Ingham County, Lansing Rat Control Situation:
I was reading your site and I am trying to find a good way to keep the pack Rats out of the engine compartment of my car. I live in the Southern part of Lansing MI and it is mostly forest. I have a carport so it is open. I have to clean out a nest in my car about every two months because of a nest. I have used the traps in the common areas and have caught about 50 rats during the summer. My question to you after reading your article is the best way for me to take care of this is put a trap under the car, I have a live trap along one wall as well as one of the Victor traps. Hope you can help.
Morning David, Am I glad to check your website!! I have a rat problem in our house. These are not just rats, theyr intellects !! Trust me !! They first started with the kitchen lower cupboard, we cleared all food items from there and now they cruise around in the living room. We have set traps, blocked all holes that may be a source of entrance, we even used poison.. one night, we set the poison under the cupboard in one of the bed rooms as my husband saw a mouse run under it. In the morning both the poison tablets were away from the cupboard as if they were trying to say" Thanks but no thanks!!" They eat away the peanut butter from traps and still survive.. I'm really sick of them and the smell is even worse... using rat exterminators is expensive and we are trying to get rid of them ourselves.. the traps we have used are the old fashioned wooden traps, those plastic type boxes, and a few other similar ones, Poison as well.. nothing works.. Need your advice ASAP
Lansing Rat Control Tip of The Week
What To Do With A Rat After It Is Caught
After successfully catching a rat, people are often faced with the issue of what to do next. There is more to removing rats in your home than just catching it. If you have caught a rat in your home, there are certain things you will have to consider before going ahead with any activity.
The first thing you will have to consider if you caught a live rat is whether to relocate the rat to somewhere far away from your home or kill it. Secondly, you will have to figure out the best way to handle the rat without having any close contact with it, so as not to put your health at risk. Lastly, you will have to make plans on how to thoroughly disinfect your home.
If you are sensitive to animals, the best way to handle this situation is to choose the humane way by relocating the rat somewhere far away from your home after catching it. But at the same time, you need to understand the fact that the rat might not survive in the new environment you intend to introduce it to. Rats are habitual and are usually accustomed to living in the environment they grow up in. When you relocate any rat you caught, it will find it difficult to feed in the new environment. In most cases, these rats don't usually survive more than a few days.
On the other hand, if you have decided to kill the rat after trapping it, it is best to kill it fast and quickly. The best way to do this is to use either a blunt object that is firm and heavy or use a fire weapon.
While doing all of these, you need to protect yourself as much as you can to avoid getting in contact with diseases and pathogens. To do this, wear a pair of gloves while handling the rat and dispose of them immediately after use.