How To Get Rid of Things: Forums

How To Get Rid of Things: Forums » Pest Control

1. LetterFromElyse (Member)

   I read the article on rat control, but I'm not dealing with your run-of-the-mill Norwegian rat, here. What has me so terrified (and I'm about as hard-core a horror film enthusiast as you'll ever meet) are the huge chunks of shattered and gnawed ceramic tile I just found near the kitchen radiator! O_o Now, I used to have pet rats so I'm well aware of what destructive forces of nature they are, but these rats must be swilling nuclear waste to be able to rip through the tile that way!

   I just moved into a new apartment (and if I hadn't just drained my savings to relocate for a job, I'd be moving right back out!) so there's not much I can do about the clutter until I finish unpacking but my dishes are washed, the dog food is in an air-tight bin, I take the trash out every night, etc.

   I did pour half a bottle of chili pepper down the hole and sprinkled the rest of bottle along the base boards, behind the fridge, etc. Is there anything else I can do while I wait for the lardlord (lol - typo - I meant landlord) to get back to me about the situation? (I'm in Bridgeport, CT - so I could be waiting a while.) As I said above, I'm practically penniless after the move and my first paycheck is still 2-weeks off.

   Any other tips from the community would be very much appeciated!

   Posted 4 months ago #

2. LetterFromElyse (Member)

   UPDATE: This morning I set out a snap trap, baited but not set, just to get them used to taking food from the trigger plate. I passed the trap about an hour later and the bait was gone - they took the bait IN BROAD DAYLIGHT! I told you these were no ordinary rodents! And just now my dog came running away from her dish like the devil himself was after her. I get up to see was was the matter, only to find the hugest mouse I've ever seen helping himself to a buffet!

   So I now I know have mice and not rats, but it's still a major problem due to 1) their size; 2) the fact that they are brazen enough to venture about during the day; and 3) they have enough *plums* the scare a dog.

   Anyone know where I could get some napalm?

   Posted 4 months ago #

3. Ingriddd (Member)

   Elyse - You need to plug up whatever small holes/cracks they are gaining entry to your place through. I would make a thorough check of all seams in the apartment - all corners, insides of cabinets, etc. They can squeeze through very tiny spaces (less than a dime).

   If you locate any cracks or crevices, you can buy some dense metal screen or mesh (a little thicker than window screen, as they likely will chew right through that), and you can staple/nail it into place rigidly.

   Depending on how big your place is and how it is built, this can be kind of a big job, but the bottom line is, if you close them out and locate the place where they are gaining entry, that will solve your indoor problem. Traps don't do very much because there is a huge and constant supply (they make babies faster than we can trap them), so the key is building a mouse-proof place essentially.

   Be careful with landlords as they seem to find a way to raise the rent when there are things that cost them money. I mean - not right away since you moved in, but there is something to be said for taking care of some of these things yourself.

   My mother has a terrible mouse problem (she lives 3000 miles away). It turned out that the kitchen floor had sunk where three major beams had some termite damage and collapsed or weakened. So, the mice were/are gaining entry in the subfloor area, and they have completely infested her kitchen cabinets (which have cracks around pipes and electrical wire entries, where they "walk right in").

   All piping and electrical wires should be followed to see where they come into the house, and then one can see if there is any space on the side (which there usually is). They'll hug the wire or pipe and will slip right in, but more than likely there are other cracks and very small openings where they are gaining access.
   Ingrid

   Posted 2 months ago #

4. getagrip (Member)

   Are you still having rats? I used to live in Seymour Ct. Which is about 1/2 hour from Bridgeport. seems to me Bridgeport is a Port town (hence the name). There is a rat called the "roof rat" which is associated with ships and docks. Legend has it they came with the Mayflower. He is slimmer and much more accrobatic than the common "Norway rat".which burrows in the ground.If you are close to the water you may have these guys in the attic of your building.

   Posted 1 month ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.