Getting rid of rats/mice (merged threads)

Payless_2

It's the thought of where they've been and the disease they carry!! My poison has nearly all gone as they are helping themselves to it over night straight from the box. Not touching the bait boxes though. I'm scared to look under the cupboards in case one darts out at me.

There are 2 breeze blocks behind those cupboards. Is it possible that they could be climbing up the outside walls and getting in there? I'm in a 1st floor flat.

pendulum666

We have a rodent problem in our house and it's driving me mad. I mean literally, I have lost sleep over it due to the noise levels and I just want to move house now. I am genuinely considering giving our 2 months notice as we only rent there. I don't want to move if we can help it mind.
Last winter we heard noises in the loft and I found some mice nests up there under a wooden loft board. After hoovering it all up and disturbing the environment tidying the loft up, they vacated and I did not hear from them again.

This winter, started around early December, I heard scratching and noises up there again but this time it's rats.
Fast forward to xmas period, started to hear things in the walls. Front and back wall are cavity walls as we are a mid terrace. That gives me the creeps. I have young kids in the house too.
Right now I cannot sleep as as soon as we go to bed it starts when dark right through till morning. I can hear them/it running all over the loft space and ceiling and sometimes in the wall near to my head at night. I have tried ear plugs yet still hear the thumping and scratching.

Council came out a few days ago and all he really did was chuck a load of bait (poison) down in the loft randomly in the corners and a tray of pellets. He did not inspire confidence in finding out where they had been coming in although we found a possible entry point at the front of the house where we found a hole dug up close to the wall. He baited there too. He said he would return in a few weeks to see progress.

My concern is that the rat/s will die in the walls/floors/loft and stink. This is my biggest fear that I read of. Also I am embarrassed to ask neighbours if they have any problems but they could be gaining access from their houses so not sure what to do.

The council guy did not use sprung traps but I think I might buy some and also set up my own cheap bucket trap in the loft. I think it would be possible to solve this, but the main issue is I cannot see where they are coming in. I almost dread to pull back the dishwasher and washing machine in the kitchen in case they are getting in there, but touch wood, I have not ever seen one at all, let alone inside the house. I think they only stay in the loft and walls so... still horrible mind.

I will post back progress soon but right now I hate life and want to move house. Considering paying a "pro" to come in, but I can't see them doing anything differently to what I and the council guy could do.

daffodil

Hope you dont get one in your toilet, they perch themselves in the waste pipe at the bend and chew through the plastic - still its preferable to getting one staring at you when you lift the toilet lid or open the kitchen cupboard like I did.:eek:

What a nightmare!!

BettiePage

BettiePage wrote: »

Got mice or rats in my loft and walls. I'm not a squeamish person but this is giving me the heebijeebis. Think they're wearing clogs too. Must get some traps at the weekend.

How much does rentokil charge?

nicka99

BettiePage wrote: »

How much does rentokil charge?

In my experience - a lot for a service no better than the local council.

You are probably better off with a local independent pest control firm if the council don't inspire confidence.

BettiePage

I spoke to a local one today and he seems to think it's a squirrel. He's coming round tomorrow.

Purleygirl

My friend had this problem recently and it was a major task to get rid of them, but got rid of them she did.

1. You need a major clean up, so every spot and crumb of food is packed in plastic boxes, tins or high up out of reach in impenetrable cupboards, that will take ages. Wipe every spot of food area down and leave no trace of spillages.

2. Look around the house, everywhere, airing cupboards, storage cupboards, wardrobes, every nook and cranny for evidence, ie droppings. Hoover everywhere.

3. Get rat and mouse poison and put it near rat and mice traps, place them where there is evidence of rodent activity.

4. Protect pets from the poison.

5. Block all holes that come in from outside, in my friend's house they were coming in from the utility room, through a tiny gap in some pipework. They nibble through everything.

6. That done, wait for the little darlings to take the bait.

7. Good luck!

lemon26

Hi all! I live in a rural area (Outer Hebrides) backing onto a loch, which is really nice when it's summer and we can sit on the decking but we also live next door to the local shop.

Last year I saw rats scurrying around their bins and made them aware of it, they tidied up and the problem seemed to go away. Since then, we have had some electrical work done in the loft and the sparky said it smelt of old rats. Having spoken to teh previous owner he said there was rats / mice in the house years ago.

We haven't found anything apart from a single mummified rat / mouse (not too sure!) and old droppings. There aren't any holes in the walls, but I know that they can get in through many less obvious routes, and we've never heard any scurrying or found food with holes in the pacakging.

However, I would still like to get something to make sure thay stay away and a cat's out of the question due to allergies. Would something like this be of any use?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Procter-Pest-Stop-Repeller-Larger-House/dp/B005YD2H9U/ref=sr_1_6?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1359972788&sr=1-6

Does anyone have any experiences with plug-in devices? We keep the house clean and take care with waste food but just want to make sure as we're hoping to start a family in the near future.

Thanks in advance, L

usignuolo

For the first time ever I saw a mouse in my sitting room last night. We have never had mice here and we have been here a long time. I think it was a field mouse and I wonder if it came in with some bags of logs we bought for the fire a week or so ago. There is a bag of logs next to the fire place right now. (We live in town but have an open fire we use in the winter months). I really don't want mice infesting my house, does anyone know, do those electronic mouse scarers work?

Gloomendoom

I've posted on the subject before in this thread. In short, no they don't. I have three in my loft and have actually had a mouse come out, sit in front of one and stare me in the eyes. Little Nipper mousetraps work, lots of them.

They don't work for rats either. For them you need a Big Nipper.

My wife brought this down from the loft just before Christmas...



If you just have one field mouse, it is unlikely that your house will become infested. It takes two to tango.