Rat invasion.. Ideas anyone

[tahleel]

A big part of this rat problem comes from the two neighbors behind me. Strange, they maintain their homes and front yards but the backyards are a wilderness host for vermin.

Today, my huband insists on sealing their tunnel. The ingress is where a slab foundation addition adjoins the original house. I wanted to get rid of them first but I'll go with the flow. Any dead vermin in the house he gets to dispose of.

I am kicking myself because I went to the hardware yesterday for assorted items and forgot to look for electronic gizmos that were recommended.

Thanks all!

I highly doubt the plug in things work. Infact, I've read articles where it proved that they don't. What does work is the Victor electronic mice trap. But then again, its for mice, I don't think the hole is big enough for rats.

-Tahleel

[sumas]

Okay, I give up. I am going to hire a service Monday. This is just nuts. Did everything right and still have this problem.

[grumpyoldlady]

Just so you know, most cats have enough sense not to try to tangle with a rat. Cats love to hunt mice, but rats are more than the smart ones will tackle. Rats aren't scared of cats. We had rats sharing a feed pan in our barn with the cats at the same time. And when we walked into the barn...4 feet from them, they didn't budge.

[sumas]

Talked to a friend who lives near the river. She had a racoon problem in her attic. She live trapped them and took them to the country. What is somewhat amusing is she borrowed the traps from my son. Small world. Apparently his company uses them in their large old downtown office building.

Cleaning out the garage isn't an option, half my life is out there. I used PODS for storage for about 3 years but at $229 a month it seemed a waste of money. PODS are high on my list of crappy companies. Supposably they pick up any where and deliver anywhere. The local affliate would not deliver to Detroit. Had to unload our POD in GPP and truck it here. Still annoyed.

So here is my game plan. Cement the ingress, set live traps, insist no food is stored in the fruit cellar and pray that the little buggers don't come back.

[Pam]

Cleaning out the garage isn't an option, half my life is out there

What if you at least got things off the floor and up on steel shelves? That might help.

[sumas]

That's good advice. I don't have steel shelves but did get rid of matresses, upolstered chairs etc. Most of my stuff is stacked on wood tables and wooden things.

[jiminnm]

We've had success with the Rat Zapper, at least with an occasional intruder. Not sure how it would work with a larger scale infestation.
http://www.ratzapper.com/

[rubyholiday]

i hate to tell you but they do not work on rats but small mice yes it does work ! i use to own the old tavern on the park on the corner of grand circus & woodward /formerly the flaming embers or flame grill.. we had a horrible problem they were the size of a large rabbit ..

[rubyholiday]

the thing that i did find that works they hate mint or peppermint !!!!!!!!

[sumas]

Did you just scatter it loose at your foundation. Do I use fresh or dried ? Funny you jogged my memory. Years back I had a customer with beautiful gardens. I had the account for years. One year some critter was eating the Liatris. I did a little research for organic control. I used mint scattered and the munching stopped.

[larrym]

Why is someone concerned about killing the rats? Why just chase them to someone elses place? Electrocute them, trap and move them? WTF????

[MikeM]

Agreed. There's a reason why they're called rats.

[Det_ard]

So let me get straight:

You've accidently provided a place for rats to live and breed.
You don't want them around your house
You're aware they harbor dozens of diseases that harm humans
You have some philosophical objection to killing rats
Your plan is to keep them out of your house and drive them away [[to the closest neighbor with a rat-vulnerable house)

The neighborly thing to do would be to put aside your qualms and exterminate the rats. Instead, you're putting your personal desire to be "kind to animals" ahead of your concern for your fellow man's health and welfare.

If you found some lead-contaminated soil in your yard would you just toss it over the fence into your neighbor's yard? That's essentially what you're doing by being so obsessed with your selfish desire to feel good about not harming the rats, fellow man be damned.

[sumas]

It is a shame people don't read posts thoroughly. Let me make this clear, I want them out of my house before I bait. When I had this problem two or three years ago we baited. It is disgusting to come downstairs in the AM to make coffee and step on a dead one. One died in the pipes and the back of the house stunk for a month. Second I have a dog who will eat anything.

[sumas]

De-tard, I asked for advice not a lecture. You sound like you pull wings off of flys because they are pests too.

I invite you to write letters to the two neighbors behind me that are rat factory breeding grounds. I'll provide their addresses. The one hasn't cut grass in years. There is a jungle of weeds and junk trees. The other house has been empty for twenty years and the heir made no attempt to sell. He did however get the brilliant idea to lay down junk carpet so as not to have to mow. Those carpets have been out there rotting for 19 years. Both have derelict garages. Are these the neighbors you're talking about?

[Eastside]

Hey Sumas--

Perhaps I can help on this. Please send me the addresses by using the "private messages" option.

Thanks

[sumas]

Thanks Eastside, I don't know how to private message. Here is my email address sueview2@sbc global.net. The front of the houses both get cut. I tried getting the houses cited for ordinance violations for the backyards but didn't seem to have any luck. Maybe because it does not abut an alley.

Best to see this mess from my backyard. Email me or give me simple instructions on how to Private message to discuss. I'll get the addresses tomor
row. They are on Grayton. They are a must see to believe.

One neighbor next door to the north with a beautiful house and yard keeps bait in her garage. I know because she told me. We are not currently baiting. Everytime she get a dead rat in her yard she informs us its our rat and we need to remove it. We do it because she is a widow who lives alone. It's her bait killing the suckers but it is some how our problem?

This is a city and country wide problem. I have no intention of abrogating responsibilty, I just want them out of my house first.

[Eastside]

Hey Sumas-

Send me a private message as follows.

Click on my name "Eastside" and you'll get a drop-down box. Click on the one that says, "Send a private message to Eastside". Enter your message and I'll grab it on this end.

[sumas]

Hey Eastside,

Thank you for the tip on PM's. Wrote a nice long note only to find out PMs can only be short notes. Let me know if anything came through to you. Addresses on Grayton are 3890 & 3882. If not send me an email.

I actually have a hilarious plan to get them out of the house first. Shared it with family and friends on Thanksgiving late in the evening after a few glasses of wine. My niece, a Detroit Police officer begged me to wait until her day off so she could tape my plan in action.

All funning aside, I did some minor baiting in the house [[remember I have a dog). Sure enough I go to the basement to do wash and almost step on a dead one. This is exactly what I am trying to avoid. I do not like live or dead encounters.

I am setting my plan in action on Sunday.