Suffolk County, Suffolk County Rat Control Situation:
I am writing from England. I am sure we have rats and/or mice in our bungalow in Islip Long Island. The problem is that I haven't seen them. I am constantly being woken up at night hearing noises, but I try to tell myself that I was dreaming or imagining it. I have long scratches on my leg (from my ankle for about 3 inches up my leg). I do not know what has caused them but they happen overnight. I am scared and do not know what to do. I cannot remember the last time I had a good night's sleep. My husband says that there are no droppings so we can't have unwanted visitors. I did buy one of those mice repellent things and all was well for a while but now the winter is here, the noises are happening again. I do hope you can help/advise me.
Hi David, We live in Ronkonkama, we had some rats in our attic last year and I think they are gone. At least I do not hear them any more and I found a dead one. Our attic has areas where they had nests and lots of paths through the insulation. I also found where I think they came in which was where one of our roof lines is not sealed. Do or who could we get to seal this area and clean up spots in the attic to prevent them from wanting to visit again? About what would something like this run to have done?
Suffolk County 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.
