Erny Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) I've never used poison here before - don't like it. Primarily for dog-sake, but also must admit that whilst rats give me the heebie-jeebies, I don't like that they suffer pain before they perish. BUT the rat problem around here doesn't seem to be a passing phase and now I can hear that they are in my ducted heating under the house, gnawing away. Also in the garage (one food treat pouch down). I'm not sure if I've heard noises in the ceiling as well, or whether the sound direction of the gnawing I heard last night was my error, or if there were rats above AND below me. So it's come to the point where I will have to do something about them, otherwise I can imagine the amount of (further) damage they will be causing to the home and car. Is it better to get professional help in? And do they block holes where the rats have obviously entered to be able to get in under the house? Or do they only lay poisons just as I may if I have to deal with this myself? Thoughts, opinions and experiences? Edited April 25, 2014 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 We had rats AND mynah birds. Because of the ages & fraility of the older Vizslas, we got a professional to attend to the issue. Bear in mind I am in NSW, Erny, but our professional literally rat-proofed the premises. May differ for other States. This work was done at the start of last summer. ( Late October). I am checking 3 place where we used to see 'droppings'. None have been sighted. For us, worthwhile in terms of no chemicals on OUR bodies and no error by ourselves to hurt the dogs & parrots. Peace of mind is what we achieved. Good Luck :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 Thank you. Have no idea what they charge, but that information will soon become apparent when I begin ringing around. Is it a regular 'thing' that the professionals rat proof the home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 It is pretty hard to block out mice and rats. They can squish through tiny spaces. The pest guy I used just put bait down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Her Majesty Dogmad Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 It is pretty hard to block out mice and rats. They can squish through tiny spaces. The pest guy I used just put bait down. Just get someone recommended. I paid a fortune to a pest control company last year as I had rats and Mynah birds, they came twice and I still had the problem. Neighbour went up and said they'd put baits in the wrong places so put new ones down - end of rat problem. Got another pest company (recommended) out to deal with the Mynahs but they are back again this year - not paying another $350 .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 I've made two calls so far. One I'm waiting for a return call from. The other one said they lay bait in the form of powder. The rats walk through it, groom themselves (therefore taking in the bait) and it takes 4 days for the rats to die. (Again, I'm sorry for the rats .... but their damage has to stop.) Is that the style of bait that most professionals would use? I'm told it is relatively safe for use around dogs as it is a "multi-dose bait" and would take a lot of rats to harm a dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 25, 2014 Author Share Posted April 25, 2014 Thanks, HMDM ..... Any recommendations from Victorian people for south-eastern suburbs melbourne? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WreckitWhippet Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 we baited the ceiling when we had one. Ended up catching it in a rat trap in the end. It was a huge bastard and used to sit on top of the dog runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wundahoo Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 A determined rat can chew its way into or out of almost anything except brick, concrete or steel. Having been involved in fauna surveys I've seen rats chew their way out of solid metal sherman or elliot style folding traps. Unfortunately it's unusual for there to be just one rat. They usually live in groups so when one or two are seen it's often just the tip of the iceberg. When doing native fauna surveys the sighting or capture of a couple of rats is taken to mean that there will be a much larger but unseen population. A friend of mine who lived in the country had an enormous rat problem one year and resorted to baiting to eliminate them. He made sure that his dogs wore wire cage muzzles when out and about so they they didnt pick up any dead ones. The rats had chewed the wiring in the roof of the house which resulted in an electrical fire, one of the the trucks had it's wiring chewed and needed $$$$$$ spent to repair. The seat in the harvester had been chewed to pieces to name a few of the things that were damaged by them. There was evidence of damage from rats everywhere, not to mention the smell of rats in the barn. Unfortunately baiting is often the the only way to control them as they do become pretty trap smart and once, as a group they sense there has been a "victim" in a trap they wont go near it. They are clever. Baiting is not pleasant but living with a rat plague is hell. If any bait is used, you need to find out what it is and the relevant signs of toxicity in dogs.....just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 We had rats last year and I refused to lay baits. We blocked any holes we could find, removed all access to food (make sure bin lids are properly closed, clean up any excess/spilt pet food, etc.) and then put out traps. As horrible as the traps are, at least they kill the rats quickly. We caught about 6-7 in the traps, but then they just seemed to move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 There was a thread a while back and people recommended this rat zapper. No poison - the rats run through it, get electrocuted and die instantly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Mitre 10 sell the electrocution traps, they are a bit expensive. Rats in the roof when I came here 10 years ago. Threw double strength Ratsack up there through the manhole & threw those blocks into the corners. Solved the problem but every few years I stick another box up there just in case. Mouse plague here at present. One has been on my porch driving one of the dogs crazy as she can see it through the window. Also moved 2 dead ones the cats killed in the run about an hour ago. 35 in my car in 10 days, I trapped 11 in one day & was in tears. Car is parked on the street now & that seems to have solved it for the last few days. In desperation I rang a pest control company for advice. They said all the things to deter them are all old wives tales & basically you have to trap, drown or poison them as fast as possible until they move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegratus Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 We've got rats and mice at the moment. We didn't empty the rubbish room for 4 months while Nathan was out of work, now that we've emptied it they're all looking for a new place to live. We've killed 3 rats in the lounge room in the space of 3 days, that was the point where I'd had enough and bought some baits. I haven't found any dead ones yet, but they are eating the baits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jemappelle Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I get them in the roof all the time and keep getting the pest control guy out to put down more baits and they keep coming back! I'm thinking I should put pet safe bait traps all around the outside of the house and get them before they get into the roof space. And I never see any dead rats around - touch wood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieW Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I've had rats and mice here recently which one of the dogs managed to catch. I was a bit concerned about them in the shed when I went away (and no dogs on the premises) so I put some Racumin down. I hate the idea of poison but wasn't sure what else to do. The bait was intact when I got home but has since been eaten so there must be some vermin around, even though the dogs aren't giving any indication they're about. (The dogs have no access to the shed.) I thought I heard some scratching behind the wall the other day so put some Racumin in the ceiling too. It's supposed to be 'safer' for other animals than some of the other baits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Our rats were coming from next door who have chookz. The dogs caught quite a few in the backyard and I think that helped deter them from coming back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flame ryder Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 When I spoke to the pest exterminator who came in to do my workplace, he said Talon was the brand he recommended to work the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ish Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) Rat zapper - they're bloody awesome. I've zapped 2 in my shed this week. No risk to the dogs Edited April 25, 2014 by ish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kajirin Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I use the tomcat brand rat traps, no touch no fuss type. Just flip them open and put peanut butter on them. They're only good though really for a few rats. But the snapping of them is quite tough so I'd keep away from inquisitive cat/dog noses and paws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 I used steel wool (They don't like chewing it - like when you get tin foil on your fillings) and duct tape to block up some holes in kitchen cupboards in the place I used to rent. At the moment I like these guys www.gettrapped.com.au in particular these - have dispatched many mice. catches lots at once. Has taken all the mouse hunting joy out of the back yard for evil hound - who likes to hunt but not catch or kill. http://www.gettrapped.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=1_3&product_id=2 I got some of their $25 rat traps but haven't actually been able to make those work. And the large size mouse traps for rats - didn't catch any rats either - mostly cos the mice ate all the bait. http://www.gettrapped.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=1_2&product_id=81 Evil hound managed to tip the bait out of one of these and eat it without setting the thing off. The next bait was cable tied in. But still think the trip mechanism wasn't right. I may have to get some help to adjust it. I'm too scared to use rat baits now I have a dog but pretty sure my neighbours do - even tho that side has a cat (and canaries), and this side has a dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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