Serious replies only. I need advice on how to catch and kill rats

[BudAshes]

I agree with this. I used glue traps once and am very remorseful for the suffering I inflicted on one hapless mouse. Never again.

Even worse we had harmless alligator lizards get caught in some. Felt bad when I had to put them out of their misery. Stupid ass Orkin put them down after I told them not to use them. Fired their asses and got someone competent to come in after that.

 

[highland145]

I agree with this. I used glue traps once and am very remorseful for the suffering I inflicted on one hapless mouse. Never again.

Agree if people just toss 'em in the trash. That's what a BB gun is for. Stopped using them in my shop when I caught a skink that I had to shoot. I want them around.

edit: Except for the 12' one.

 

[HenryC]

Agree if people just toss 'em in the trash. That's what a BB gun is for. Stopped using them in my shop when I caught a skink that I had to shoot. I want them around.

edit: Except for the 12' one.

I clicked on that Amazon link earlier in the thread, clicked one of the products. Saw this:

Couple of those comments just reaffirms what I'm saying. My favourite is the "mess free" one, haha. Like sticking a furry mammal on a sheet of super glue isn't messy, as well as what they go through? What a joke!

 

[highland145]

I clicked on that Amazon link earlier in the thread, clicked one of the products. Saw this:
View attachment 11982
Couple of those comments just reaffirms what I'm saying. My favourite is the "mess free" one, haha. Like sticking a furry mammal on a sheet of super glue isn't messy, as well as what they go through? What a joke!

WTH? Snap trap after a glue trap? Why not just use a snap 1st?

I did get a rat zapper and that is effective.

 

[HenryC]

WTH? Snap trap after a glue trap? Why not just use a snap 1st?

I did get a rat zapper and that is effective.

Because these people are stupid pieces of crap. Like this fellow:

So this guy deliberately waits for them to die... for a couple of days.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Never had a rat problem but I’ve dealt with mice at two different places. Most effective trap were the old school spring loaded trap. Peanut butter & potato chips seem to be the best bait however nearly anything will work as bait.
Just be careful handling them once the spring is set they are very violent traps.

Regarding ethical kill those made a clean kill with mice. Glue traps are way too cruel, poison suck because they die somewhere you can’t get them,funky close pin like traps just maim them.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Speaking of traps, this is my attic setup: (2.0 version)



This is the 1.0 version: (retired)



Essentially I got 3 dry alarm contact points with 2 traps per point, if one trips it breaks a foil strip which opens the circuit. The old version used the copper trap itself as the switch, but it would corrode over the years from being in the attic and the resistance was really high. I had managed to get it going with various combinations of pull up/down resistors but this new version is much better. I presume the metal contacts might still corrode over time but there's more surface area. I just stick the whole thing on top of the insulation and eventually they find it. It's a pain going up the attic since I need to move the stuff out of the closet to get to the hatch so I just go when all 3 alarm points are tripped.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Speaking of traps, this is my attic setup: (2.0 version)



This is the 1.0 version: (retired)



Essentially I got 3 dry alarm contact points with 2 traps per point, if one trips it breaks a foil strip which opens the circuit. The old version used the copper trap itself as the switch, but it would corrode over the years from being in the attic and the resistance was really high. I had managed to get it going with various combinations of pull up/down resistors but this new version is much better. I presume the metal contacts might still corrode over time but there's more surface area. I just stick the whole thing on top of the insulation and eventually they find it. It's a pain going up the attic since I need to move the stuff out of the closet to get to the hatch so I just go when all 3 alarm points are tripped.

Holy nerd project!

Have you had the outside of your house sealed?
If you haven’t bring a professional in, totally worth the money they’ll find openings you never will think of.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Holy nerd project!

Have you had the outside of your house sealed?
If you haven’t bring a professional in, totally worth the money they’ll find openings you never will think of.

They can fit in a hole the size of a pencil. I have no idea how they're getting in. Issue is I get like 1-2 per year so every time I block something and think "maybe that's where they're coming in!" I have to wait a year to find out.

I suspect it's something to do with the roof, because they only get in the attic and no where else in the house. When I went up there everything seems well sealed, but it's hard to tell, they could very well be squeezing in between the shingles and finding a gap in the sheathing or something.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

They can fit in a hole the size of a pencil. I have no idea how they're getting in. Issue is I get like 1-2 per year so every time I block something and think "maybe that's where they're coming in!" I have to wait a year to find out.

I suspect it's something to do with the roof, because they only get in the attic and no where else in the house. When I went up there everything seems well sealed, but it's hard to tell, they could very well be squeezing in between the shingles and finding a gap in the sheathing or something.

check the corners of you house especially if it vynal or something over old siding. Corner of foundation is easy to climb and the space between old siding and new is large enough to them the run thru.

 

[Red Squirrel]

check the corners of you house especially if it vynal or something over old siding. Corner of foundation is easy to climb and the space between old siding and new is large enough to them the run thru.

It's all brick. I suspect what is happening is they can climb it, and then squeeze between the brick and the J channel of the soffit. I keep meaning to go caulk all of that to see if it helps but since this problem happens so seldomly I just never think of doing it until it's too cold. Caulk won't really cure right in these temps.

Another theory is they might be getting on top of the roof through other methods such as downspouts or trees, and then there might be a way in from there.

 

[PingSpike]

Speaking of traps, this is my attic setup: (2.0 version)
....

This is a cool nerd project, but I think one of those zapper traps with the "rat tail" attachment would accomplish the same thing.

I agree about them getting in. I have no idea where they are getting in, I've looked. I did seal a hole I saw one climbing in (scrambled right up a brick facade like it was nothing) and a number of other suspect holes/gaps but they persist. Mice are much better climbers than you might think.

Mine don't get in the house, they get into a space between the first and second floor and then suicide jump down into a wall cavity. Then they jump around in there until they die of thirst and stink.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Rat poison is a good solution if you don't mind finding dead rats in the walls and everywhere else...there's cleanup involved....

I suggest traps over poison where possible so you can dispose of the bodies. Just remember that infestation doesn't take long to occur and it certainly doesn't take long for the population to regenerate if you don't eliminate them totally. I think they can have babies in as few as 3 weeks....once the cycle starts, it doesn't take long for the population to take off if they have a good food supply. If you're not up to the challenge, go ahead and pay an expert to "deal with it". Might be a better use of your brother's time by making money and paying for the problem to go away.

 

[dainthomas]

My neighbor was leaving out dog food and of course rats showed up and started coming over to my yard, to the point they were running around during the day when we were out there.

I have an exterminator that comes out for ground wasps (my gf is super allergic), so I just called them and they put out a couple bait stations. Those things were gone in a few days.