Rat attack.

jack_121 · 9 December 2017 at 7:45AM

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.
The council want £45 as a call out charge, then labour, traps, bait etc are charged on top. Looks to be nearly a hundred pounds for one visit. Going to need several visits, maybe hundreds of pounds. I'm really worried, i can't afford it.
They rats usually climb up the walls and get into the loft. It's warmer up there and they have the loft insulation to snuggle in to. Do you think it may be a good idea to board up the top of the walls where they meet with the loft and block the access.
Many thanks.

peter_the_piper · 9 December 2017 at 9:44AM

Why not, it'd help insulate the place. Don't forget to allow some ventilation though.

[Deleted User] · 9 December 2017 at 11:12AM

jack_121 wrote: »

Do you think it may be a good idea to board up the top of the walls where they meet with the loft and block the access.

Since that's part of the ventilation of the house, I'd strongly recommend you do not block up the eaves.

If your neighbours also have the rat problem, I'd say it is serious enough for Environmental Health to become involved.

There must be a localised food supply easily available to them. Do you (or your neighbours) leave pet food out, for example? This is often overlooked. You should also clear out all your food cupboards and check that the food in them isn't being raided. Items in cardboard boxes should be transferred to plastic or metal containers.

Do you have overflowing rubbish bins nearby? Ensure the lids are closed and that the rubbish is not accessible.

Brush up crumbs and don't be tempted to put food waste from dinner plates etc down the sink.

sheramber · 9 December 2017 at 1:00PM

The problem with using bait is that the rats die and decompose and stink to the high heavens.

Bad enough if they die on an accessible place but if they die in a wall cavity , for example, you can have big problems trying to get rid of the smell.

Rather than board up ventilation to the attic can you use strong metal mesh which would still let air in but stop the rats getting in? But make sure there are none in the attic first.

However, they may just find another way in.

If you can identify where the nests are the land owner would be responsible for clearing them. If they are continuing to breed there will always be more to move in where the first are killed so only killing them in your house won't solve the problem.

zaax · 9 December 2017 at 4:00PM

Get a tom cat & female cat (both nutered of course)

jack_121 · 10 December 2017 at 9:21AM

Thanks for the replies.
I will check up on that.
It sounds like a long term problem. I had an idea, do you think it may be plausible to stuff fibreglass wadding type material into the space behind the skirting boards. The rats are using this space to travel from room to room.
The fibreglass has bits of glass in it, when they try to push their way through it may hopefully jab into them and deter them from coming into the property.

Thank you.

[Deleted User] · 10 December 2017 at 10:31AM

jack_121 wrote: »

do you think it may be plausible to stuff fibreglass wadding type material into the space behind the skirting boards.

This would be a waste of time and money, I'm afraid. They simply need to be denied a food supply..

mumf · 10 December 2017 at 11:58AM

Get a pest control firm in,pronto.You have a problem there that is beyond your control.I keep fowls and birds,and I have two awfully overgrown tips for gardens either side.Therefore I keep bait points and trap points down permanently. I get signs of pests,both rat and mouse occasionally, so the bait gets changed,as they become resistant.I have no real problems,as my regime is planned not reactive

If they are in your house though,you have real problems and you need the big guns.Chemical warfare.You do know about Weil's Disease? That's what rats can cause.

beautiful_ravens · 20 December 2017 at 10:20PM

Theres many rat food sources-
Bird feeders, chicken food, compost bins, any kind of pet food, chicken bones, rotting fruit, dead animals, grains and seeds, snails, insects, eggs, shrews and mice etc. Eliminating food & also drinking water is key. They tend to nest near a good food supply. They also pass about 40 droppings per day, each, and carry/pass on a variety of diseases.

So, if it was me, I would first find out every nearby source of food and water and get rid of it where possible. Dripping taps, pots left outside and collecting rainwater, anything indoors they could drink.

Then I would go into debt getting pest control to get them out of my house. Theres no way I would be able to even sleep at night knowing they were inside.
Pest control will advise how to block their entry points.

Buying poison yourself is a bit hit and miss, and expensive. If other people nearby, even as far as 4km, have already used it, your rats might be resistant to it.

DCFC79 · 21 December 2017 at 9:48AM

Do you own the property ?

Get the pest control guys in, either council or a local firm.

If you dont own the property then get the landlord to sort it.

Rat attack.

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