Fulton County, Atlanta Rat Control Situation:
Hello, I ran across your article rats in the Attic online earlier today. I have some type of critter that moved in a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was a squirrel until I read your article that said squirrels are diurnal in nature. The thing in my attic is most active around 11pm, I can hear it move around a little bit and chewing on something-it sounds like a handsaw operating, and then again about 6am when it chews much more often and much louder. Is this symptomatic of a squirrel or could it be something else? You say rats live in the attic at night, but I don't even want to say the word rat. I live in Southeast Atlanta Georgia, so I'm not sure it's a flying squirrel, and it's definitely not big enough to be a raccoon or a opossum. Any help you could offer me would be very much appreciated. Thank you!
My response: Sounds like rat activity to me. Maybe you should have a wildlife expert come out and inspect your attic. You've got to find out how the rats are getting in, and seal those areas shut with steel.
Hi, I have a rat in my mini van and I can't get rid of it. I have tried traps - they didn't work. Poison - I think this rat thrives on it . I‘ve clean the van of any food and as it is a newish van there isn't anyway to get in. Help! Minnie
David, I live in Atlanta, not near you in Orlando, but I was looking over your photos of the rats. What are you using for bait on the snap traps or does it vary? Specifically dealing with roof rats and have you used traps outside? I'm fairly sure that I have most of the roof rats (sealed all points and it's been a while) but I feel like making sure by setting a few traps. Any hints would be greatly appreciated.
I bait the traps with a thin spread of peanut butter. But the location of the traps is 10x as important as the bait. Set the traps in areas of high rat activity.
Atlanta Rat Control Tip of The Week
Best Ways To Keep Rats Out Of Your Garden
Controlling rats is the initial step in the right path, but it is not a long-term solution. Spying on rats in your home or property will increase your awareness, and there will be a need for a lot of effort focused on getting rid of them. This can reduce the population to a point, but if efforts are sustained for months and months, it will create a cyclical pattern. Once people or homeowners see fewer rats, they reduce rat-proofing efforts, then the population grows, and the problem starts again.
Tips For Handling Rats In The Garden:- Don't leave uneaten pet food outside. Keep pet food stored in plastic containers.
- Store food indoors properly, in containers, if possible. Don't leave food unattended on counters.
- The dense brush that provides shelter should be removed.
- Keep the birdseed off the ground with the help of baffles. Bird feeders should be hung away from eaves or fences that provide easy access for rats.
- Make use of a closed, contained, and secured compost process. At the very least, make sure the food scraps are out of open compost piles.
- Clean up the fruit that falls to the ground.
- Repair gaps greater than 1/4 inch around doors, windows, crawl spaces, screens, attic vents, and anywhere else holes may provide access to inside your home.
- Keep garbage in a secured plastic container with a lid.