Davidson County, Nashville Rat Control Situation:
David, Thank you for your site. Lots of great info there and very thorough. I had rats in my attic. Before I saw your site I called Orkin and they did a decent job with trapping and exclusion. It's hot in Nashville now so we have not had problems recently. Now it's time for cleanup. Wildlife Conrol quoted $4500. We can not and will not be paying that. A friend that does termite work mostly quoted $250. He proposes using his shop-vac to vaccum the droppings. I have ordered the Bac-azap for disinfecting, based on your recommendation and other reviews read online and he will also spray down the attic. Couple questions: I'm concerned about the use of the Shop-vac for the exhaust that will be broadcast while it's on. He says he will look for a Hepa filter, but in your opinion is this acceptable? Many Wildlife Control techs were in the attic many times over a month, without respirators, and to my knowledge no disease contracted (visibly). Is that enough to rule out potential hazards in using a Shop-vac? I'm told the level of droppings is "not that bad" and isolated to a couple areas. That may or may not help you. Second question is if spraying the enzyme will be sufficient, or if a fogger is required? I do have small children which is the concern, but I'm trying to remain reasonable and believe the drastic and expensive techniques proposed by some may be overkill (scare tactics?). Thanks again for your informative site, and thank you in advance for any advice.
I had a pet rat that went missing in early June of this year and just today we discovered it got stuck between my wall and dresser. It looks like a pancake. At first, I thought it was mold but then saw it's eyes and skeleton. I have no idea what to do and the thought of removing it myself is horrifying. How do I remove a rat the has decomposed this far and that is pretty much stuck to my wall and dresser?
Sunday morning woke up to find the rubber threshold to the front door was eaten away. Droppings about ¼ - 3/8" were found throughout the house. Looked like more than one with about 20 droppings. Spent Sunday replacing the threshold, put two TomCat baited traps by the front door and two TomCat baited traps in the house (by front door and next to refrigerator. Also, two mouse traps with peanut butter bait (the kind the mouse goes in and the door shuts behind it). Went to go to work today (Monday), new threshold eaten away, and only about 6 - 7 droppings in the house. All traps not touched. I have read sticky paper is a good way to catch rodents. Based off what I have stated above, is this a rat looking for a new food source to go back and tell his friends?
Hi David. Are you based in the Portland Metro area, or is that Wildlife Control? I have a listing that shows old rat black box traps and has about 12 bags of insulation that's been wrapped up for years. Buyer just had a home inspection and is asking for any and all rats found in the premises and in the crawl space to be removed, the bags removed, all the other contaminated insulation removed, vacuumed, fogged...and then new insulation laid. Would that be a job you can bid on, maybe Monday?
Nashville Rat Control Tip of The Week
how Can I Modify My Property To Keep Rat Populations Down?
This modification initially should include house inspection to comprehend what sort of changes that the house essentially needs.
One basic strategy is to diminish the access of rats to foods and get a new place for their habitat. Automatic doors, for example, are a perfect passage that will close quickly once everyone has gone through. It won't leave any hole that can invite the rats to come. Rats are clever because they can detect the holes, even the tiniest ones in pipes. As a result, it is easy for them to get to the divider and use it as a safe house. It is recommended to move plants and wires far from your buildings because rats can use them to climb up inside your home.
Sewers are likewise the ideal entryway for these rats to get inside the house. This is why the rat-proofing plan has to come up when you want to build a home or renovate a house.
Traps can likewise be set since it is by a long shot, the best method to catch rats - as rats can run quickly and effectively escape, it might be difficult for humans to find them utilizing their uncovered hands. Typically, catching is perfect for businesses working with large spaces and holes that might not be distinguishable.
Another modification is to try putting away foods appropriately inside containers that are rat-proof. Garbage should be properly sealed and shut because it may attract rats. When you store garbage in a can, ensure that the cover is tight enough.
Keeping up regular maintenance of the building won't allow any breaks and holes to appear. Great fixes are essential because rats can effectively fit a coin size gap and eat the foods inside your home.