Rat Attack

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applebear

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I thought I heard something chewing on my hutch last night...made some noise, and haven't heard it since. Forgot about it until one of my traps went off tonight [set for the mice I was getting while the side was exposed-have not had a issue before that] and then a squeaking.

I figured this wasn't a good sign, as it should be instant death. Go in and sure enough, trap is flipped but no rodent. I'm speculating something bigger...perhaps a rat, though I have no clue how it got in. The side of the house should be completely sealed.

Regardless, he's in and I want him out asap...even more so if female looking for a spot to nest some babies. I have found once a mouse is caught in a trap and survives, they won't make that mistake again. So I'm guessing even if I got rat traps....it's not going to fall for it twice.

Rat poison worries me because of my pets and I don't really want dead animal rotting somewhere in the house where I can't find it. Live trap? Where do I take it then...no one else wants them, so it feels jerkish to dump it off in some field, where it will just make its way to some farmers corn bin.

Any ideas?
 
If you use a live trap and catch a rat, just submerge it in a bucket of water then dump the dead rat in a sealed plastic bag and into the trash.
 
My mom use to do that, and I always felt bad for them to go that way...but I will if that's what it comes to, I don't want my wires and stuff chewed [think he all ready did a number somewhere on my hutch :mad:]. I went and got a rat sized trap, laid some sticky traps [blocked off from dogs] and plan to set a live trap tonight.

Whatever the creature...it's going down.
 
if you do not want to drown it, put it in the freezer, it will go to sleep,
 
I have to tell ya all about an event that I can laugh at 30 years later. About 30 years ago, I purchased a home which backed up to the National Forest. We had critters of all types come onto the property that we had to deal with. One critter that I hated dealing with was those small field rats. I had a live cage, and caught them often. One day, my 7 year old daughter saw one of the rats in the trap, and she asked me to set it free. I placed the rat and my daughter into the car and we drove to a huge park a few miles from home. I took the trap out of the car, set it on the ground, and explained to my daughter that this was the responsible thing to do, and the little rat would live happily ever after. I opened the cage and was whistling the theme for "Born Free", as the little rat made its great escape. It got about 20 feet away when a huge hawk swooped down from the trees and grabbed that little rat and carried it away. My daughter was completely devastated. Even now, 30 years later, I can whistle that song, and my daughter will start laughing hysterically.
 
I have to tell ya all about an event that I can laugh at 30 years later. About 30 years ago, I purchased a home which backed up to the National Forest. We had critters of all types come onto the property that we had to deal with. One critter that I hated dealing with was those small field rats. I had a live cage, and caught them often. One day, my 7 year old daughter saw one of the rats in the trap, and she asked me to set it free. I placed the rat and my daughter into the car and we drove to a huge park a few miles from home. I took the trap out of the car, set it on the ground, and explained to my daughter that this was the responsible thing to do, and the little rat would live happily ever after. I opened the cage and was whistling the theme for "Born Free", as the little rat made its great escape. It got about 20 feet away when a huge hawk swooped down from the trees and grabbed that little rat and carried it away. My daughter was completely devastated. Even now, 30 years later, I can whistle that song, and my daughter will start laughing hysterically.


Thats life!!!!!!!:rofl:
 
Rat poisons should be applied with caution, and since you said you have pets, this is no longer an option for you. I've seen pets get to the most weird places where rat poisons were placed, can never be too careful.

Sticky traps will be your thing, just make sure that you place them in a location where rats always go to.
 
Yeah I'm not doing poison, but haven't gotten anything in traps or heard/seen the little rascal since. However did find some droppings in my garage [too big to be a mouse, bit small to be a rat...friend said maybe baby rats. They best be ready for war if so!]...I could see anything coming in there, as the back is gappy. I get water in there, and can see light so sure it's big enough for anything rodent size to get through.

I set a live trap out there, but nothing yet. More sticky traps....I got a spider so far. Guess that's a victory...sort of. :/

[I may put poison out there though, my dogs do not have access to garage]
 
The problem with poisons is if the rat eats it and goes outside, your dogs could eat it and become sick and could possibly be fatal.
 
Yeah I'm not doing poison, but haven't gotten anything in traps or heard/seen the little rascal since. However did find some droppings in my garage [too big to be a mouse, bit small to be a rat...friend said maybe baby rats. They best be ready for war if so!]...I could see anything coming in there, as the back is gappy. I get water in there, and can see light so sure it's big enough for anything rodent size to get through.

I set a live trap out there, but nothing yet. More sticky traps....I got a spider so far. Guess that's a victory...sort of. :/

[I may put poison out there though, my dogs do not have access to garage]

Awesome, update on how it goes. Hopefully you'll be able to catch the pest. Have you set it in a place where you found the rat droppings? Generally speaking, if you can push a pencil through a gap, a mouse can get it. Take care of that gap as well so that no other rodents can go in and out of that area.
 
I think the droppings came from above [maybe from beam it walked across], so not really able set anything there. I have read to put them along the walls as they tend to use them as a guide, but my garage is a bit complicated atm. Nothing in the traps and haven't seen any new droppings....may of went back out after finding no food or way in?

I would love to take care of the gap [it goes the entire backside of the garage and part of the sides], but until more funds are built up, I'm kind of stuck atm. We're trying, just bit rough. If you have any suggestions on how to take care of it on the super cheap side...I'd be very interested in trying something like that [even if just a temp solution]! :)
 
Well got a mouse in one of the sticky traps...def not what left the droppings before though. Something is moving the bait in the live trap and not triggering it...I stuck the sticky trap inside, maybe that'll get the bugger.

I suspect the mouse was a new visitor....judging by the look on his face, he didn't enjoy his stay. :p
 
I'm reopening this thread because I just have no clue what to do anymore. I heard something in kitchen...most def under, in or behind stove. Scratching away-was no mouse, and I'm not quite convinced it was even a rat.

I set up the traps [both rat and mouse]...nothing. It's been quiet for days. I go out to garage and check sticky trap I've had in there, and notice it's gone...look a bit and it's been moved about 5 inches. Pull it out and big hunks been chewed out and something obviously got stuck on it and got free...I can see the trails in the sticky goop. I don't think a rat could of got out of it.

The droppings I've seen in garage are not rat, but maybe slightly bigger and more pellet looking [like rabbit food, only brown....yum].

I have no clue how to deal with this culprit if I don't know what it is. Live trap hasn't worked, sticky traps don't. :/ What do I do, because I can't stand this thing coming and going into the house...I'm not even sure how he's doing it, but I worry he will do damage to wiring that is all ready old enough....I just don't know.

Ideas?
 

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