Guilford County, Greensboro Rat Control Situation:
I am having a problem with Nordic Rats in my chicken coop. Over the last year, I have caught 7 skunks (live trap), 1 possum (live trap), 10 rats (1 in live trap, and 9 in rat traps), 4 robins and one chicken (my own dumb animal). The rats are getting into the coop and eating the chicken food. So at night I cover the food box and turn on the night camera. A photo of last nights problem and a previous one are attached. I have many photos of them, even sequential ones of them digging a tunnel into the coop. What you see in the photo are two sticky pads (total 11" wide) with him (12" body) in front of the hole he made into the chicken coop at the corner. I have put gopher gassers in the holes twice, but unsure how successful I have been. They have dug tunnels all around and under the completely wired coop. They even have chewed through the wire. I have concreted in many of the tunnels, but they dig around them. I set 9 rat traps at night, with apple and peanut butter. Usually they ignore them for the first night or two, then they all get set off, sometimes I get lucky and get one, but usually, they are just sprung. The apple is tied on and the peanut butter is under the flapper. I am almost at my wits end on how to eliminate them. I have tried one exterminator and told him to pack it up after a month of absolutely nothing. They filled his traps with soil from their excavation. They have even filled my live trap with soil during their excavation. So I am looking for someone that is ready to meet the challenge and help me solve the problem.
Greensboro Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Is The Largest Size A Rat Can Get To Be?
With an average lifespan of about 2 - 3 years, some species of rats can grow as large as 4 pounds. But on average, almost all rats are bigger than mice. Also, the size of a rat fairly depends on the specie and the sex of the rat. Male rats usually are larger than females. They have a longer body frame with tails as long as their body and can grow as big as 2 lbs.
Domesticated rats usually do better when it comes to size mainly because they are provided with all they need to grow properly and healthily. For pet rats, an adult rat can grow to a length of 9 to 11 inches with a tail length of 7 to 9 inches. If properly managed, some large species of rats can even grow as long as 20 inches. It all depends on how well the rats are being managed and taken care of.
One of the most fascinating thing about rats is that having a large body size doesn't mean they won't be able to pass through small openings and enter into your home. Rats can compress their body in order to be able to pass through small openings. Provided the opening is wide enough to allow the easy passage of its head, it will pass through. Therefore, you shouldn't consider the fact that the rats in your neighborhood are too big to gain access to your home through small openings. Instead, you need to seal all small openings up as soon as possible to avoid a rat infestation.
When it comes to rats with large sizes, the Bosavi woolly rat is one of a kind. This specie of rat can weigh up to 3.5 lbs. and grow as long as 32 inches. Although, this particular specie of rat can only be found in volcanic caves.