…… What's the *Best* way to kill roof rats?

[BigFootsCousin]

With all of this rain that's been coming down here in Oregon, I've been plagued by rats in my attic the last month or so. I've killed two of them, so I know what at least is making all of the noise. And boy, are those buggers noisy!

I've got some poison outside of the house [in a trap, two different kinds], as well as next to some of my metal trashcans that I store chicken feed in. Nothing seems to have been eaten. I've also got some expensive poison trap in the attic, which doesn't seem to be getting any attention either.

I've got six traps in the attic, and have only gotten the two rats. I've also got a few of the glue pads (rat-sized) screwed down up there as well........and nothing.......

Drumming my fingers thinking of what next to try. I've already spent over a hundred [easily more] dollars just to kill the two that I did. Darn it.....

Ideas?

Thanks all,

BFC

 

[Orion Commander]

rat trap and peanut butter.

 

[JF&P]

rat trap and peanut butter.

I have rats and mice....Traps and Peanut butter work for me.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Trap and peanut butter. IF you have hundreds of them the little buggers love wheat bran, the really rough stuff, they eat it and explode.

 

[GenErik]

We had a family of them in our attic a year ago (yes , they are noisy).
We screwed traps down, placed peanut butter in them and we could hear the traps go off.
It was a satisfying sound !!
Thankfully we haven't had anymore (knock on wood).
Genny

 

[BigFootsCousin]

rat trap and peanut butter.

Yep, been using that and got my two rats with the PB. I've even 'seeded' the area directly next to the traps using a little bit of nuts and other small assorted 'crunchie-munchies' etc. They're just not hitting them at this point. Not one nut has been moved, or taken and gnawed on. Human scent problem? Smart rats now that they've seen my previous kills?

So, question: I've been using the natural PB, which is a lot oilier than normal, would that make a difference in bait attractiveness?

Dunno.......

 

[summerthyme]

So, question: I've been using the natural PB, which is a lot oilier than normal, would that make a difference in bait attractiveness?

No, but it sure is increasing your costs!! Use the cheapest stuff out there... if they can smell it, they'll find it.

Dunno if rats really worry much about human scent.. they are living in your house, after all! But if it's a worry, you could try wearing latex gloves while handling and setting them.

You need to look around for droppings and find their "runways". Sometimes, you can make a runway for them by leaning a piece of board against a wall. It gives them a hidden area to move in, which they prefer. Place your traps where they are moving around.

Summerthyme

 

[Knoxville's Joker]

the professional stuff tends to be more effective poison wise. If they are getting in the bigger thing to find is the path they are taking to get into the house and blocking it. A good outdoor cat may help if you can put up with the drama that will bring you.

 

[FireDance]

I was going to suggest a cat also. Black cats tend to be best at this for whatever reason. My black cat brings in something daily kill destroy and goes back out for more. My Maine coon simply acts like she is crazy until she kills whatever and lees interest. Then he will play with it until it flips off the porch into the shrubbery. Then he's like "oh well" and back to nothing. Just be sure you do spay neuter or you will have more cats than rats. Anyway black cat has pretty much eliminated mice problem and mole problem in about six months. BUT if you do this crate the cat at night bc the coy dogs love them as snacks. Or you could put her in the attic at night. But noise. You'd have it alright.

The Only "cat failure" I've had with her is when she finally caught this one particular mouse that we had been trying to trap for months. Nice female mouse - oh goody. Cat brings it to porch and terrorizes us with it by letting it go and recatching. Takes it down driveway and is doing same. We go to see what is going on and the mouse DOES get away and is running up the sidewalk. I grabbed a piece of pipe and had to beat it to death in the garden. Most unpleasant. Cat still waiting in the driveway. But such is life. I had unfortunately grown found of the mouse. But something had a good snack that night.

I don't know. Traps worked out here only a couple of times for us and we were following trails w them every eight feet. They're not stupid. There was one two pest control guys couldn't figure out what to do with. Haven't seen that sucker for awhile. It was almost as if we would simply have to burn the house down to get rid of it. I'd let you borrow my cat for awhile but she's a little psycho so the airline might have problems.

 

[Willow]

Long term solution is a colony of feral cats. Not a big colony...two or three will do. The key is 'feral'. Your humane society will be thrilled to find a home for some, otherwise, unadoptable felines. These cats are well accustomed to living off the land and will gladly rid your home and property of mice and rats. All you have to do is keep them caged for about two weeks to learn where home is and then turn them loose. Feed them the cheapest food you can purchase so they know that if hunting is bad they have an option....and then sit back. Rescue groups will spay/neuter and vaccinate for you so the rat patrol won't multiply and the cats themselves will never look for human companionship and never want to live in your home. A small feral colony can live in complete harmony with a home owner. The cats benefit from having some sort of shelter and an alternative food source, and the home owner benefits because the cats are always on patrol and never stop being a threat to the unwanted critters.

Willow

 

[FireDance]

Agree w Willow. Feral. My psycho cat was and still is to an extent. But she is fed regularly and still has that gotta hunt instinct. And again I say spay and neuter unless you want a MEGA colony.

 

[Publius]

Your on the right track with the traps and rats like mice like to follow along walls and good place to put a trap. I avoid using posion baits inside the house because once the buggers die somewhere you cannot get to it, it will just stink up the place until its done rotting or drys up. I have taken the posion baits and drilled a hole in the ends of the blocks and stuff penut butter into the hole and the idea is they want it but have to chew/eat the bait to get at it. You can place the posion baits out side and place a small square of scrap plywood up againt the outside of the house or sheads and they like places like that to hide and it has food or the last thing they will ever eat.

 

[FireDance]

We tried that plywood idea also. Nada. Psycho did however catch another mouse yesterday. It was in shock so was removed (from porch again) and smashed. Maybe it's the people she's scaring and has nothing to do with mice.

 

[aviax2]

Make sure they have water close by the poison, it helps to make it work.

 

[Coco82919]

we had a mouse problem. We had to clean them out then put steel wool in all the areas they were entering the garage. They can't get through it.

 

[Thunderbird]

Rats are smart, so smart it is really hard to get more than one or two by any single method. The only sure way to get rid of them is to burn the building(s). One other possible way is where they cover the whole building with a tent and then pump poison in.

 

[jehu]

Agree with the rat traps & peanut butter....


2ndary question, how do feral cats and chickens mix, particularly chicks....??

 

[summerthyme]

Feral cats and chickens...

If the cats are well established and you're just bringing in newly hatched chicks, you'll need a VERY tightly enclosed (floor to ceiling chicken wire) enclosure to keep the chicks safe in the beginning. Keep a Super Soaker squirt gun (best) or a spray bottle full of water close by, and whenever a cat shows ANY interest in the chicks, spray them, while firmly saying "NO CHICKENS!"

The BEST way to "train" predators to leave chicks alone is to keep a bantam hen or two and let them raise babies. We currently have two bantam hens I got from a neighbor a couple months ago- one of them immediately set and hatched a batch of 6 chicks. (the other one has gone missing, and is likely setting on a nest of her own). That hen has every dog and cat on the place trained to not even SEE the chicks... their obvious "nope, I don't see nothing' while chicks are pecking at their paws and eating the cat food is hilarious.

But I'll warn you that sometimes, a cat will simply decide that chicks are easy pickings, and at that point, the ONLY solution is the permanent one. We had a really nice long haired orange and white tom cat in our barn- great hunter, and I'd raised at least two hundred chicks the previous summer without him ever looking at them. Then I hatched out a batch last fall, an'd within 3 days time, he ate every pullet in the pen! He was caught red-pawed, trotting across the barnyard with a chick in his teeth, and even though we tightened the pen up, etc, he found a way to get back in again. One .22 mag later, he was no longer a threat.

And none of the other barn cats show any interest at all.

Summerthyme

 

[Just a Nurse 2]

I've read that putting out instant mashed tater flakes works, cos they eat them, the flakes expand and they explode. (Sounds gross to me, but non-toxic to the pets...