Suffolk County, Boston Rat Control Situation:
Halo David, I`ve checked your website. Thanks for sounding very sensible! I`m desperate here - I moved near Boston MA nearly a year ago and i`m sharing with a friend, an old cottage = mice, and sheds = rats. At the moment there is a bit of scratching in the house, now and again, but no chewing marks or droppings in the kitchen, although I leave a packet of biscuits available deliberately - to find out if we have a visitor ( and we caught 6mice last winter.) And the mouse traps are set and empty. Having said so there are in-between the walls cavities where the mice are not accessible.. The HUGE problem, though, are the sheds and the messy yard - just perfect for rats. I`m desperate, I`ve just spent most of the day de-cluttering one of them, which made me sick - the mess, the stench and the rat droppings... I`ve no clue how to deal with the problem. I have two dogs, so any kind of poison is out of the question. I am going to tidy this place, but I`m on a low budget so I must rely on myself which will take time. Nevertheless, the main issue is: IF i get rid of the rats, what to do NOT to get them back?! there are fields (cultivated for crops), hedges, walls, nooks and corners everywhere.. One of the sheds is new, wooden and on the concrete floor but i must rat-proof it and I don`t know how. The other one should be demolished but it belongs to my mate, and he needs it so all I can do is to help keep it neat. David, drop me a line, please, any kind of support will be a bonus after my today`s "adventures"... Kind regards, maya
My response: You've already done a good job by starting to clear out the clutter. But to keep them out of the cottage, you've got to find and seal the entry holes shut. Don't worry about how many rats and mice are outside. Inspect the house and find out how the rodents are getting inside. Seal up every single last entry/exit hole and gap with steel. Trap, properly trap on rat runways, ALL the rats, and remove them from the house. Clean up the attic space or home once they are all gone for good.
Boston Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Materials Can Rats Chew Through?
A rat problem in the home can be a genuine headache for individuals to manage. Rats can pollute food supplies when they get into kitchens, and they can spread sicknesses to people through bites if they feel threatened. They can destroy furniture and chew through most materials in the house. Rats can bite through nearly anything, and they reproduce quickly within short time frames. This implies one pregnant rat can easily lead to numerous rats. This isn't acceptable because all of the potential health hazards associated with rats, and the harm they can cause to property and belongings can cost you a lot of time and cash.
One of the most striking facts about a rat's teeth is the way their incisors grow constantly! Imagine having a couple of front teeth that keep growing long and strong all through your lifetime. Rats need to chew through a wide range of materials to wear their teeth out. Otherwise, their teeth will grow too long, making it impossible for them to eat or close their mouths, ultimately killing them. So, what exactly do they like to chew through?
Rats' Favorite Things To Chew
Rats chew constantly. This can be a frustrating discovery for a homeowner, particularly one who has exhausted all endeavors attempting to keep rats out. We've listed some of the most common and frequent items that rats like to chew on:- Wood
- Cement
- Plastic
- Brick
- Aluminum
- Lead
- Cinder Blocks
- Asbestos
Although rats can bite through some quite strong materials, there are still ways to block the rats from coming inside.