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
What To Do If There Is A Nest Of Rats In Your Attic
Being a commensal rodent, rats live and thrive very well in human settlements. When you have them in your home, these pests will most likely harbor in your attic and make it their nesting place. If you have rats nesting in your attic, the first sign you will notice is scratching and scurrying sound in the ceiling of your home at night.
Having confirmed that there are rats nesting in your attic, you might be thinking of what to do and the best way to handle the situation. Right here, we will be sharing all you need to know about what to do when you have rats nesting in your attic.
1. Attic Inspection
After noticing some unusual sounds in your attic, the first thing you need to do is to inspect your home to confirm if there are rats nesting in your attic or not. While inspecting your home, you need to also determine how the rats got into your attic and where they are nesting.
2. Repair The Rat Entry Holes
If you are lucky enough to find their entry holes, you need to seal them before doing any other thing. Sealing them off prevents other rats from entering your attic after you have removed all the rats already nesting there.
3. Remove The Rats
After the sealing and the repair job, the next thing for you to do is to remove the rats. To do this, all you have to do is set as many snap traps as possible in different locations in your attic. To increase your chances of trapping more rats, you need to bait the snap trap with baits like peanut butter or any other dry nut. This will help attract the rats to the traps.
4. Clean The Attic
Finally, you need to clean up your attic with a strong disinfectant, to ensure that you are safe from bacteria and other pathogens deposited by the rats.
