Anybody really good at exterminating rats?

[daddio202]

This has been the worst year and half of my life! It started with rats getting in under my vinyl siding from ground level. The channel which holds bottom of siding got brittle and some rats found their way in and made home. It is a brutally long story but I will try to get to the point. Called an exterminating company and paid $1500 for guaranteed 1 year rat free. Problem was as we slowly closed all exit locations as to trap them we first pushed them into attic. Only 1 very large rat was trapped then all soffits,vent etc. were all closed off. The guy came every other day for weeks until finally they no longer believed me that I heard them at night. Eventually they said must be coming from drain plumbing get a smoke test done on all plumbing leading to sewer. Did smoke test, plumber was excellent and did multiple smoke bombs to be sure no cracks in plumbing....none found!! The noise at night continued for months till finally I found out how they were getting in and out. Here in florida ground is very sandy, they simply dig under foundation and have found probably from inside some cracks or small hole in cement slab foundation. Called another company after building by hand a 4 foot deep 2 ton cement wall underground on most activity side of house. They want $2000 to dig trench around entire house foundation to attach underground fence to keep them out. Owner only seen this twice in 30 years. But I noticed after pouring my wall underground it just pushed them out front digging under driveway to get in. They had no real answer how to solve that as front porch extends out front quite aways with obvious tunnel openings out into front yard. Any advice will be much appreciated!! So sorry so long, this is short as I can make it as I have tried every rodent Removal device/trick known to man to no avail. I listen as they leave every night and come back few hours later never going above ground (somehow??to get water every night)

 

[daddio202]

Here is a picture showing them tunneling along underground wall to find way in. They always do!!

 

[phantomcycle]

As a kid we would sit inside the grain bin on the farm with a flashlight and a 22 LR took a couple weeks but where soon rat free [emoji3]

Sent from my LG-K371 using Tapatalk

 

[bigwheelzip]

My husband spoke to an exterminator about "something" tunneling under the slab of my in-laws FLA home. He said to get a couple of bags of landscaping marble stones from Home Depot, and fill the holes with these chips and pack them tight. He suggested doing this at night.

It seems to stop them for a while, but needs re-doing every couple of months, in a different untreated sandy area. He just staged a few bags in the garden, and threw a few shovels full once in a while. Only takes him a minute.

Or you could get a dog.

Top 10 Dog Breeds Ideal for Catching Rats | PetHelpful

Good luck.

 

[vt_shooter]

Make 'em an all-you-can eat buffet of d-Con.

 

[Jinglebob]

Get a couple of rat snakes. I've got a big one that lives under my deck. No rats or mice.

 

[daddio202]

I have over 12 snap traps sitting all around attic walls with everykind of bait imaginable. Got the 1 in a snap trap and it's like the rest learned from that rats' mistake. Also more than 20 pounds of 5 different brand poison blocks, pellets, small balls all around attic. They seem to know not to eat it. I have tried to ambush them with pellet gun and 22mag snake shot in 7 inch revolver. They will not emerge from inside walls while I am up there. Tried playing the "hide and seek" game. They too smart for that I can hear them running into walls as I climb stairs into attic. Problem also attic very tight can not see all parts only 4 foot tall in center with 2 2x4's running down center insulation wires and a.c. ducting everywhere. I can hear them bruins while up there. Bruning is them mashing their teeth together as their teeth always grow. Believe me I am not dumb done tons of research and at times have been driven to tears over this. I would not wish this on my worst enemy!! They only chew on the wood not anything else. Thank you all so far at this point I'll try anything. Maybe some rocks in a trench is in store for me in the 105 degree heat index just like the wall mixed alone by me in 5 gallon buckets over 2 tons(

 

[4barrel]

I used to live in a house in the 60s that sounded like the derby at night. I liked the movie Willard. Rats hate moth balls.

 

[daddio202]

Bruxing is the word auto spell ruined twice in my last post. Bruxing

 

[Steve912]

Try to figure out *why* they are picking your place...may help, may not. They want food, shelter and water. Right now you know they're getting shelter at your place. Look at the other two factors, also...

Rats have very sensitive noses. They don't like petroleum distillates, or stinky pesticides like dursban. If the soil along slab is sheltered from rain wash-out, try drenching it with something pungent. Edit: if you have chlordane, or know someone (non-professional) who has some--it has a very persistent odor & binds to soil (so well, the licensed pest controllers lobbied to have it prohibited for professional use). Licensed pest controllers can't use it, but 'amateurs' can--and it will keep termites at bay, for decades...

Had some wood rats invade my truck, after county brush-hogged the outfall ditch that runs along back of lot-line. I used galvanized gutter guard to block access under the hood, where I could...sprayed wiring harnesses with asphalt-base undercoating (they chewed thru a valve positioning sensor lead, and almost thru a 120V extension cord to battery charger), wired some bait blocks in fender wells, and eventually tied mesh sacks of moth balls--after seeing blood drips from the bait.

Mothballs in mesh bags can make an attic less desireable, also.

 

[gman51]

Bait blocks can be a big mistake because though the rats are supposed to go outside to find water they often die in the walls. They will start to stink as they dehydrate but when moisture gets to them they will start to stink again. I will not use those poison bait blocks inside the house. I had a bunch of field rats in my shed but the poison blocks killed them off and I have no more rats.

 

[DWalt]

" Edit: if you have chlordane, or know someone (non-professional) who has some--it has a very persistent odor & binds to soil (so well, the licensed pest controllers lobbied to have it prohibited for professional use). Licensed pest controllers can't use it, but 'amateurs' can--and it will keep termites at bay, for decades..."

The only problem with Chlordane is finding any to buy. I have a fair-sized supply I have found at garage and estate sales. It hasn't been sold at stores in forever. Nothing living likes Chlordane. The best termite, flea, and ant killer ever, as it is so persistent. It doesn't biodegrade in soil.

 

[Zipdog]

They get immune to the same bait. Switch baits every 30 days. Try some 4 The Birds where they walk . Use the gel form. Will have to get the good kind that attacks the nervious system from a professional. Might work but don't know.

 

[daddio202]

So far Thank You guys! I just put 3rd installation of moth balls in attic today. I had that attic so smelly it would burn my eyes it's about 165 degree up there during daytime. I have even put 3 Pounds of coyote urine soaked litter and it stinks. Nothing works!!! No food at all up there!!! My house does sit higher than my neighbors and I see tunneling next to their houses then leading over to mine which is high and dry I also have 2 of those guaranteed ultrasound devices up there on extension cords. Poured coyote urine around base of house. Nothing deters them they just live here no matter what smell no matter what I do. My bedroom walls are full of pellet holes trying to shoot them through wall. They can sense me coming into room I can hear them startle in wall. My wife forbids snakes!!! I used to see rat snakes every year but have not in past 5 years I think the rats ate them!

 

[daddio202]

I am going on 2 years and over $2500 invested in this problem and still no solution. I wonder where to get chloradane??

 

[daddio202]

I reach out to you guys because I am at the point of when I call a rodent exterminating company and explain the problem to them they either will not come out or the fella's come look around get explanation and they say "your better off putting the money towards a contractor to fix under house so they can't get in and out" Nobody is in the the house foundation slab removal and reinstallation business!!!

 

[6518John]

Daddio--with all the rain we have had in our area--and I think this a problem throughout the southeast US--there is a huge abundance of mast. This in turn has caused an abundance of Roof Rats. I talked to an exterminater this week that is booked solid until October with service calls to deal with these devils. I sat out tonight with a Beeman .22 pellet rifle and popped three.

Your problem sounds to me like Norway Rats. I have hunted them on farms with smokers and terriers. (A smoker is a small gas engine with a pipe extending from the exhaust allowing you to connect a pipe to channel exhaust fumes into the rat burrows and drive them out). The terriers catch and kill the rats when they pop out of the burrows to escape the fumes (it is a BLAST and my Feist dog lives for this). But I don't think you want to pump a bunch of exhaust fumes down your walls.

I think what you are going to have to do is find some rattters down your way that hunt with ferrets. You use the ferrets just like the smoker--you release them into the tunnels, here your wall spaces, and they drive the rats. I would get on a varmint hunters forum in your area and see if you can't find some local terriermen that drive rats with ferrets. I have never hunted over ferrets but know people that have and they are excellent. They also kill the rats in addition to driving them.

PM me if you need help with finding varmint/earthdog forums down your way and I will check with my local connections here.

 

[amazingflapjack]

we have several kitty cats in our yard-no rats or field mice, even with bird feeders.

 

[6518John]

Here is a smoker.

[ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c5Fj0FDiDlg[/ame]

 

[daddio202]

Thank you 6518john!! Your solution sounds the most plausable!! Exactly what you say is true. Here in florida these rats eat citrus they are not like big new York gutter rats. They live within my walls and only use the attic to travel. I have never in my life heard of hunting rats like hunting a fox with beagles!!! Ferret Terriermen!!!never heard of such a thing in my life. I'm literally stunned by this! I am in bradenton and the surrounding areas have lots of good ol' boys, ģuess The Terrierman search begins.