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Post by CourageouslyLion SeeksSerenity on Aug 11, 2013 0:01:51 GMT -5
The exterminator came today. He's done this so many times that he just made it all seem too easy. He surveyed the property on the outside and then climbed onto the roof. He found 4 openings the rats could be using to get in and covered them with steel mesh. He then came inside and set 10 large traps in the garage and attic. That's it. He charges extra to empty and reset the traps everyday so I'll be doing that myself. Too easy. But I think we need more traps inside the house, not just the attic and garage. I have a bag of volkmans for my birds on the kitchen counter Ive moved into a large ziplock bag that keeps getting torn into DURING THE DAY, I've had to rebag it twice since this morning. It seems that since we have cleaned the entire house so well, the rats are desperate to find food. They are even trying to chew their way into the 5-gallon dog food bucket which is very thick and hard plastic with a screw on lid. So when I got up this morning, there were plastic shavings all over the floor around the dog food bucket. There must be nothing left to eat anywhere else if they're going to these lengths. We have no food out so they are eating the bird food in the cages at night too. I worry about my 2 birds if the rats get desperate enough to attack them. No idea if a rat would try to kill a bird and I rather not have to find out. Hopefully all this means is that they will be trapped easier as those traps are all baited. The exterminator said he found a lot of evidence that there are a lot of rats living right outside our house. So they aren't all breeding inside the house. No wonder I was fighting a losing battle all this time.
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Post by Fivecat on Aug 11, 2013 1:06:27 GMT -5
I hate to say this but yes, rats will kill birds. I.ve seen them do it to chickens in a chicken coop/house. You might wanna reinforce their cages with some tightly woven chicken wire until you.ve completely erradicated them. Its fairly cheap and the only tools you.ll need are tin snips and maybe some pliers. Or maybe you can put them in a covered bin or such to sleep in at nite, that would probably protect them better and would be less trouble. All you.d have to do would be drill some small air holes in it, way too small for a rat to get in.
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Post by Fivecat on Aug 11, 2013 1:10:47 GMT -5
Btw. You are doing an awesome job at getting your house and this rat problem under control!!!!! Keep up the good work!
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Post by Perfect Mess on Aug 11, 2013 7:28:10 GMT -5
thank you. I think I'll take all the food out of the bird cages before bed and then traps on the floor around the cages with bait.
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on Aug 11, 2013 14:44:59 GMT -5
You're doing a great job! I admire your persistence.
I don't know if either of these ideas are practical for your situation, but do you have a metal cabinet or locker for the dog food? You might be able to find one at a place that sells used office furniture.
For the bird cages, you might want to wrap them in a fine wire screening, like what's used in screen doors.
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Post by Perfect Mess on Aug 16, 2013 15:40:30 GMT -5
Thanks for the suggestions guys!
The exterminator put traps in the garage and attic but I notice them in other areas INSIDE the house so I bought more traps (the same kind he brought) and set them up on the kitchen counter, microwave, and floor. So far we caught 2 in the attic and 11 in the kitchen on the counter top. The last ones we've caught were mostly babies too, so I'm thinking that the big honking one we got in the attic the other day must have been the momma.
That's 13 rats caught between Saturday and this morning. 7 days. I know we have at least 2 or 3 more so we're not done yet.
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Post by boyswillbeboys on Aug 16, 2013 19:49:49 GMT -5
Great job in getting rid of all the accessible food. I suggest metal trash cans with lids for the bird and dog food, this is what chicken keepers often do to keep rats and raccoons out of their pet food
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Post by boyswillbeboys on Aug 16, 2013 19:50:19 GMT -5
*chicken feed
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Post by Perfect Mess on Aug 16, 2013 20:05:56 GMT -5
caught 2 more just now. we already have metal trash cans.
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Post by messymimi on Aug 16, 2013 20:38:17 GMT -5
It sounds like you are making tremendous progress! Hope it's all over soon.
messymimi
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Post by bobolink on Aug 16, 2013 22:17:32 GMT -5
Good thing you caught the little ones before the grew up and made more rats! You are doing great, by the way.
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Post by Perfect Mess on Aug 17, 2013 1:00:51 GMT -5
Caught one more. The count is at 16 since Saturday.
As long as I'm awake at night and hear the traps snap, I keep resetting them and incrementing the counter. I wonder how much longer I have to keep at this depressing routine.
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Post by downandout2 on Aug 17, 2013 8:27:06 GMT -5
You're a strong person PerfectMess! Good for you for winning the war of the rats! And a big HOORAY on getting your house under control so you could have cleaners and the exterminator in! I gotta tell you that if someone here had "found" me, I'd be long gone. It's sad that some people have to stoop so low you know?
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Post by Perfect Mess on Aug 17, 2013 11:11:25 GMT -5
Caught one more this morning: 17.
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Post by Perfect Mess on Aug 18, 2013 2:36:00 GMT -5
Three more tonight = 20
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