I live in an old Victorian house. Now that it is getting cooler rats have become a problem. I have a big pit bull that is sweet to people but hates cats, so the obvious solution is out. And poison is out because of my dog as well. What are my options? These rats have got to go!
If you can get a large amount of rosemary from the bulk food section of a store take and burn it in a frying pan. Take the burnt rosemary and put in your crawl spaces etc. Rodents hate the odor and will leave people did this during the middle ages because of the plague that was spread by the fleas on the rats. Coke and alka seltser also work as safe for pets and children poisons.. You can also make a very effective trap out of a five gallon bucket, two small boards, and some heavy duty plastic wrap. Tightly cover the top of the bucket with plastic wrap, cut a slit in the middle. Put some peanut butter or cat food in the bucket, then put the bucket where you see the most rats, and put the two boards on either side of like a ramp.
Being careful that they go only to the edge of the bucket so the rats have to walk on the plastic wrap they will fall into the bucket and be trapped. From here you can either drown them in the bucket or the most humane method would be to put the bucket inside a large black garbage sack, tie it around your cars tail pipe and run for ten minutes or so. This will put them to "sleep" from carbon monoxide poisoning and they will have a painless death. I have lived for many years in a big Victorian ranch house and we get lots of mice and field rats and this is what I do. Also set rat traps (bigger than mouse traps) in places your dog can't get to them close to walls, under furniture, the sink etc. Check at least twice a day and reset. You should get rid of most of your problem.
Carol, Please do NOT waste your money on those riddex things that you plug into the wall. They don't work! I haven't had rats or mice in years. I use the same thing my mother always used. Take some coca-cola classic and pour in mayonnaise lids and put underneath your cabinet sink and around in the kitchen and bathroom. This works and there is a reason why it does so well. When you down a coke...what's the 1st thing you feel like doing? You burp. well, rats and mice don't have the capacity to burp or pass gas so after they drink the coke it creates gas in their stomachs, and their insides explode. I hope this helps. Beverly (Havana, AR)
After catching an episode one of the show "Verminators" I think I would call a professional. It was an older possibly Victorian home and they chewed through the wiring and caused several fires in the attic. Seems like nothing to mess around with. They used traps mostly as the homeowners were vegans.
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Request: Getting Rid of Rats (10/22/2009)
Could someone help with advice on how to get rid of rats? A friend has rats that she cannot get rid of and now Mrs. Rat has had eight little baby rats!
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Request: Getting Rid of Rats
Archived on 10/22/2009
Could someone help with advice on how to get rid of rats? A friend has rats that she cannot get rid of and now Mrs. Rat has had eight little baby rats! My friend also has dogs so the advice needs to be pet safe.
Thank you! Kind regards, Carol from Pretoria SA
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RE: Getting Rid of Rats
Dry plaster of paris in a small dish with a couple of drops of vanilla essence underneath to attract the rats. They will (in theory) be attracted by the smell of the vanilla essence and eat the dry powder mix of plaster of paris. Upon becoming thirsty they will go for a drink of water, setting the plaster of paris rock hard in their digestive system and as a result kill them. Simple and cheap! (09/01/2006)
By Randy Rhoads
RE: Getting Rid of Rats
Traps in a box...
I know a mouse trap can fit into the average shoe box, but you may need something larger for a rat. But place a rat-trap in a box with a hole big enough for a rat, but not a dog. If the box is accessible, you may wish to affix the trap on the backside of the box so that the dog can not even reach into the box far enough to trip the trap.
You can attach the trap by putting two small holes in it rather close together and then put two holes in the box (that match) and use a twist-tie to bind it. (09/01/2006)
Please consider using humane traps. They are easily found on the internet. Your local humane society, vet, or animal control office may have them available for you to borrow. (09/01/2006)
RE: Getting Rid of Rats
For our home and my husband's shop, we use "Just One Bite Bars" (or packets-you don't have to handle). These ARE NOT pet friendly, but we use them in our attic and never have rats. They are named just one bite because that's all it takes. It makes them hemorrhage. Be sure to use gloves to handle the bars as you put them out or get the packets and you won't have to handle them. I buy this product at our local farm and garden store. Just keep it in the attic away from your pets. It will take care of your problem. (09/01/2006)
Carol, my way is to use Tumble- Dryer Fabric Conditioner Sheets! Odd as it sounds, these impregnated sheets if placed in the runs and nesting sites of vermin will cause them to turn tail and disappear for about six months when you should repeat the process. Don't ask me how or why, it just seems to work, without harming anyone. (09/01/2006)
My husband was told to use peppermint oil, you soak cotton balls in it and place in any crawl spaces, attics, opens. We heard that rats hate the smell and will move out . We just did this a couple of days ago and will know soon if it really works. Wish us luck, I hate rats. (11/04/2006)
By cindy nichols.
RE: Getting Rid of Rats
Go to Walmart, buy fox pee. Spray it on the wood in the attic. They think the fox is around, and run away. (02/04/2009)
