Shelby County, Memphis Rat Control Situation:
Hello, I have read your website thoroughly, and I have to say i am impressed. I firmly believe your method of sealing all entries and exits is the best way to go. My question is regarding sealing all entries with sheet metal. I was wondering if insulated foam in a can is effective as well? Obviously they can chew on it, but do you think they would chew ALL the way through it? Im only considering the foam because using sheet metal in the attic would be extremely time consuming and difficult to install in certain areas. Thanks. Any advice is greatly appreciated
Hello. Found your site on web. Great info! Got rats in attic. Put out big victor rat snap traps. Catching rats nightly. However, many times the trap is sprung but no rat. Also, last week I caught a small rat and decided to dispose of it next morning. When I went back into attic the next morning, the dead rat was gone... This is spooky as I think something is taking the dead rats out of the traps during the night. (Traps will be sprung, and moved a few feet away from original placement site). We have a cat, but don't think he's getting up there. Do rats eat dead rats? Or maybe the rats are too big to be caught by the Victor snap traps? Any help or insight appreciated. I live in an affluent suburb east of Memphis.
Hi, my name is Bianca i will like to know how much will you charge to kill all these living rats or mice in my house. There really such a disturbance especially because i am pregnant and i want a clean eenvironment for my child.. can u please give me a reply back i will be glad. How can I get rid of mice in my house? I have mice droppings everywhere - I've set traps with cheese - the cheese disappears - no mice in trap. Looking forward to your response. Thank you.
Memphis Rat Control Tip of The Week
Dealing With A Rat Infestation In Your Attic
Black Rats are small rodents that are common in almost all areas across the United States, and because of their smaller size they are considered to be less of a threat and a pest than Norway rats, their larger cousins. However, rats also carry a range of different diseases and can also pose a health risk to you and your family, so if you do find an infestation, it is worth dealing with is promptly. Rats are also good climbers, so finding them nesting in your attic is not uncommon.
Identifying That You Are Dealing With Rats Rather Than Other Pest Animal Species
The first step to dealing with an infestation is to ensure you are dealing with rats, as the sounds of scratching from the attic can sometimes be other animals such as rats, squirrels or even raccoons. The best way of identifying that it is rats you are dealing with is to check on any rat feces that you can find. These small pellets of poop should be significantly smaller than rat droppings, and will be around the size of a small grain of rice, and is black when fresh, turning brown and then grey after some time.
Precautions Before Carrying Out Rat Control Work
Going into a confined space where pest animals are present can be dangerous as there are often diseases that can be transmitted by rats. Wearing long sleeved clothing and gloves will help protect you from any nips from animals and also prevent direct contact with feces of urine. Another smart precaution is also to wear goggles and a breathing mask, as some diseases transmitted by rats can become airborne, and can then prove to be a dangerous problem if those airborne particles are then inhaled.
Laying Traps To Catch Rats
By far the most common and affordable way of dealing with a rat infestation in the attic is to lay traps to catch the little animals. The standard snap traps on a wooden base are cheap to buy and just as effective as more expensive options, and can be re-used, which is particularly useful if you have a larger rat infestation to deal with. When laying traps in the attic, make sure to lay them near the areas where you see the greatest buildup of rat feces, and also near any entry points they may be using to get in and out.
Removing Carcasses And Monitoring The Rat Problem
Once you have laid the traps, the next step is to monitor all of the traps over the next few days, to see how effective the traps are at dealing with the problem. With any rat carcass, you can simply bag it and place it in the garbage, or it can also be incinerated as well if you have the facility. Keep re-setting the traps and continue to monitor until you are no longer seeing any signs of rat activity and you are no longer catching any rats in your traps.
Repairs Required After A Rat Infestation
The key step to take after catching and dealing with all of the rats is to seal the attic, as they will often have several entry points to help them get in and out of the area. These should all be sealed using metal flashing or a suitable filler to prevent other rats from being able to get back into the area again. You should also try to remove any feces that you can, and if insulation is heavily soiled then that should also be replaced. One wise precaution is also to fumigate the attic after your repairs, to kill off any remaining bacteria or other particles that could be harmful to anyone going into the attic in the future.
