Marion County, Indianapolis Rat Control Situation:
Hello David, I have been reading the information that you have on line about squirrels in the attic. We have something in our attic and cannot figure out what it is, nor have we been able to trap it, nor has it been caught in a rat trap. I hear this creature or creatures ??? during the day, as well as at night. There does not seem to be a particular favorite time that they move around. Perhaps the morning is very quiet, and there is more activity in the afternoon and evening. My bedroom is quite a distance from the area that we hear this creature in, so I would not hear it at night even if it is moving around a lot at night.
I mostly have heard scratching in the walls, and at one point did hear a big thud. The odd thing about this creature is this. We set a live trap with peanut butter in it, and what ever it is carried large pieces of insulation inside the trap to cover the peanut butter. Like really large- maybe a 6 X 6 inch piece. We feel the trap was not set properly because it did not shut. Next day we put meat in it, thinking it may be an animal that would want meat like an opossum. All this time our rat traps have remained in place but this creature DAILY overs all the traps with insulation....without getting caught. We have not seen anything enter or leave. We found one area that is gapping between he house and fascia but only maybe a 3" opening. We do know for sure that there is enter way at the garage floor. We will put foam insulation in those areas this weekend to hopefully stop rats or whatever it is up there from entering and will continue our trapping efforts. We live north of Indianapolis IN in the country on one acre. Our house is 7 years old; made of brick.
By my description, do you have any idea what we might be dealing with, and any suggestions on how to catch this creature? I appreciate all the info your web site; I just cant find anything that remotely sounds like what we have going on with this creature attempting to bury the traps with insulation. Many thanks for any advice. Jill
Why don't you have a wildlife expert inspect the house and attic in order to determine what the animal is? It could be raccoons or opossums, not necessarily rats. The feces and tracks in the attic, and the nature of the entry holes should tell you what animal you're dealing with.
Indianapolis Rat Control Tip of The Week
The Reasons Why So Many Rats Live In Big Cities
Since ancient times, rodents have noticed how humans have created comfortable dwellings that in turn often house large amounts of food. The invasion of people's homes and privacy by rats is due to their constant search for shelter and food.
Rats can chase man wherever he goes, in order to continue to benefit. These animals can have a great capacity to adapt to the different environments humans live in. The rodent's diet consists of anything and to get it they can gnaw, climb, jump, run, and even swim.
A Big City To Share
With the settlement of large cities, human beings have grown in population and their consequences on the planet too. The environmental pollution of large cities represents a serious danger caused by people themselves. However, for rats, it has represented the peak of their population growth rate.
Human beings transporting themselves from one place to another, wherever they go, will take the rats along with them, having to share their cities. These animals have become pests to many people because it is exactly in the habitats of humans that they find the perfect conditions to live comfortably.
The More Garbage, The More Rats
Rodents can be phobic animals, that is, they fear new places and prefer to move through the same paths their whole lives. The exploratory and inquisitive instinct that characterizes rats is due to their need to survive in the absence of shelter. Rodents consume one-fifth of the world's food supply each year. The garbage dumps in big cities, day after day, are filled with new food remnants that provides rats with everything they need to survive.
Today, it's very likely that you'll come across a rat in any city in the world. However, people take care of their homes by being advised by professionals who teach them ways to combat this urban pest.
