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
Will Rats Come Out When It's Light?
Rats are living beings with a negative phototropism. Daylight often affects them, leading them to be most active when it's dark out. Most rodents are characterized by going out during evenings when there is dim light or at night.
This habit of being active at night is very useful when combined with the instinct of going unnoticed. Rats that live in underground places like sewers can suffer retinal damage when they surface in broad daylight. The discomfort to their vision does not allow them to carry out the necessary daily survival activities.
Light is an abiotic environmental factor that can have a major impact on animal behavior and physiology. Rats adapt better to darkness because it can be very comfortable. It is believed that rats have dichromatic color vision and light is often a very important environmental signal for regulating circadian cycles and reproduction cycles.
Fear Of Light Or Fear Of Death?
Rats are one of the most successful invasive species in the world, they can adapt to almost any environment. These animals perceive light as dangerous. The light rays can make rodents feel somewhat exposed to predators or even vulnerable to people who will want to exterminate them no matter what it costs.
A Messy And Damp Place Is Ideal
Abandoned buildings, homes with cracks in the walls, or sewers, often have an abundance of dark places. A home with little light is ideal for living; it is perfect for rats to make their nests without having to expose their small offspring to being eaten by other animals.
Professional exterminators often use this information about the light phobia of rats in their preventive or extermination plans. The ultimate goal is to prevent these rodents from making their dens in or near people's homes.
