Need to get rid of rats in false ceiling and wall. Help!

[Mathew Barzal]

I've tried everything and can't seem to find the entrance. Anyone know some good reasonably priced exterminators? Ones that would eliminate entrances as well?

[Sedinyoureyesontheprize]

If you got rat problems i feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but a rat ain't one.

 

good luck!

[Rocksterh8]

If you clean them properly, dice them up... makes great rat stew. mmm

[Cromeslab]

Do you have a Cat?if not get one.Rats can get in the smallest of holes and the cold weather is probly why you're having a problem.

[Mackcanuck]

Try sticking them in the Gnads

 

[Lionized27]

First, find out how they're getting in and fix that. Walk the entire perimeter of the house. Check your eaves, soffit, hydro meter, etc. Anywhere there is a hole the size of a quarter that is a possible entry point. 

Place traps with peanut butter in false ceiling. Along the walls and in corners are best.

[riffraff]

Probably need to move.  If you see one it usually means there are dozens. 

 

I wouldnt use any traps that involve food.  Rats are smart.  They'll figure the trap out and just invite a buddy to dinner.

 

hire an exterminator or place the poison traps or the ones that cause the animal to bleed.

 

gross man.  Sucks for you.

[riffraff]

1 hour ago, Cromeslab said:

Do you have a Cat?if not get one.Rats can get in the smallest of holes and the cold weather is probly why you're having a problem.

Yeah but then He has a cat problem.

[Lionized27]

11 minutes ago, riffraff said:

Probably need to move.  If you see one it usually means there are dozens. 

If he waits until spring, yes. Winter denning normally means there are just a couple. Spring would be bad news though. 

 

I wouldnt use any traps that involve food.  Rats are smart.  They'll figure the trap out and just invite a buddy to dinner.

They worked for me. Not sure what the big deal is. Spend 20 bucks on traps and spray foam or 300 on an exterminator? That kinda math is pretty easy for me.

hire an exterminator or place the poison traps or the ones that cause the animal to bleed.

Very bad idea. He'll then have a dead rat somewhere in his home. 

 

gross man.  Sucks for you.

 

[riffraff]

Just now, Lionized27 said:

 

Spray foam is a good idea.  Nice one.

 

meh, you're right and so am I.  There are a few ways to do it.  About 13 years ago I was in a rental with a problem.  What I tried worked at the time.  So I suppose unless the pros are called it's trial and error.

 

i lay awake in my room listening to them running in the duct bulkeheads above me. It was horrible.

[Toews]

2 minutes ago, Lionized27 said:

First, find out how they're getting in and fix that. Walk the entire perimeter of the house. Check your eaves, soffit, hydro meter, etc. Anywhere there is a hole the size of a quarter that is a possible entry point. 

Place traps with peanut butter in false ceiling. Along the walls and in corners are best.

This is sound advice. The point of entry is crucial, if you can find that then solves half the problem. Traps are good just go buy some and put them anywhere where they frequent.

[Lionized27]

7 minutes ago, riffraff said:

Spray foam is a good idea.  Nice one.

 

meh, you're right and so am I.  There are a few ways to do it.  About 13 years ago I was in a rental with a problem.  What I tried worked at the time.  So I suppose unless the pros are called it's trial and error.

 

i lay awake in my room listening to them running in the duct bulkeheads above me. It was horrible.

I had the same issue in my house about 4 years ago. Hearing them in my attic.

One point of entry was around the hydro inlet. Another along the roof line. Super easy to fix. Traps got two (set four in the attic).

I felt the exterminator wasn't going to do anything I couldn't do myself and if what I did wasn't working, I'd call him as my backup.

[Down by the River]

Weird. This story was just posted on CBC:

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-cold-rats-1.3926418?utm_content=buffer5b2c2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

Pest control experts in Metro Vancouver say the cold snap that has an icy grip on the region is driving rodents inside — and keeping exterminators busy. 

Jamie Kiffiak with Pest Detective says he's about 60 per cent busier right now than he was at the same time last year. 

"It's a matter of life and death — they've got to find shelter," said Kiffiak, adding that rats don't retain body heat very well. 

"The ones that don't find somewhere to live will die. if they can feel a small crack leading to heat they will chew with all their might or it's game over."

Jeremy LaFlamme with Westside Pest Control says his technicians are also busier than usual. 

"I think it is because of the cold snap more than anything," LaFlamme said. "With the rain it's a bit more mild, so the rodents can spend a more time outside."

With the Lower Mainland often experiencing sub-zero temperatures so far this winter, LaFlamme says the ground has become too hard for burrowing. And it's too cold for rodents to nest in trees.

'They will chew it until they can get in'

But both experts say there are plenty of other places they can nest.

"They will nest in our engines, garages, attics, anywhere where they can find," Kiffiak said, adding that barbecues are another popular option for rodents. 

"Anywhere the size of a $2 coin will allow rats entry. If it's smaller, they will chew it until they can get in."

Jamie Kiffiak with Pest Detective points to a small crevasse that could make a nice home for a mouse or rat. (Tina Lovgreen/CBC)

He says, now more than ever, homeowners need to make sure they aren't leaving any holes that will allow rats to sneak their way in.

Another tip: cleaning up any clutter around the exterior of homes.

"It encourages rodent presence because it keeps them out of sight," Kiffiak said.

Unexpected feasts

Compost, he says, is another big attraction for rats and mice.

"It's made of plastic, it's brittle, it will break and even if you're only composting grass, it will produce heat and the rats will want to burrow in and live right in the grass," he said. 

"And if you're composting food waste, it's food for the rats and mice." 

The resilient animals will eat just about anything — Kiffiak warns that people don't think of grass seed and fertilizer as a food source, but rats and mice will be happy to eat it if there's nothing else around. 

[riffraff]

53 minutes ago, Lionized27 said:

I had the same issue in my house about 4 years ago. Hearing them in my attic.

One point of entry was around the hydro inlet. Another along the roof line. Super easy to fix. Traps got two (set four in the attic).

I felt the exterminator wasn't going to do anything I couldn't do myself and if what I did wasn't working, I'd call him as my backup.

 

Yeah at the time I was renting so the landlords were bare minimum in their effort.

 

eventually the city shut down the house as we also found mould.

 

funny thing is the house was in north van and pretty decent aside from those issues.

 

as a homeowner now I do nearly everything myself.  No pests here though.

[Westcoasting]

7 hours ago, Mathew Barzal said:

I've tried everything and can't seem to find the entrance. Anyone know some good reasonably priced exterminators? Ones that would eliminate entrances as well?

set traps outside and in the false ceiling. Set multiple traps. Find the entry points and seal them with something they can't chew through.

[Johnny Shotgun]

Pack entry points or possible ones tightly with steel wool and lots of it.  Seal with spray foam.  They wont chew through steel wool.  Bait with warfarin around the yard in containers with small holes in suspected places they run.  Get on them fast as well....they breed like rats.

[RUPERTKBD]

I know you probably don't want to hear this Matt, but my advice is to bite the bullet and have PCO come in to set some poison traps. Don't use the store bought versions, because although they kill, the vermin rot where they die, leaving you with the smell.

 

The professional poisons dry the corpse out, basically leaving it a desiccated shell, that will eventually crumble away to nothing.

 

The other piece of advice, (and the PCO guy will tell you the same) is once you have the house clear, don't give them a reason to come back. Clean the house regularly and don't leave food lying around. Not to imply that you're messy, but a lot of us are guilty of leaving pizza crusts sit out over night, of half eaten bags of chips, etc.

 

Good luck.

[coastal.view]

8 hours ago, Mathew Barzal said:

I've tried everything and can't seem to find the entrance. Anyone know some good reasonably priced exterminators? Ones that would eliminate entrances as well?

in my experience a pest control guy will come over to assess your problem at no cost

they make their money from the subsequent pest control service they will provide

most will rid the place of pests and also do remedial work.. clean up and identify and seal off entry points

entry points can be anywhere.. even on the roof

do not use any poison to deal with this issue or you will have stinky rotting rat carcasses in your walls

and your place will become most unpleasant for smells

good luck with it all

i just completed working on a similar situation for a customer of mine

[cripplereh]

also poison kills not only the rats but bird like owls who hunt them or neighbors cats so please never use poison

 

cats are smart my place had them in the walls my cat heard them and made loud noises right where they were, well they left and got into the neighbors and he called someone to get them out,but they knew the cat was there and ran threw the walls till were safe.I lived in a town house at the time,so even if you get rid of them tell the neighbors so they can deal with their place!

[J.I.A.H.N]

1 hour ago, coastal.view said:

in my experience a pest control guy will come over to assess your problem at no cost

they make their money from the subsequent pest control service they will provide

most will rid the place of pests and also do remedial work.. clean up and identify and seal off entry points

entry points can be anywhere.. even on the roof

do not use any poison to deal with this issue or you will have stinky rotting rat carcasses in your walls

and your place will become most unpleasant for smells

good luck with it all

i just completed working on a similar situation for a customer of mine

 

Best Advise you can get......I agree with Coastal........do not poison them..............unpleasent smell does not begin to describe the odor.............It smells like a Zombie rotting under your bed...............it will be a smell that stays with you and your home alooooong time!

 

I work/worked in property management and our pest control people "ORKIN" use huge sticky pads that are nailed down basically........or good old fashion rap traps for the areas you can secure it, away from children.

 

Please note, I had a rat at my house that dragged the trap 12 ft through all sorts of obstacles, before gnawing its leg off and disappearing.....I still don't sleep at night waiting for its return!