Orleans Parish County, New Orleans Rat Control Situation:
Hi from New Orleans. I must say ure website is absolutley brilliant.Thank you for such a wealth of advise. I realise now that setting traps willy nilly doesn't work. I have caught a couple of mice over the past 6 weeks. But there is still something crawling around up there, and i CANNOT GET IT. Originally i'm sure it was mice as i caught 2/3 of them. But today i saw some rat droppings. I feel a bit spooked as i can hear this rodent on and off during the night. Sometimes right behind the wall at the head of the bed!! Have u ever heard of a cat used in an attic space (where i have a rat) to catch a rat? I have the cat, but maybe id have a problem with a lost cat in the attic if i put her up! What do you think? Thanks again for your greta website.
My response: You can try putting your cat up there, but it probably won't solve the rat problem. Inspect the house and find out how the rodents are getting inside. Seal up every single last entry/exit hole and gap with steel. Trap, properly trap on rat runways, ALL the rats, and remove them from the house.
I have been reading a lot of your website and am sure I can NOT do this myself. I am going to contact Trutech in Gadsden and hopefully can get them to come out and get rid of this problem. I read your price range and maybe they will let me pay a large amount down and monthly installments for the rest if it is much more than 500.00. My house is very very small so I hope that's a plus. Anyway I apologize for emailing you three times. I should have read further before contacting you. Thanks again! I forgot to mention that my attic is impossible to even look in. There is only a very small hole hat is supposed to be the attic and it is in my closet but I could not even get my head through ANSI am a small woman. Thanks
New Orleans Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Are The Different Sounds Rats Make When They Are In Your Home?
Chittering:
The sound of chittering is often the sound of a rat chomping or grinding their teeth against building materials in your home. This type of behavior is fairly common for rats to sharpen their teeth as well as for nest construction. If you find that a rat in your home is making a chittering noise, this could be an indication that they are building a nest and ready to have children.
Hissing:
Hissing noise is often the sound of a rat in danger or a rat that is angry. Rats can be extremely territorial and if they are in an area of another rat that has a nest or they encounter a family pet there's a chance that they could hiss. If you approach a rat and hear a hissing sound, a rat could be simply trying to assert its dominance over you.
Squeaking:
Squeaking is often a communication method that is used between rats. The process of squeaking is fairly common in mice as well as in rats. The squeaking sound can be an indication that a rat is content and it is also a fairly common way to identify rats that could be in the walls or in close areas to your location. It's often difficult to hear a squeaking sound but if you have several rats in your home it can be easier to pick up as they start to move through the walls.
Rustling:
Rustling sounds are often the process of nest construction and these can happen outside the home or inside the home as a rat drags materials to build a nest. If you notice the sound of rustling, it is crucial that you consider contacting a pest professional as you could be facing rats that are reproducing.