Rats....and how to get rid of them?

[Woodfinish Man]

Steelwool what a cracking idea, I'm off to fill the numerous gaps we have in the house. Grade 5 will surely stop them!

 

[RogerS]

you need one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Procter-Bros-Lt ... 386&sr=8-2

Knowing my rats, they'd have the batteries out and inside their walkmans.

 

[paulm]

Steelwool what a cracking idea, I'm off to fill the numerous gaps we have in the house. Grade 5 will surely stop them!

Isn't steelwool prone to spontaneous combustion ? :shock:

Or am I thinking of something else ?

Cheers, Paul

 

[Green]

something else

 

[Jake]

It flares up fiercely when set alight, but to spontaneously combust you'd have to have used it for rubbing in a oil finish or something, where the oil provides the spontaneity. That's probably what you are remembering.

 

[RogerS]

Two ultrasonic devices duly installed. Steel wool stuffed in where I think they might be coming from. Jack Russells and ferrets locked away in the loft...sorry, that last one was wishful thinking. Time will tell.

Thinking a bit more about that electronic killer, it isn't practical for the loft since it's damn difficult getting up there especially on a daily basis to check and empty the trap.

 

[Digit]

My money's on the Jack Russels still being there in the morning and no sign of the Ferrets!

Roy.

 

[mel]

this is highly unusual , rats wont hang around for long if their is no food source
so my question is what foodsource is available to them ??
if a foodsource is nearby then you will be seeing runs created by a constant back and forth movement , these things eat a lot
the suggestion of the jack russell is probably the best , but im biased , as i am the proud owner of one already .
we keep chickens and we often get a rat or two , the dog is proactive in their dispatch

 

[RogerS]

Mel

I know what you're saying but why would they go up into the roof space in the first place? We don't have picnics up there! The only food source is the rat poison. So they must go back and forth somehow.

I've blocked up where I thought they might be coming in (and bought way way too much steel wool - so stuck the surplus (24 rolls!) on eBay) but don't know whether they can climb walls!

After one night - current score is rats - 1, ultrasonics - 0 although they do say that if there is a nest then they wait until the young have matured. Still they come with a 60 day moneyback guarantee - the ultrasonics, not the rats)

 

[dedee]

Roger,
if you've blocked up the entrance, and hence exit, how are the rates going to get away from the ultrasonics?

Andy

 

[RogerS]

Roger,
if you've blocked up the entrance, and hence exit, how are the rates going to get away from the ultrasonics?

Andy

Mmmmm....you have a point and one that I did wonder about. Just that I'm not 100% convinced that I've actually found and hence blocked their entrance.

 

[mel]

yes roger ,
they will climb walls
look for dirty streaks on the walls as they usually use the same routes