Lane County, Eugene Rat Control Situation:
Please help us! We have a rat problem at our house that has been ongoing now for years. We have killed several large rats with snap traps and set out boxes upon boxes of bait! I am at my wits end and want to burn the house down. As I type this message I am listening to one scratch in the wall, and I believe I can hear another in the ceiling above me. I had an exterminator come over today and he believes I have 2 large burrows, one under my garage and one under my shed, he feels that they may be gaining assess through the sump pump hole in my basement??? Is that possible? He set out a bunch of poison.... which I understand is a no no. We have two attics in our house and neither have interior entrance points, so it is impossible to set traps in the attic. I live in Eugene OR to be specific, do you know any rat experts in my area that you can direct me to?? I am at a point where I don't want to be in this house!
I have located the hole that it has chewed through insulation. I have an electric trap that is baited with peanut butter. I hear the darn things in the wall. Never had this problem. I am putting glue traps down tomorrow. Any other ideas? I was wondering if you could recommend a professional to get rid of rats in our attic. Somebody that will do what you mention in your awesome website ..such as Finding and sealing Entry points, guarantees removal and not coming back of rats etc. I live in Oregon thanks a lot.
Eugene Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Are The Different Sounds Rats Make When They Are In Your Home?
Chittering:
The sound of chittering is often the sound of a rat chomping or grinding their teeth against building materials in your home. This type of behavior is fairly common for rats to sharpen their teeth as well as for nest construction. If you find that a rat in your home is making a chittering noise, this could be an indication that they are building a nest and ready to have children.
Hissing:
Hissing noise is often the sound of a rat in danger or a rat that is angry. Rats can be extremely territorial and if they are in an area of another rat that has a nest or they encounter a family pet there's a chance that they could hiss. If you approach a rat and hear a hissing sound, a rat could be simply trying to assert its dominance over you.
Squeaking:
Squeaking is often a communication method that is used between rats. The process of squeaking is fairly common in mice as well as in rats. The squeaking sound can be an indication that a rat is content and it is also a fairly common way to identify rats that could be in the walls or in close areas to your location. It's often difficult to hear a squeaking sound but if you have several rats in your home it can be easier to pick up as they start to move through the walls.
Rustling:
Rustling sounds are often the process of nest construction and these can happen outside the home or inside the home as a rat drags materials to build a nest. If you notice the sound of rustling, it is crucial that you consider contacting a pest professional as you could be facing rats that are reproducing.