Brevard County, Melbourne Rat Control Situation:
David, I have trapped 3 roof rats in the attic and have heard more this morning chewing and romping about. I have sealed all entries I to the house with exception to drain stacks on roof. I can see feces in gutters but cannot see anywhere where they could be getting into the attic. I have been working with an exterminator for two months and he's out of ideas so I was wondering what advise you may put forward. Sure would like to get rid of them for good prior to breeding season. I am in Dallas Tx area. Last December our dog caught o e in yard, this summer I caught one in shed, and I caught one in attic and pro has caught two ... But like I said there appears to be more. We have a two story stucco house in Melbourne FL. Over the past 3 years I have caught at least 30 mice in our attic, all the while searching diligently and unsuccessfully for the entry point(s). I found a few possible places and have closed them off but still catch one or two a week. I am completely stumped on this. They are only in the attic as far as I know. We do have a dryer flap-vent in a below grade window well but that leads to the basement and we don't see them there. Is there any new "scientific" way to identify entry points? Advice appreciated pls -- Matt
Melbourne Rat Control Tip of The Week
Why Don't Repellents Work Well To Get A Rat Out Of The Attic?
The urgent need for people to get rid of rats in their attic has made many consider humane removal methods apart from trapping and killing, one of which is the use of repellents. But here is the question! Do repellents work in getting rats out of attics?
The main idea of a repellent is to make the environment unsuitable for rats. This is achieved by using several techniques such as, scents and sound emissions. Although there is a wide range of repellents to choose from, the fact is that the use of repellents might not give you the kind of result that you desire in the long run. It might help keep them away for a while, but when the effects of the repellents subside, they will come back.
Let's take a look at some supposed effective rat repellents and how they were designed to work. With this, you will have a clear picture of the result you might get when you choose to use repellents to get rid of the rats in your attic.
Scent repellents are one of the most common repellents that are readily available in stores. This repellent is designed to use intense scent to either irritate or nauseate the rats. When used the first time, this might help repel the rats as intended. But with time, these rats will get used to this scent and will tend to stay until they get accustomed to it.
Another commonly used rat repellent is mechanical repellents. Apart from being ineffective, they are also very expensive. These repellents are designed to use sound and light waves to repel rats in the attic. This will also not give the desired results simply because rats are intelligent animals and will figure out that the mechanism can't cause any harm to them.
Having realized this, the best thing you can do to repel rats in your attic is by making it less appealing to them. This can be done by cleaning out the trash and making sure there are no hiding places for the rats.