Providence County, Providence Rat Control Situation:
Looking for a good/reputable rat removal person or company in Providence RI. We hired a guy about a month ago and he hasn't helped us at all, threw $500 away basically. Thanks for any help/advice you can give me. Thanks a lot David for your post on rats. I am an artist with a lot of fragile stuffs around and this crazy rat forced its way into my living room through the ceiling. Pls how best can I get rid of this mad parasite? Thank you.
Hi David, Great website. I am having trouble finding the mice. There is no evidence of them in the living space of the house (feces, urine). However one came up the fireplace through the crawl space and I saw two in there the next day. I proceeded to seal all entries that I could find. Smallest hole at all and I'd seal it. Steel wool or mesh. Placed traps where I saw some droppings in ceiling space and in attic and in crawl space along walls. I baited wooden snap trap with peanut butter, sausages, crackers. None of them have been touched at all and I haven't seen mouse since day 2, 7 days ago. I even left some bait next to the trap and they've not been touched at all. Could they have vacated the building? They've never eaten from our kitchen that I've noticed. Not sure where and how to set more traps. Thanks for any advice.
Hey David.....read your article on rats and thought I'd contact you....think I have rats in my attic.....rat terds are visible, but don't hear any rats running around.....since I don't crawl around in attics anymore, can you recommend someone in the Providence Rhode Island area that is competent and reasonable?
I have a beautiful vine-like plant growing in my patio. What can I do to keep mice/rats away from it? I don't want to remove the plant. Do you have any suggestions?
Providence Rat Control Tip of The Week
Rats And Black Pepper
Rats eat almost anything. In their search for food, they can gnaw on plastic, wood, and even electrical wiring. A rat presence in your home can cause a lot of economic damage.
When this expense is added to the health problems rats' body fluids can cause, the best thing a person can do is getting them out of the house as soon as possible. The most common extermination way is using traps or rodenticides. However, there are more natural methods such as the use of peppers that cause unpleasant odors and tastes for the rodent and quickly drive them away.
Odors That Repel
Using repellents with unpleasant odors for rats is a way to keep them away from you in a friendly way. The advantage of not having to deal with the rodent's carcass can be worth the effort of constantly using these temporary methods. Rodents use their sense of smell to socialize as well as to survive. An odor such as ammonia often drives them away because it is very similar to the urine of large animals that could devour them. Spicy odors are perceived as dangerous chemicals that are also often avoided at all costs.
Black Pepper
Spicy food odors are unbearable for rats, thanks to their high capsaicin content. These natural compounds give the food its spicy effect, but they are also often very irritating to the mucous membranes and lungs of rodents. If ingested, they can cause a burning sensation in the taste buds and olfactory glands. Pepper is known to be able to scare away rats temporarily although this is not scientifically proven.
For all those people who are afraid of having to deal with poisons or homemade traps, finding new and less harmful options is a headache; however, homemade repellents like black pepper avoid harming other animals and humans, being a perfect choice. In any case, even if they are harmless odors, it is advisable to seek the advice and follow the instructions of a professional in the field.