Clarke County, Athens-Clarke Rat Control Situation:
Dave, I just wanted to thank you so much for the great site on dealing with rats in the attic, as well as listing pest control companies that deal with rat issues. I thought I had mice in the attic, but I now think it's rats. I set two mouse snap traps almost three days ago. Early this morning, I was awakened by the sound of plastic banging in the attic. My only thought is that I've caught something, but I don't think it's a mouse. A mouse would have died instantly. Anyway, I do have a few questions for you. First, do you think the mouse trap killed the rat, or will kill it, or is it just injured? Second, any tips on safely climbing in the attic to prevent getting bit by a rat? I noticed your pics on your site about having to get into tight spaces. I would worry about encountering a rat by doing that. One last question, any tips on accessing tight areas for a tall guy? I'm 6'3" and I wasn't able to get close to the soffit area in one area of my home. The particular area has a cathedral ceiling and the roof gets closer to the rafters as you get closer to the soffit area. I attempted to move down in a particular area where I've heard noise, but my legs began cramping really bad.
Athens-Clarke Rat Control Tip of The Week
Why Using Poison Causes Dead Rats In The House
Unintended Victims:
Using poison can be quite risky as you could put your pets as well as young children at risk. If you're laying down rat poison throughout your home, it's possible that it could easily become targeted by toddlers who might be attracted to the small size and colors. Your pets could also be taking an unplanned trip to the hospital if they happen to ingest any of the rat poison as well.
It's Harmful To The Environment:
Using rat poison not only causes dead rats in the house but it's also harmful to the environment. You could end up with a predator in your home that's scavenging off of the dead rats, it could kill off some of the plant life in your area and it can lead to the chance that you might end up with other animals falling victim to the rat poison as well. Many homeowners have woken up to find a bobcat, fox, or coyote killed in their backyard from ingesting a rat that ate poison or from ingesting the poison themselves.
It Also Doesn't Solve The Problem:
Rats are finicky creatures and you might end up with just a few of them dead in the house before they communicate with one another and begin to avoid the areas where you place down poison and traps. Rather than facing ongoing difficulty with poisons and not getting all of the rats out of your home, choosing a different method could be a wise choice for making improvements for the future.
It's Often Time-consuming:
You might end up having to change out the poison or change your trap location on a regular basis just to capture a few rats. This can often be more time-consuming for you and your family.
