McLennan County, Waco Rat Control Situation:
Hi David,We are struggling with mice in our garage. We've caught 2 on plain sticky traps (both actually caught on the same trap), did a thorough clean out, left about 5 other various styles of traps around the garage and there was no sign anything for about a week and a half. I had some suspicions (although, I didn't see any droppings) so I put another plain flat sticky trap near the area where we caught the other two and a few days later...bam...another one. Now I'm a little freaked out that there is some sort of colony living in the garage walls and/or garage attic. When we were putting stuff back on the garage shelves after the deep clean we thought we heard a scratching or scuffling sound but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Can you give me an estimate on the cost of having your team come out and track down the source? It should all be relatively easy access.
Hello my name is Henry from Waco TX. We have been hearing cracking noises in the ceiling at night. Mainly in the master bedroom bathroom. I don't know why. Could it be a water source. I will set traps in the attic. I was thinking of cutting a hole in the drywall placing posion there. It says that rodent will not smell. Please any advice will help.
I have found two burrow holes on either side of my front door. One smells of urine and the other I watched a chipmunk disappear into. I am not entirely sure if they are in the house now, but I know that they were and those entry points have been sealed. So a few questions....... What do I do to eliminate the burrows at front door? How to get rid of that horrid urine stench? Do chipmunks share tunnels with rats? If they are going under the deck should I set traps? I have a lot of vine coverage in the back yard, what should I replace that with? Do the rats dislike a certain type of mulch/woodchips? I am in the process of removing the vine coverage, but what else should I do? Thank you for any suggestions and guidance!!!
Love your site. Just curious why you don't talk about crawlspaces and only attics? I assume it's the same concept, but I never saw anything about it mentioned.
Waco Rat Control Tip of The Week
Dealing With A Rat Infestation In Your Attic
Black Rats are small rodents that are common in almost all areas across the United States, and because of their smaller size they are considered to be less of a threat and a pest than Norway rats, their larger cousins. However, rats also carry a range of different diseases and can also pose a health risk to you and your family, so if you do find an infestation, it is worth dealing with is promptly. Rats are also good climbers, so finding them nesting in your attic is not uncommon.
Identifying That You Are Dealing With Rats Rather Than Other Pest Animal Species
The first step to dealing with an infestation is to ensure you are dealing with rats, as the sounds of scratching from the attic can sometimes be other animals such as rats, squirrels or even raccoons. The best way of identifying that it is rats you are dealing with is to check on any rat feces that you can find. These small pellets of poop should be significantly smaller than rat droppings, and will be around the size of a small grain of rice, and is black when fresh, turning brown and then grey after some time.
Precautions Before Carrying Out Rat Control Work
Going into a confined space where pest animals are present can be dangerous as there are often diseases that can be transmitted by rats. Wearing long sleeved clothing and gloves will help protect you from any nips from animals and also prevent direct contact with feces of urine. Another smart precaution is also to wear goggles and a breathing mask, as some diseases transmitted by rats can become airborne, and can then prove to be a dangerous problem if those airborne particles are then inhaled.
Laying Traps To Catch Rats
By far the most common and affordable way of dealing with a rat infestation in the attic is to lay traps to catch the little animals. The standard snap traps on a wooden base are cheap to buy and just as effective as more expensive options, and can be re-used, which is particularly useful if you have a larger rat infestation to deal with. When laying traps in the attic, make sure to lay them near the areas where you see the greatest buildup of rat feces, and also near any entry points they may be using to get in and out.
Removing Carcasses And Monitoring The Rat Problem
Once you have laid the traps, the next step is to monitor all of the traps over the next few days, to see how effective the traps are at dealing with the problem. With any rat carcass, you can simply bag it and place it in the garbage, or it can also be incinerated as well if you have the facility. Keep re-setting the traps and continue to monitor until you are no longer seeing any signs of rat activity and you are no longer catching any rats in your traps.
Repairs Required After A Rat Infestation
The key step to take after catching and dealing with all of the rats is to seal the attic, as they will often have several entry points to help them get in and out of the area. These should all be sealed using metal flashing or a suitable filler to prevent other rats from being able to get back into the area again. You should also try to remove any feces that you can, and if insulation is heavily soiled then that should also be replaced. One wise precaution is also to fumigate the attic after your repairs, to kill off any remaining bacteria or other particles that could be harmful to anyone going into the attic in the future.
