Orange County, Anaheim Rat Control Situation:
David, I was able to find your article on rats in the walls which I think I have at my home. It is very disturbing because it is loud scratching of the walls in the mornings all different areas of the home. Do you make calls to homeowners to help find and help them with their problems? If so, what number may I call you to set something up to come to my home and help me? I have been told to call an exterminator. Thank you in advance, Sharon
David - I have been looking at your site and am very impressed. I live near the water in dense vegetation and have an ongoing rat problem. I have tried plenty and your site mirrors what to do and not to do. I have just spent 2 full days sealing the underfloor area of my house and am about to close off some air-conditioning pipe ducting. I would like to put a one-way funnel on the last access point for a few days before I then seal it off completely. Hopefully to help any unwanted residents to depart. I am wondering what size opening you have been using on your one way funnels? I know this is a difficult question, but any sort of guide will help.Traps are awkward for me as I have roofspaces that are inaccessable to humans without wall removal. Thanks so much. Stephen Anaheim CA.
Hi David, I have at least one rat in my ceiling with no way to get to it short of cutting through the drywall. I have a suspicion how they're getting in, and want to close it up, but I'd like to do so when the chances are greatest that he's out looking for water or whatnot. Is there a time of day or night when it's most likely that he'll be out? I live in Los Angeles where the weather is dry and increasingly warm. Thanks, Craig
Anaheim Rat Control Tip of The Week
Why Don't Repellents Work Well To Get A Rat Out Of The Attic?
The urgent need for people to get rid of rats in their attic has made many consider humane removal methods apart from trapping and killing, one of which is the use of repellents. But here is the question! Do repellents work in getting rats out of attics?
The main idea of a repellent is to make the environment unsuitable for rats. This is achieved by using several techniques such as, scents and sound emissions. Although there is a wide range of repellents to choose from, the fact is that the use of repellents might not give you the kind of result that you desire in the long run. It might help keep them away for a while, but when the effects of the repellents subside, they will come back.
Let's take a look at some supposed effective rat repellents and how they were designed to work. With this, you will have a clear picture of the result you might get when you choose to use repellents to get rid of the rats in your attic.
Scent repellents are one of the most common repellents that are readily available in stores. This repellent is designed to use intense scent to either irritate or nauseate the rats. When used the first time, this might help repel the rats as intended. But with time, these rats will get used to this scent and will tend to stay until they get accustomed to it.
Another commonly used rat repellent is mechanical repellents. Apart from being ineffective, they are also very expensive. These repellents are designed to use sound and light waves to repel rats in the attic. This will also not give the desired results simply because rats are intelligent animals and will figure out that the mechanism can't cause any harm to them.
Having realized this, the best thing you can do to repel rats in your attic is by making it less appealing to them. This can be done by cleaning out the trash and making sure there are no hiding places for the rats.