Getting rid of rats/mice (merged threads)

Wolfsbane2k

SailorSam wrote: »

I don't think taking away the old insulation will get rid of the mice. When you take the insulation up they're just going to run away and hide in a corner until you've gone. Then come out and live in the new stuff.

Oh I know that. I'm going to kill them all first using poison, then block what entrances I can, then remove the old insulation and their nests &poo in it, then get it relaid.
The problem I have is I have no idea how old the nests or poo is, so impossible to work or how many I have, or if I've killed them all, so if I start from a clean slate and bait with a UV reactive poo, I can tell if they come back in.

Wolfsbane2k

Gloomendoom wrote: »

No, I had to do it myself. Luckily, it was back when the rolls were subsidised at £3 each.

I've still got bloody mice though. My wife brought this monster down one day too...



His mate made a hasty retreat and hasn't been back.

Yep, that's a monster! I wish those old days were still upon us, can't believe how expensive insulation is now!

themull1

Is that not a rat?

snowcat75

Blocking entrances to mice is virtually impossible, the rule is if a pencil will fit so will a mouse. There actually harder to bait than Rats as there only take a small amount of feed from one place and move on, Whilst Rats will gouge on the nearest point and although it requires more bait to kill them the baits don't have to be as strong. In all honesty your going to have to get used to the idea of baiting regular whatever you do as your likely to always have a problem, Mice and Rats live out in the summer and move inside in the winter they tend to migrate inwards from October, last years mild winter never helped and they continued breading for most of the winter, last year (2014) they only stopped around December. Baits bought non commercially from corner shops supermarkets are neigh on useless, far better to go to a proper distributer and use commercial grade (bromide, being one active). I find the pasta type baits over cracked wheat or blocks best on mice. The T bag type pasta baits are easily laid in something like a loft. Traping as you see is also fairly effective but the snap traps are so much easier to set and trap than the old fashioned type, chocolate spread seams the favioute bait.

Gloomendoom

I don't like using poison for rats or mice. In my opinion it's inhumane.

snowcat75

For every one you trap, there will be a good half dozen missed, traps are effective where it's not possible to bait, but poisons are just as humain if used correctly, I've seen plenty of mice only partial killed or dragging a trap around with one leg.

Problems only arise with baits were people are using them properly.

escapee

I have no sympathy for rats once they breach my threshold and will do anything to prevent this.

We've had rats entering our loft space for the last three winters (we've lived in this house for nearly 40 years and never had a problem prior to this).

I've spoken to professional pest controllers, followed their advise with checking over the entire perimeter of the house inch by inch and found no possible way for their entry.

I then looked at the possibility of the sewerage system, asked the council to perform a drain survey (which they did free of charge) but they found nothing, I obtained a copy of the footage but it was corrupt and wouldn't play. So I purchased myself a drain rod kit, a cheap £15 endoscope camera from ebay and performed my own drain inspection and to my delight, I found some bad cracking and dropped joints in a couple of the clay pipes - I say delight because I was pinning my hopes in this being their method of entry and felt this confirmed my suspicions.

In the meantime, I purchased and installed a 'Rat Blocker' non return valve for approximately £75 - since installing early December 2014 - I haven't heard anything significant since, I will be looking to replace the part of damaged drain at some point next year with the help of my neighbour.

I do occasionally hear 'sounds' and scare myself silly thinking they're back but the sounds are not the usual gnawing/scuttling sounds I'm used to hearing, more the occasional bump which could be attributed to the house settling/neighbours etc.

I still have breakback traps/humane traps and a mound or poison in the loft should anything still be lurking and I am not ashamed to say that anything caught in the humane trap will be quickly despatched.

Rats can cause untold damage and even fires - so whilst they're a threat to me, I'll be one to them!

Anyone who disagrees, you just lay awake at night in a cold sweat just listening for the gnawing/grinding sounds they make, whilst wondering what damage is being caused to the structure/wires etc. That would soon change your attitude.

Leeds_House_Mover

Hi - moved into a house last week and found out this morning we obviously have pests. We don't have a proper bin yet so had left cooked chicken bones in a bin bag tied up to a drawer. No idea if mice or rats (please don't let it be rats).

This morning the bag had been ripped open with the bones everywhere and looked to be dragged to a tiny space in the kitchen where they may be coming from. No sign of poo anywhere.

First job will be to get a bin. Second to get traps and bait. No problems there and not at all squeamish.

My point though is that the space is away from the door. Could they be living behind the kitchen units? They're pretty well sealed up so I don'tr want them dying behind them and rotting away.

Plus, we have a cellar with some big air holes down there. We have no food there but should we block up these holes? Had been told to keep them open to stop any potential of damp.

Other than that - think we'll be getting a cat. It's a nice excuse anyway!

escapee

Leeds_House_Mover wrote: »

No sign of poo anywhere.

I don't wish to distress you any further but rats are very clean animals who have a designated 'soiling' area for doing their business, mice on the other hand just mess everywhere and anywhere whilst scurrying from one destination to the next.

From your evidence, it sounds like you may have rats, trapping them is one way of curtailing the numbers but you need to find out how they're getting in to eradicate them completely.

Rats leave a scent trail to find their way around and always opt for a familiar odour to locate shelter, food etc - therefore if one rat has found it's way into your home, others will surely follow the pre-existing trail. You may find you get a bit of peace and quiet in the summer months as food is plentiful in the countryside, this is what I found anyway.

Good luck! I really do sympathise with you.

escapee

Leeds_House_Mover wrote: »

Plus, we have a cellar with some big air holes down there. We have no food there but should we block up these holes? Had been told to keep them open to stop any potential of damp.

Sorry, I re-read your post after providing my initial response.

Any hole larger than a 50p piece is big enough for a rat to fit through, as you've described these as 'big air holes', it sounds like a very possible entry point.

Can you buy some metal vents to place over these holes - such as these:

Any other holes which would allow a rat to travel from one part of the house to another can be blocked off by using metal scouring pads



These will be a deterrent to rats because if they attempt to chew through them, it will cause their gums/tongue to bleed.