Getting rid of rats/mice (merged threads)

Silk

Mayflower10cat wrote: »

Nearly forgot - I know you can get plug-in rat & mouse repellers, might it be worth a go? Loads on t'internet when I just googled, something like this?
http://www.primrose.co.uk/advanced-rat-and-mouse-repeller-whole-house-p-36.html

Hi Mayflower,
These are a complete waste of money...can't say about rats but they certainly don't work with mice.
My Mother had a few and after trying all the usual I bought a couple for her didn't make any difference ..in fact when I went round to check a couple of days after plugging them in I noticed the mice had been having a party about a foot away from one of them with a load of droppings and chewed up veg :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Eventualy found where the mice were getting in was a bigger hole they had chewed where the supply pipe came in behind washing machine ..end of problems

ZenUK

Remove the carpet and lift up floorboards. Clean and vacuum. Do a Smoke test (canned smoke from DIY shop) to check for any leakage under the floor. Rats need less than 25mm gap to squeeze through. Fix any gaps. Do the same in the attic, clean and vacuum then smoke test etc

Avoid poison since they will die in the voids like you have already experienced. Try the electric traps with chocolate or peanut butter. Easy to maintain and they do work.

Mayflower10cat

@Silk.
Smiling....!!
I know the cat repeller version is complete p*nts. Our non-cat owning neighbours on the other side invested in some for their garden as 'someone' was pooing in their gravel path. Months later I was on watering duty whilst they holiday'd. One of our cats followed me over, passed the cat repeller, paused and had a nice wash. I finished the watering to find him rolling around right in front of the stupid thing!

nicka99

Hi all,
thanks for all the advice so far. I will go and get some wire mesh to cover the drainpipe outlets at the bottom and top.
As mentioned, we already had 2 sewer surveys - they did encounter some potential access points but they are blocked off now and rats are still moving around (although they are perhaps stuck on the inside now :eek:).
Im considering lifting the carpet and boards but having already made several holes in the wooden floor only to find nothing (dead) underneath Im a bit reluctant to lift the carpet also since it never goes down properly again.
I too came to the conclusion that the electronic repellers were no good based on mixed reviews. I did by an electronic rat killer but as yet its caught nothing. These beasts are mighty clever and wary of everything.
The smoke test sounds like an option but there are so many gaps between in the void under the floor through to the room above (between skirting & floor, radiator pipes,etc), I think I might just end up with a house full of smoke. However, Ill consider anything at the moment !
How would I locate/eliminate a hole burrowed under the house ? is a ratter dog the best way ?

Silk

nicka99 wrote: »

Hi all,
thanks for all the advice so far. I will go and get some wire mesh to cover the drainpipe outlets at the bottom and top.
As mentioned, we already had 2 sewer surveys - they did encounter some potential access points but they are blocked off now and rats are still moving around (although they are perhaps stuck on the inside now?

Hi nicka,
I've just remembered, certainly on one of the premises when they did the drains and fitted a liner they also fitted a one way trap so that stuff could go down the pipe but didn't let anything like rats up the drain ..it may be worth considering if it's a suspected way in ???

nicka99

hi silk,
yes, I have heard about these however at almost £400 Im thinking twice about it to see if the other drain fixes work first. last one was only finished yesterday. I heard rats last night but maybe they are stuck on the inside now so Ill have to reserve judgement for another week or so and see if the poison gets them.
product is 'vermend' (Im not allowed to post a link as a newbie but google will get you there)

in 2 years, Ive never seen or heard a rat outside (dead or alive), on the roof or halfway up the outside of a wall so Im inclined to think it is the drains or some other subterrenean problem but finding it remains the challenge

andygb

nicka99 wrote: »

in 2 years, Ive never seen or heard a rat outside (dead or alive), on the roof or halfway up the outside of a wall so Im inclined to think it is the drains or some other subterrenean problem but finding it remains the challenge

There is no way that you should ever see a rat on your roof, and the thought of seeing one on the outside of a vertical wall is unheard of. The reason why they can scale pipes and cavity walls, is because their entire body is in contact with two opposite sides.
I would also suggest buying a cheap, accurate air rifle, because I found that after shooting a couple, we were never bothered again.

nicka99

andy,
much as Id love to exact some revenge by shooting them, I have yet to see a single one that isnt already dead and, even then, only inside.

mart.vader

Hi, Nicka,

I haven't read all of this thread, but I fully sympathise with you. My experience is at post #654 on this thread.

I never had any luck with traps either, and had to use poison. I thought of letting a ferret loose under my floors, at one stage, I was so desperate, but I couldn't find anyone, who had one.

A tip I found to get rid of the smell of dead rat in your living areas, is to get a plant sprayer and spray a fine mist of white vinegar around, It seems to knock the smell out of the air, but the effect only lasts a few hours.

As I can't get my floor-boards up, to get rid of the overpowering stench from under the floors, I sprayed Creosote through a long tube attached to a thin plastic rod to get the nozzle into the void under the floors, and pulled it out slowly. (I assume that the creosote did not do any damage to the timbers, and the smell was an improvement.)

You might be able to stop the flies coming into your living area, by going round with a tube of mastic (you know the stuff, decorators caulk or similar) and sealing all the narrow gaps around the skirting etc. (For bigger gaps you could use expanding foam, but take care, it never comes off carpet or clothes - Flies can't get though it, but rats can chew through it easily.)

Somehow, one of the companies you have employed, must find out where they are getting in, and block it.

Good Luck !

darlowsmithson

Hi all,

I'm a television researcher working on a series called Infested for Animal Planet. We are looking for stories for the new series and I've just come across this thread with all your rodent infestation stories. If anyone is interested, I'd be keen to get in touch to hear more about your experiences.

The series, produced by Darlow Smithson Productions, tells the stories of ordinary people who have been plagued by extraordinary infestations in their homes and each story is told through personal testimony, interviews with experts and dramatic recreations. For more information and video clips from the previous series, please feel free to visit the Infested programme page on the Animal Planet website which will give you a good idea of the tone and visual style of the programmes.

If you are interested in telling us about your infestation story please email me at nida.harwood[at]darlowsmithson.com, or you can contact me at the number below.

Best Wishes, Nida

Nida Harwood
Junior Researcher / Infested!3

T: 44 (0)207 482 9670
F: 44 (0)207 222 4292
Darlow Smithson Productions