Kings County, New York City Rat Control Situation:
Hi, I found your site very informative and helpful. I live in a ground floor duplex in New York City and we have had a rat problem in between our two floors since last August. The management company has sent an exterminator out several times-- to remove carcasses from the ceiling, place rodenticide in the ceiling, and fill any holes outside the apartment building. The problem is still going on almost a year later and we can't seem to figure out how they are getting in.
There is definitely less scratching and scurrying now compared to a few months ago, but the smell is consistently unbearable as something dies in the ceiling every few weeks to the point that I am ready to just move out. I have asked the management company to take a more proactive approach to the problem rather than reactive when I call and complain, perhaps gut the ceiling to expose the problem area, but they don't seem willing to do it. I can imagine there are a lot of droppings and urine in addition to at least 3-4 dead carcasses. Would the smell disappate if no more rats could get in (i.e. if we found and closed the access points), or is that something that will just continue to fester?
I am trying to make a case to the management that it is necessary for them to clean all the droppings and carcasses to restore the apartment to a sanitary environment. I noticed on your site you mentioned that rats can smell the droppings and urine of other rats, indicating the area is a safe habitat. I also think opening the ceiling might expose the access points. Apparently my unit is the only one of 47 in the building with a reported rat problem. Do you have any suggestions? Best regards, Alexandra
My response: Sounds like a very tough case. The entry holes into the building, or at least, the apartment, must be found and sealed! Check behind the oven, for example. The odor will disappear as soon as all rats are gone and any biomass dries up.
Thanks for the response! I got them to remove the entire ceiling and they said they removed some carcasses and closed a bunch of holes inside. I was on a business trip the past week and will see the result tonight. Fingers crossed the problem is resolved!
New York City Rat Control Tip of The Week
Tips To Get Rid Of Rats In The Attic
It's normal for you to have that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you keep hearing that scurrying sound coming from your attic because of the indecent activities of rats. To put an end to this weird feeling, you need to get rid of the rats living in your attic.
Have you been wanting to do this but you don't know how to go about it? Right here, we will be sharing some tips on how to get rid of rats in the attic. With the following tips, you will be able to do as you please and keep your attic free from rats.
When it comes to getting rid of rats in your attic, the first thing you need to do is to inspect your house in order for you to know exactly how the rats got into your attic. Being a very flexible animal with an ability to sneak around and pass through openings as small as a quarter of an inch, rats can enter into your attic through different openings. What this implies is that you need to inspect your attic properly to know how they got in.
The second step you need to take is to inspect your attic to know the extent to which the rats have damaged your attic. Rats in the attic are capable of chewing your wires and tearing the insulation in the roofing for their nests.
After inspecting the attic, the next thing you need to do is seal up all the entry holes that you were able to find while inspecting the attic. This should be done with durable materials that rats can't chew. Materials like this include steel screens and metal.
Lastly, you need to trap or kill the rats using either a snap trap or a one-way exclusion funnel. Do not use rat poisons to get rid of the rats in your attic. It will only create more environmental problems instead of reducing them.
