Lucas County, Toledo Rat Control Situation:
Hi David- Thank you very much for your site. It has been extremely helpful. I caught my first and I hope only rat tonight (I know that's doubtful) due to your trapping advice. That said, I need advice on how to deal with rats burrowing into dirt basements. I have a half basement with a dirt crawl space and a narrow dirt trench around the perimeter for drainage. We found a rat a week ago and saw it has burrowed two holes outside down into the basement. Obviously it opened it up after we filled it in. Short of getting a new foundation I have no clue what to do. The best advice I have found was to put hardware paper down but that would be difficult in the crawl space. I spoke with a professional trapper in Toledo OH and he said there wasn't much I could do about them getting in other than keeping the traps set. We have lived here 8 years and never have seen a rat before. Mice yes but we have worked hard to close up the holes but clearly this is a different ball game. We are in a rural area and there are no dumpsters and the neighbors are clean etc. So I do not think it's a matter of cleanliness. Any advice you could give would be more than appreciated. And again, thank you for your site!!
I have sent a picture of the droppings I found, is it from a rat? I have set 2 traps in my attic and rat poison in saucers some of which has been eaten, but still have the rat or rats. I don't know what to do next buy some more poison? as I've run out. I did not want to pay a pest control company as I think normally they just use poison anyway, but if I cant get rid of them will have to. Shall I put the traps where the droppings were seen. This is terrible I can hear it or them at night in the attic, and would appreciate your advice.
Hi David! Thanks for your site and all of the useful info. I searched for the following for days, and still have nothing. How long do diseases remain "alive" in rat feces ? I have evidence of rat nesting in my outdoor storage shed that I first noticed about 6 months ago. I plugged the point of entry with steel wool and have not seen any activity since. I plan to clean the disturbed area and discard the damaged things. My question is, considering the age of the feces, is it and the contaminated area still potentially toxic or just ugly dirty !?
Toledo Rat Control Tip of The Week
Can Rats Chew Through The Ceiling?
Rats Are Adept At Climbing:
Rats can fit through surprisingly small spaces and they are extremely adept climbers, it may not take long for a rat to make its way up to the ceiling and then to continue burrowing through the ceiling in an effort to make a nest.
Rats Have Powerful Teeth:
Rats have the ability to chew through almost anything. Certain varieties of brown rats are able to bite through cinderblocks and light concrete. Rather than facing rats that could potentially wreck your ceiling, it's wise to stop them before they have a chance to cause structural damage.
Rats Often Spend Time In Attics:
Rats like to spend time in attics because it can often give them quick access to the outside world. Chewing through the ceiling is a likely consideration because rats are likely to be spending time at the top of your home. Rats like to hide out in attics where they may not be disturbed and this will regularly lead to the chance that a rat could chew through your ceiling quite quickly.
Rats Make Short Work Of Items Like Drywall:
Because the majority of ceilings are made out of drywall and plaster, a rat can chew through these areas quite quickly. You could have a rat making its way through your ceiling tiles within just a matter of minutes and this can be potentially dangerous for the structural integrity of your home.
Rats Want To Be Where It's Warm:
It's likely that a rat will always be directed towards the ceiling as they want to be in an area where it's warm to raise their young. Because rats can breed so quickly and because they are likely to need access to a warm roof spot, you may find rats naturally gnawing through your ceiling.
