What about rats?

PatHIverson

We have a rat problem in our area. I don't think they're in our house, but I'd like to take precautions to prevent it. I am looking for some non toxic solutions. Any ideas, suggestions or direction would be greatly appropriated. Thanks for the share.

Pat

Leah Frances

Which is????

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

alphafert

Dr. Bronners purecastile peppermint soap. Its safe enough to shower and brush your teeth but rodents , ants and spiders hate it. You can wash floors & counters so the peppermint oil residue is left inside & water it down and spray the perimeter of your house. Another method is to get a ferret (unless you live in cali , hawaii or nyc). Mustella putorius furo or in english stinky ratkilling thief. Even if you had one over every once and a while they leave behind a smell that rats won't go near. I have five and lived in a rodent infested building but never saw any evidence but heard them in the walls.
The best advice I can give you is to research your enemy. Ants , rats. You name it and there is different kinds. Find out what kind of rats they are, call your local animal controll or nature center but do your homework. Rats in general are smart , don't underestimate them!

clb2010

The best thing to do is seal any openings that they can use get into the house. Things like under house crawlspace entries etc. But remember these little gobs can get into holes that you would think not possible so look at the roof, look at the walls, and the foundation then screen everything 1"+ in size. Doesn't have to be strong gate just mesh will do but make sure its strong enough you can't poke your finger though and also keep things that will attract them to a minimum like food scraps and the like as well as vegetation away from the roof line. If you do have tree's and the like close to the house you can use a tin wrap around the trunk that they can't get purchase on and climb. If you have overhead wires see about something similar to those cone's they put on dogs and cats to keep them from scratching. Talk to your power/phone company first though to get clearance from them.

Leah Frances

DO NOT put anything on a utility line it is DANGEROUS and (most likely) ILLEGAL.

__________________
If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

clb2010

Humm... Interesting. As I said please contact your power company but as my memory serves I have seen cones on cables (both power and phone) to prevent rats/squirrels/etc from chewing on them and using them as runners. I also caught one of my tech's in the hall who used to work for GTE as a lineman. When I described what I was talking about he confirmed they used "cones" and "wraps" to keep the rats/squirrels/raccoon's/etc off their poles and lines. Cones on the lines themselves and wraps around the base of the pole to stop them from climbing.

nap

but the incoming lines up to the house are owned by the utility companies so they can install whatever they want. The customer can't.

Plus, a lot of older electrical lines coming to a house have degraded, or even missing insulation. Contact with such lines can be deadly.

clb2010

Very good point and reaffirms my original statement of contact your utility company. Let me clarify that to mean call them and ask them to rat proof your lines.

alphafert

If there isn't a hole there will be. You are correct , rats can fit through any hole big enough to fit their head through but what you are forgeting is that most rats can chew through wood, plastic . Concrete and most metals. I still say you have to repell them. Besides they are more likely to climb up the drain spout than try to do a tight rope act.

Leah Frances

__________________
If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.