Pierce County, Tacoma Rat Control Situation:
Hi. I've recently moved into a tiny cottage in the country. Spent all I have renovating it and it has a tiny crawl space attic which I have filled with insulation. I heard noises for the past two three days and on inspection I saw prices of pipe covering shredded in two or three areas. Little or no money David (I live in Tacoma WA) and can't afford outside agency. What do you suggest? Old rat traps? I think local DIY store sell them. I couldn't find entry point as the space is so tiny and I've put lots of insulation down.
Hey thanks for your web page, can you tell me what sort of fogger your use? will any fogger work with Bac-Azap?, I have a big basement area that was infected with many rats, I have removed as much of the insulation and debris as possible but it still smells so i guess i have to fog with this product. Do you use the product full strength in the fogger?
First off, great website; lots of helpful info. Secondly, I've spotted (and caught) at least one rat in my garage. I've watch them before going through holes in the wall and climbing up to the attic. If I seal up these holes in the garage, do I still need to set traps in the attic or can I just set traps in the garage to catch any that remain? Thanks for your help. Was also wondering about vacuuming out insulation when you have found animals in attic? Whats your take on that?
I really love your informative site. I have had rats in my attic for years and finally had all the entry points sealed (per your sites suggestion). Four rats were left stuck in my attic. After 48 hours they got hungry and I live trapped 3 of them within a 12 hour period. Unfortunately the fourth rat became trap shy. After 7 days (i put down water in a bowl) I gave up with the live trap and moved to snap trap. Those damn traps just wounded the poor thing and I had to listen to it suffer for 12 hours before it finally died in the wall. I just wanted to say that I dont think the live trap rats will die outside immediately. My yard has many rats living outside. We have a fountain in the back to drink from. My wife puts down bird seed every night. They have to leave my house at night to eat anyway. I have no doubt they live just fine outside with the other rats. So, I don't think live trapping is quite so bad for them.
Tacoma Rat Control Tip of The Week
Rat Damage In The Attic
Having rats in your attic is substantially more than only an irritation. These rodents can cause a lot of harm, mainly because they are generally social animals that live in groups. There is a chance of the rats in your attic putting your family in danger of getting a disease, and these animals will likewise cause physical damage to your attic.
Leaving Feces
The essential harm that rats will cause in an attic is leaving their waste products behind, especially excrement. Depending on the number of rats in the attic and how long they were there, there can be a significant measure of these waste products, requiring serious clean-up. In some cases, the urine may even drench into planks of flooring or other wood structures and compromise their integrity. At the very least, the urine and excrement will debase your attic, spreading illness and causing a foul smell. If you don't deal with this smell, it might attract more wildlife to the attic.
Chewing Wires, Pipes, Insulation, And More
Like mice, rats will bite on almost anything you have in your attic, regardless of whether it is a wire, funnel, or something else. Rats are famous for their gnawing behavior and will bite on anything in your attic. In the case of chewed wires, this can result in a serious fire hazard, especially if you don't know that the wire has been compromised. Rats may likewise damage your pipes and insulation from chewing. Without the insulation fit as a fiddle, your home won't manage temperature as effectively, making you spend more cash to run your cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. If you have anything stored in your attic, for example, books or old furnishings, you can expect these also to be damaged by rats. They will likely be chewed and may even end up covered in waste products.
