Clark County, Las Vegas Rat Control Situation:
Hi David, I came across your informative site and was hoping you might be able to shed some advice on a situation. I have one single solitary mouse which I've had in my house for months! This thing will not go for any baited mouse trap, from a snap trap to a RatZapper. I've tried varieties of peanut butter for bait, bacon and anything else I found suggested online. This little SOB has eaten drywall and has gnawed clothes and so far I have been unsuccessful in capturing or killing the varmint. It won't eat the warfarin (blue) or the grain colored (beige) bait blocks. I've even tried the anti-freeze with no success. I really feel frosted and hate the idea of having to spend money on a professional to eliminate one lone mouse so I'm hoping you may be able to give me a suggestion I've overlooked. Thanks, Rob Lone mouse, huh? Have you tried sealing your house shut so that it can't get outside any more? Do that, and you'll have no problem catching it. House has been sealed for almost 5 months and checked AND CONFIRMED by two different contractors. I had even taken my house security camera system and set up the cameras in the house. One mouse and only one mouse. I guess it's something you can't help me with!
Las Vegas Rat Control Tip of The Week
Do Rats Feel Pain?
Rats are one of the few animals with a developed brain and a sense of empathy. When handled with care, they can be playful and tickled. But when handled without compassion or roughly, they showcase a high level of anxiety and express their pain in a special kind of way. This clearly shows that just like every other animal, rats also feel pain.
When it comes to expression, rats express their pain in a special kind of way. They do this by slightly changing their facial appearance and making a grin that clearly shows that they are in discomfort. Apart from this, rats also show that they are in pain by narrowing their eyes, puffing out their cheeks, flattening their ears, and rhythmically increasing the size of their nose.
If you want to know if a rat is in pain or not, you will have to pay attention to its facial expressions. Since they are inaudible animals, waiting to hear them make excruciating sounds is a no-brainer. But with visual clues shared above, you will be able to know when a rat is in pain and when it is not.
Rats are sensible animals with a high level of empathy. Another way you can know when a rat is in pain without actually studying its facial expressions is when you see another rat showing concern for the isolated rat. This behavior in rats is also exhibited when one rat is wounded or ill. In situations like this, other rats will come around the indisposed rat to show their concern.
Having shared this, you can be certain that rats also feel pain. Therefore, if you notice any rat around exhibiting any of the signs above, the rat may be hurt or ill. Also, you need to understand the fact that rats are major carriers of diseases, hence you should avoid having direct contact with them.