Cobb County, Marietta Rat Control Situation:
Hello David, I just happened upon your website and found it to be the most informative site of any I've seen regarding rat infestation. Everything you said makes sense to me. My problem involves rats in my crawl space (under my house) over that past 5 years. It continues to be an absolute nightmare. In 2008, they did so much damage that it was necessary to do a complete restoration ($3,500) and since then, I've had no insulation under my house for fear that they will start nesting in it again. For over two years now, it's been a constant problem and no one has been able to get it under control. I'm on a regular maintenance program with a pest control company (Alpha Ecological) and they told me I have the worst infestation of any customer they've ever dealt with! It seems the rats are mostly burrowing in from a distance and coming up under the vapor barrier. (I have an adjoining neighbor who's backyard is a mess and my pest control guy found evidence of rat holes and bird feeders, but the neighbor is doing nothing to combat the situation because he said he's never seen a rat.) There is a bait station in my crawl space now, and it sounds like that should be removed. I also have three traps set up down there. But I'm wondering if I need to take more drastic measures like cementing the crawl space which would cost a fortune, and I'm not sure how effective that would be? It's so depressing, my real estate person won't even list my house until this problem is resolved. I don't really want to move, but am so depressed over hearing the relentless activity, it's makin' me crazy. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I left a message with the wildlife person in my area that was listed on your site. (Alpharetta GA/Cobb County) Thanks so much for your time and offering your knowledge!
Marietta Rat Control Tip of The Week
Why Do Pest Control Companies Do A Bad Job With Poisons When It Comes To Removing Rats?
Aside from not being able to get all the rats, there are many reasons why we don't feel satisfied when a pest control company uses poison in removing rats. At times, things end up worse than they were, with other issues coming up. Using poison on rats brings about more jobs for you as a homeowner.
Think of the poisoned rats that die in the open - what happened to them? The poisons used by pest control companies lead to massive internal bleeding. The affected rodents often end up bleeding out and dying anywhere the poison takes full effect. Imagine getting rid of the rat, and later having to deal with a bloody rat lying on your kitchen counter or your carpet?
This makes you feel like the pest control company has done an incomplete job. You will be forced to put on your gloves, grab a collection tool, and a plastic bag to collect the dead rats.
Aside from that, there might be some blood splotches to clean up. This needs to be done properly, as they pose a health risk to the household. After going through all this, you are faced with the problem of how to safely get rid of the bag - having a dead and decaying rat in your dumpster may bring other kinds of pests. You end the rat infestation with poison only to start a different problem with different pests.
Aside from the stress that comes with cleaning up after a dead rat, what happens if the rat does not eat the pest control company's poison? They can't force the rats to eat it.
When the rats do not eat these poisons, it can harm anything else that comes in contact with it including, children, pets, and other wildlife creatures.
Using rat poison as a method to remove rats leaves you wondering, is such a precarious pest control method worth it?