charge. It isn't dangerous, the animal just gets a little zap and they run away. It isn't enough to kill, it just scares them off.

We have a massive backyard brush area, it is so wild that I am thinking of having it certified as a National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat. There is a one rat who likes to waddle up underneath the bird feeder that hangs from the deck. At first he scared the pants off me, but he just wanders up, takes some seeds, and waddles back to the brush. I'm not worried about him because we have a nesting pair of hawks in the tree as well, and I figure, they will get him some day.

[Serenity Now]

We had the pest guy out this morning. He said that traps work only for mice, and not rats, and that the county is mandating that all rats and groundhogs be killed anyway since there is such an explosion this year. I asked him if ripping out our patio would do any good, and he said that it wouldn't, because they will dig under anything new we put up. We don't really have the money to have our concrete porches ripped out and relaid anyway... And there is nothing we can do about the A/C unit. Anything we put up to "block" the entrance they would dig under anyway.

If we lived in a rural setting I wouldn't have any problem with this. We lived in the northern Rockies for many years and living with mice, birds, deer, elk, and antelope were just a part of our life. But here in the city I cannot abide rats in my tiny back-yard. They are big enough to carry rabies, and they are destroying my small yard/play area for my daughter. I'm going to convienently forget about the groundhog living under my front porch He's not bothering anybody.

The pest guy said a house-cat wouldn't do any good, but I know from experience that even well fed domesticated cats will keep mice away, I assume it's the same for rats. I guess we'll get a cat, even though I feel my daughter is too young for one right now, but I feel like he/she will keep the rats outside. My delimma is what to do about the outside rats, I don't want to let a cat outside.

This is just another reason I hate city living, there is no co-existing peacefully with wildlife. My neighbor has told us that she will call the health department if we don't set out bait, I was hoping there was a better way to get rid of them, but they are pretty well evolved little creatures.

I really don't want to hire an exterminator, the cost is high, the poison is dangerous (even though he says it's not), and I am opposed to killing things. I also really don't want rats or the health department sticking their nose into my home. WWYD?

[mirlee]

We have two cats and I don't think they would keep rats away. One of them is a very good birder and mouser, but she just sits and stares at the visitor that we get. I am not sure how much the cat would help.

Personally, I would call the Health Department before the neighbor does and see what they recommend. Tell them you want to do something, but the poison concerns you because you have a small child. That way, if she does call, they already know that you have called. Write down the person's name and date when you spoke for back up.

[momto l&a]

In my experience cats wont catch rats unless they are older kittens (cattens :LOL) or are mommies feeding young ones.


Depends on the type of rats you have but packrats love to run through stuff so a chunk of stove pipe with a trap inside works well as do the open on both ends catch-em-alive traps.

Poison makes rats die in areas that you would rather not have the oder

[srain]

He's wrong- we've trapped rats.