Orange County, Orlando Rat Control Situation:
hi david, i came across your site... guess why? There's a rat between my unit (main level condo) and the upper unit. it runs up and down the chimney, across my ceiling in a soffit in a space about 4' wide x 12' long x 2' high. my handyman set 2 rat traps yesterday via removal of a can light ( also took photos of the feces to verify not squirrel). they both went off withing 20 minutes of setting but the creep didn't get caught even though there was a huge scuttle that sounded like the tasmanian devil. to find out, the handyman set the traps on top the 2x4. argh. it was quiet all night and just as soon as we thought it was scared away, the noise started up this morning. local exterminators want to drop pellets after an 'exterior inspection' for $300 - $400. (the squirrel catcher assessed the roof and grounds yesterday and yes there are a few places and probably more.) people who have poisoned rats that haven't been able to get outside say not to use poison because the animal stench is hideous and lasts up to 6 weeks. at the moment, the varmit is banging around up there, i guess walking around the traps. any suggestions? it's driving us crazy, esp when it gets aggitated or perhaps fending off a competitor - it literally sounds like a bar room brawl. thanks - gaylene
AAARGHH!!! Never use poison! It only makes the problem worse! You need to seal the entry holes and trap and remove the rats.
so i've seen what i think is a mouse in my son's room. It was a little bigger than the palm of my hand and grey. i live in a three story apartment complex in Winter Park and hear them in my walls at night. I had made a couple of holes at the bottom of each of my two bedrooms and the living room for my cable wire. I wanted to know how to get rid of them, which traps work best, how long does it take to get rid of them and how do i know if i got them all? any help would be greatly appriciated. thanks.
It's more likely a juvenile rat than a mouse in central FL. You need to have either the building sealed shut, or the inside areas leading into your apartment. Give me a call, and I can come inspect the apartment for free.
Orlando Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Far And High Can A Rat Jump?
Jumping is a major part of many animals' survival instincts including rats. But in the case of these small rodents, they have a special way of using this particular survival instinct to their best advantage. One of the most common rats around, which is the brown rat, is known to be able to jump over four feet horizontally or in a downward slope and leap vertically to about 77 centimeters without hurting itself. This clearly shows how high rats can jump and how well they can suspend themselves in the air.
The jumping performance of rats depends mainly on their species because some rats are big while others have lighter bodies which tend to support agile movements. For instance, black rats with lean bodies are known to be able to leap over five feet. While brown rats with large body frames find it quite difficult to leap but do well at jumping downwards.
Another reason why some rats jump better than others is mainly because of their better survival instincts and hunting abilities. Rats in the wild are better at jumping than those in the suburban and urban areas. Therefore, you shouldn't expect the rats in your home to jump or leap that high.
Rats are naturally silent animals and will prefer to move around unnoticed. But in some cases, they make use of their jumping skills. One of the special cases in which they use their jumping skills is when they see a possible threat or a predator. They often use this to propel their speed and get away as soon as they can. Their speed and swift body movements are one of the ways they can stay alive and avoid been eaten by a predator.
