New Castle County County, Wilmington Rat Control Situation:
Hi David, I rent an apartment in Wilmington DE and have consistent mouse problems. It started with a mouse in the beginning of the year- I set all types of traps (snapping, glue, poison) and it would only eat the peanut butter and not get caught. Finally it was caught, but again I have a mouse and all the different traps that are out are only feeding it. I know the only real way to stop them is to close off all points of access, but living in an old apartment building and having landlords who've stopped caring about all the mice problems makes it harder. My neighbors also have mice problems and I think they're traveling between apartments. I obviously cant secure every hole, but I can at least try with my place. Would stuffing the holes with mesh wire then covering it with caulking work? I'm not sure how to finish off the holes. Also if you have any insight on how to deal with these renter vs. landlord situations, I'm all ears. Thanks for listening, Dianna
Hello, Attached are 2 photos of what I think are from a wood rat. My family owns a large cabin in the middle of 260 wooded acres. The ground around the cabin has been cleared for years. In the past we only had mice to control, but now we have critters that we cannot control. We place rat/mice poison in 3 areas. They eat it all within 2 weeks. There is lots of poop right around the poison trays. Now the critter is eating part of the sofa and has knocked a lamp over. We have had flying squirrels and wood rats in the past. But they ate the poison and died. Not the case now. What do you suggest? We put moth balls under the cabin and the attic appears not to be an issue. We cannot find where they are coming in. VERY frustrating. Can you help?? Thank you. I have to forward the pictures from my computer.
Wilmington Rat Control Tip of The Week
Why Are Cage Traps Only Occasionally A Good Option For Rats And Why Do Relocated Rats Rarely Survive?
When it comes to getting rid of rats, homeowners are usually faced with the dilemma of how to get them out without actually killing them. This usually makes them consider every possible option just to achieve their aims. To make this possible, several devices have been designed to trap rats in homes. But when considering a humane way to get rid of these pests, cage traps are one of the best devices to use.
The use of cage traps helps to capture rats without actually getting them killed. Unlike the use of other devices such as lethal traps, cage traps help to capture the rats in the most humane way. Using a cage trap doesn't automatically guarantee the fact that the rats you are getting out of your home will be in good health when they are being captured. In most cases, before the homeowners get to even remember to check the cage, the rats are already dehydrated, exhausted, or too weak to survive.
To avoid this and keep the rats in good health, you need to try as much as possible to check on the cage trap constantly and make sure the traps are placed away from sunlight coming from windows and other openings in your home.
After catching a rat, the next thing to do is to relocate the rat. But in most cases, these rats never survive. Rats that are relocated have very slim chances of survival and will not make it past a few days.
Relocated rats find it very difficult to feed on available food in a new environment and might die as a result of starvation. Also, relocating them to an environment they are not familiar with comes with the need to urgently find shelter. In the process of finding shelter with no already established route, a vast majority of them become prey to other animals.
