Montgomery County, Philadelphia Rat Control Situation:
Hi, I have read your website and am hopeful you can provide me with some direction. I seem to have rats around my house. I see their holes along the side of house (under the front windows, not far from my porch). I don't see any evidence of them being under the porch, only holes along the sidewalk and under the window. Problem is I don't have any food for them. A year ago I paid to have someone come out. He put down poison. Now they are back. I have tried on my own to kill them with poison and gas flares, but I still see small holes. Is there anything I can do before they get into my house? This is a brand new house. I lay awake at night afraid they are going to get in. I am scared to death, literally. Is there something I put down? plant ? something? Please please advise. Warm regards, Lisa - Gone crazy. Be back soon.
That sounds more like vole (field mouse) activity. Rats don't really dig holes.
Thank you for responding. Do you have a website so I can determine how I located you. I think you might be right. I have done some preliminary research on the internet and I do have soft squishy spots in my lawn. One the rain has gone I will go and check if these are holes. Also, I lost most of my tulips I planted.
Contact A Wildlife Pro for excellent wild animal control, wildlife trappers, and rodent removal in Philadelphia.
Hi David, I live out in Bryn Mawr, PA and I need a trustworthy service to come to my home and help me with a living creature, I think it's a rat, in my attic. I have been speaking with many services and they all sound like they all want tons of MONEY to deal with this. I am very skeptical and need honest advice. Can you refer me to the right source, and someone who is not a THIEF and simply wants to charge a reasonable professional for fee for servicing my home. Thanks, Fern
Philadelphia Rat Control Tip of The Week
Using Exclusion Funnels To Get Rid Of Rats Without Killing Them
Rats are probably the second most common species of rodent to be found in our towns and cities after rats, and like their larger relations, they can also often find their way into many different areas of the domestic property. Because rats can carry diseases, and can also transmit them by soiling food and water sources, it is natural to want to get rid of them as soon as possible. Exclusion funnels are one approach that can be used to try and get rid of rats from your home.
How Do The Exclusion Funnels Work?
Ultimately, the funnels are designed so that the rats can easily get in through the wide end of the funnel, and can then push themselves out of the narrow end of the funnel when they are leaving a particular area of your property. However, when they try to get back in the narrow end of the funnel the entrance is too small and cannot be prized open, meaning the rats are not able to get back into the area where they are causing the problem. The key aspect with exclusion funnels is that the rats really do need to be contained in one area of the home.
Preparation Work To Install Your Exclusion Funnels
The first step before you install any exclusion funnels in your property is to carry out a detailed search of where they are active, and then to identify all of the holes the rats are using to get in and out of that area. The reason for this is that you need to be able to deal with each entry point the rats may use so that when you install the funnels, they cannot simply come back in through another entry point. While carrying out this work, it is usually a wise precaution to wear long sleeved clothing and gloves, along with a breathing mask and goggles to protect yourself from any disease transmission.
Where To Place Your Exclusion Funnels
It is usually best to only place one or two exclusion funnels, and then seal the remaining access points that you can find in the area where the rats are nesting. When choosing which entry points to install your exclusion funnels, the best options are usually those that have the heaviest traffic, and should be indicated by a greater buildup of rat droppings and urine stains.
Monitoring The Rat Activity In Your Home
Once you have installed the exclusion funnels, the next step is to monitor the area to see how effective the funnels have been. In some cases, this part of the work can actually prove to be quite trial and error, as the rats will often have other secret entry points that you may not have found on your first search of the area. In this instance you will then have to search the area again, and try and find the other access point the rats are using to get in and out.
The Challenges Of Using Exclusion Funnels To Deal With Rats
One of the key benefits of using exclusion funnels to deal with rats is that it doesn?t kill the animals so you don?t have to dispose of any carcasses. However, this also means that the rats can try and find other ways to get into your home, which means it can take longer to deal with them than if you were to use lethal means to deal with a rat infestation. The other issue with using exclusion funnels for such small animals is that because of their size, it is very difficult and detailed work to actually find all of the holes they are using to get in and out.
