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
Are rats comfortable in cold weather?
As winter arrives, the cold increases, and the consequences of this change in weather are vast. Animals like rats will look to survive during these times. The principal necessity for them to be comfortable in these temperatures include refuge and food.
People's homes are perfect for rats to shelter from the cold. They are designed to give the security and benefits needed for a warm environment. As the cold increases, the rat's muscles start tensing, lowering their immune system to the point of making them more likely to get sick.
People and rats living in the same house are a bad combination
The danger of getting diseases is caused by the accumulation of feces that promotes bacteria development all over the house.
These microorganisms produce very dangerous diseases and infections, among them, the best known for its severity is leptospirosis that is caused by ingesting food contaminated with rodents' urine and feces.
The structural damage that living with rats can cause
Damages caused by rats are attributed by the capacity of their jaws to gnaw. They gnaw on materials like wood, plastic or even cables that, despite being hard, these are not an impediment for their teeth. During colder temperatures, their metabolism needs more energy to stay warm.
Among the activities to obtain this energy are eating and gnawing. On many occasions, this can cause dangerous accidents, such as fires thanks to short circuits caused by bitten cables. Economic losses can range from a pair of shoes to the entire house.
Living together with rodents is harmful for your health and bank account. You should know that when winter arrives, the rain and cold will make them find refuge, so you have to take preventative measures as a defense weapon against this urban plague.
