Getting rid of rats/mice (merged threads)

50Twuncle

itchyfeet123 wrote: »

I found evidence of mice in my pantry. Cleaned out all the droppings, temporarily removed everything in there, put down traps. I caught one mouse on the first night, but nothing the next two nights.
Do I need to replace the bait (peanut butter) in the traps I set on day one?
Will I have to leave the traps there indefinitely (I can't get to their access point and I'm in a multi unit building)?
When can I feel confident they're gone?

cepheus wrote: »

Hi

I've suspected rats or mice in the house for some time after hearing scratching in the attic and seeing various bags getting ripped in two food cupboards. A few days ago I noticed some gaps and entry points in the back of the cupboards so I repaired them thinking the rat would go away. Some hope!

Last night I heard loud scratching, at first I assumed it was my neighbour doing some woodwork! Looking today I can see a large hole a few inches high in the back of the cupboard as if the plywood has been chewed through. An entire bag of noodles was dragged part way through with all but a few scraps missing!

So what's the best solution? Do councils still deal with this, or do we pay a pest control company, or do it myself with poison or rat traps?

I have a sonic deterrent for cats if that's of any use. I don't think my Labrador will be much use since it's a fitted cupboard and I've never seen anything. I suspects were concerned it may be getting in via the holes for the central heating pipes around the back, but it's all very cramped and could be getting in anywhere. There are no droppings and have never seen the rat.

Sounds like rats rather than mice - get a cat !
Local councils will charge,.

cepheus

I've ordered a couple of rat traps, one can go next to the hole, the other perhaps in the attic where there's plenty of scratching. I might dig out the sonic thing, and put it up there if it's still working, but not sure if it works for rats though.

another_casualty

When /if buying sonic deterrents for rats , make sure they do not effect other animals such as cats and birds. Some do .

cepheus

Damn thing has climbed into the other food cupboard without the trap and ate its way into a packet of flour! It must be a good climber to get into that 2nd cupboard which has 1 metre sides and 1/2 inch thick wood built in, but is open to the central heating area around the higher parts. It was making a hell of a racket.

I've taken the 2nd trap down from the attic and placed it in the 2nd cupboard now. It has no interest in the 1st cupboard despite the easy access at ground level to the peanut butter on the trap. Crafty devil.

I've managed to convince the landlord of the house next door to remove all the rubbish from the garden on Monday, it took a large van to shift it all.

Holty88

Hi All
First time posting so apologies if I have posted in the wrong place!

I am looking for some advice. In the past few weeks, myself and my next door neighbour can hear scratching/banging noises coming from our kitchen roofs that seems to go quiet after about 5 minutes. I've been in all today and only heard it for 5 minutes around 6:30pm.

The problem is, we are not sure exactly what it is or where they are getting in/out and haven't seen any evidence of anything other than the noises. Calling Pest control, we are told they cannot do anything unless we identify what it is which we cannot do without taking the roof apart.

HELP! Any advice appreciated as we're stuck and don't want to just ignore it.

Thanks
Holty88

David.973

So, as you can see, I have a mouse under my floorboards (I assume/hope it’s a mouse).

This isn’t uncommon in my area, I live near the docks in Sunderland and you hear about it year round.

My only issue is where mine is - under the floorboards. There’s no way (from inside of my house anyway), to get underneath without lifting carpet/tiles/Lino and then the board to get down there from within my flat, so I assume it may have come on the back of the floorboards being fixed in the communal area (I and it are both Ground floor), or one of the many holes in the boiler cupboard (from the days when we tenants could access it).

Anyway, would it be for my Housing Association to fix this or myself? Only I cannot afford the cost of ripping up floorboards, paying exterminators, etc. (replacing the carpet is no bother, however, as my dad fits them for a living and always has an off cut going spare).

Any advice on what I need to do, put in place first, etc. would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Davesnave

If the mouse is staying under the floor, what's the problem?



The only issue a mouse in that situation might give you, is if it accessed the rooms your flat, in which case you would be able to trap it.


The sounds it's making might annoy you, but if it has no food and you don't give it access to any, it will probably leave. If for any reason it can't now get out, then it will die.

DaftyDuck

I assumed it was a rescue mission....

Davesnave

David.973 wrote: »

I cannot afford the cost of ripping up floorboards, paying exterminators, etc.

On the mention of exterminators, I decided the motive was not necessarily rescue.

tacpot12

If the mouse is staying under the floor, what's the problem?

Mice are quite partial to the insulation on electrical cables, and without the insulation you might get a short-circuit which can cause a fire, so you definitely don't want mice anywhere in the house. This is not a time to live and let live.

If you put down mousetraps baited with peanut butter, the mouse/mice will find their way to them. You can use live (humane) traps if you like, but make sure you drive out into the countryside before releasing the mouse.