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
What Sounds Do Rats Make?
We all know that particular rat sound that irritates us so much. This may be the best sign that there is something strange going on at home. You must act immediately or these rodents could take over more and more territory in your home and even start multiplying, which would increase the chances of hearing these annoying sounds all over the house.
When it comes to rats, there are different types of sounds you might hear. These sounds are their only form of communication.
Are Rats' Sounds Different For Every Situation?
Rats' senses of hearing and smell are better developed. This allows them to perceive objects around them more easily, and decipher whether they pose a threat or not. Some of the sounds rats emit are:- The recognizable squeak: rats have a way of communicating that can be irritating to the human ear. This is a really high-pitched sound used to communicate with each other. These sounds are emitted during sexual reproduction and in threatening situations. These squeaks can be short, long, or intermittent, depending on the situation they are experiencing and their acuity will also depend on the level of threat.
- Another noise these rodents make is the grinding of their teeth. Rats only do this when they feel happy, as their tail moves and jumps.
- Finally, we can't forget a loud sound that might sound like teeth grinding; a chattering sound they make when they're angry, usually when they feel threatened and are about to attack.
Animals have a unique way of responding to different situations, whether it is joy, anger, fear, or pain. Rats are not an exception; they can make sounds for any type of situation. It is important to consider what sounds a rat makes when it is upset or threatened, this could avoid any type of accident, like a bite.
