Got a bit of a rat problem.
Some rats are living in the small roofspace (8 feet x 3 feet x 4 feet
approx) above my kitchen which juts out from the main house. They're also
heard in the main attic, and in the wall cavity of both houses.
The local council only provides an advisory service and say the house (and
adjoining neighbour's house) has had a long history of rats, and cant offer
any further advice.
I've got 4 B&Q rat traps in the main attic, and 9 of them in the small
kitchen attic - most baited with chocolate and chocolate biscuits. I check
the roofspaces every fortnight and no traps have been touched. There's some
poison up there too, B&Q rat killer stuff, but it hasnt been eaten.

In the small roofspace above the kitchen, I can see tunnels in the
insulation where they're living and any time I poke my head up there I hear
them scurrying away into the tunnels.

Had a drain specialist out who put cameras down the drains, but came up with
no sources of entry. Found a possible point of entry and have blocked it up,
so there may be no way for them to get out. In any case, i'd like them to
leave in a rat trap so I can be sure they're dead and out, and dont cause a
stink in an inaccessible place.

I've had a cat for a year now. I've let it have a sniff around in the main
attic and even brushed it up there to get its hairs around to put the rats
off settling there. Doesnt seem to have had any effect.

Considering getting protective equipment and pulling all the insulation down
from above the kitchen, unless any of you can give me any advice. I imagine
they may attack when I start dismantling their "home".

Any advice?

thanks,
Mark.

"Mark" wrote in
news:3WRZb.25$ta.1@newsfe1-win:


Got a bit of a rat problem.
Some rats are living in the small roofspace (8 feet x 3 feet x 4 feet
approx) above my kitchen which juts out from the main house. They're
also heard in the main attic, and in the wall cavity of both houses.
The local council only provides an advisory service and say the house
(and adjoining neighbour's house) has had a long history of rats, and
cant offer any further advice.
I've got 4 B&Q rat traps in the main attic, and 9 of them in the small
kitchen attic - most baited with chocolate and chocolate biscuits. I
check the roofspaces every fortnight and no traps have been touched.
There's some poison up there too, B&Q rat killer stuff, but it hasnt
been eaten.

Any advice?


They are neophobic for a start, also look for signs on the ground outside -
sort of "mini-troughs" in soil, holes in fencing with greasy edges,
undergrowth with tunnels through it. If they're not eating the food you
provide (i.e. on the traps and in the bait trays) ask yourself whose food
they are eating and how are they getting it? They're not going to eat what
you provide if they're getting their fill elsewhere

--
john

"Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what
they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand." -
Putt's Law

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 23:39:25 -0000, "Mark"
wrote:

I've had a cat for a year now. I've let it have a sniff around in the main
attic and even brushed it up there to get its hairs around to put the rats
off settling there. Doesnt seem to have had any effect.

Put your cat on a diet. It might develop a taste for fresh rat

Only kidding. I wonder if it would be worth putting one of those
ultrasonic devices up there - nothing to lose except the £15 purchase
price and if it works it would be a cheap option:

http://www.maplin.co.uk

Search for "pest repellent".

PoP

-----

My published email address probably won't work. If
you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk

I apologise for the additional effort, however the
level of unsolicited email I receive makes it
impossible to advertise my real email address!

"PoP" wrote in message

I've had a cat for a year now. I've let it have a sniff around in the
main
attic and even brushed it up there to get its hairs around to put the
rats
off settling there. Doesnt seem to have had any effect.

Put your cat on a diet. It might develop a taste for fresh rat
Only kidding. I wonder if it would be worth putting one of those
ultrasonic devices up there - nothing to lose except the £15 purchase
price and if it works it would be a cheap option:
http://www.maplin.co.uk

Search for "pest repellent".
PoP

Already thought of that idea: bought one from B&Q last week and when I took
it home, the small print instructions inside said that it would not work
through objects such as walls or windows. I assume it wont work through the
plasterboard or insulation, so I took it back. Anyway, from what I read on
here, not many people claim they work.
Mark.

"sam ende" wrote
can't imagine the council saying it's not a (their) problem, we have had
them in at work re ants, and they've sprayed and allsorts, eventhough,
technically ants are not a health hazard, rats on the other hand
certainly are. not that hta'ts any immeadiate help to you i know but
really i think the council should be more concerned/help.
for instance quick google show that sailibery offer no charge rat
control services for domestic living;
http://www.salisbury.gov.uk/living/p...ol/charges.asp

sammi


Lucky you!
My local council,
http://www.castlereagh.gov.uk/faq/FAQS3.htm They only give out free advice.

In article 3WRZb.25$ta.1@newsfe1-win, Mark markas.REMOVE.shaw@hotmail
..com writes

Got a bit of a rat problem.
Some rats are living in the small roofspace (8 feet x 3 feet x 4 feet
approx) above my kitchen which juts out from the main house. They're also
heard in the main attic, and in the wall cavity of both houses.
The local council only provides an advisory service and say the house (and
adjoining neighbour's house) has had a long history of rats, and cant offer
any further advice.

Bet they would if their chief executive lived the-(

I've got 4 B&Q rat traps in the main attic, and 9 of them in the small
kitchen attic - most baited with chocolate and chocolate biscuits. I check
the roofspaces every fortnight and no traps have been touched. There's some
poison up there too, B&Q rat killer stuff, but it hasnt been eaten.

So just where are they getting their daily bread?.

In the small roofspace above the kitchen, I can see tunnels in the
insulation where they're living and any time I poke my head up there I hear
them scurrying away into the tunnels.

Had a drain specialist out who put cameras down the drains, but came up with
no sources of entry. Found a possible point of entry and have blocked it up,
so there may be no way for them to get out. In any case, i'd like them to
leave in a rat trap so I can be sure they're dead and out, and dont cause a
stink in an inaccessible place.


Well the stink will fade after a while.

I've had a cat for a year now. I've let it have a sniff around in the main
attic and even brushed it up there to get its hairs around to put the rats
off settling there. Doesnt seem to have had any effect.

Starve cat and leave in roofspace for a day or so;-).

In a recent survey 99.999% of domestic cats were obese....

Considering getting protective equipment and pulling all the insulation down
from above the kitchen, unless any of you can give me any advice. I imagine
they may attack when I start dismantling their "home".

Have you tried asking the local pest control services in the private
sector?..

--
Tony Sayer

On Sun, 22 Feb 2004 09:57:09 -0000, "Mark"
wrote:

Already thought of that idea: bought one from B&Q last week and when I took
it home, the small print instructions inside said that it would not work
through objects such as walls or windows. I assume it wont work through the
plasterboard or insulation, so I took it back. Anyway, from what I read on
here, not many people claim they work.

High frequency won't penetrate boards or walls, unless it is delivered
at significant power. The idea would be to put it directly where the
varmints run.

As for whether they work or not I can't comment. But given the
circumstances I would be inclined to give it a go - after all, you can
always try it out for a couple of days then take it back to B&Q if it
changes nothing! And if it did work then you've got a cheap solution!

PoP

-----

My published email address probably won't work. If
you need to contact me please submit your comments
via the web form at http://www.anyoldtripe.co.uk

I apologise for the additional effort, however the
level of unsolicited email I receive makes it
impossible to advertise my real email address!

It sounds to me like you need the services of a professional pest
control man (or woman). - not very DIY I know.

I had one round last year.
- I had rats in a ceiling.

He used some blocks of poison, which I believe are only available to
professionals.
- I think the manufacturer is sorex. - http://www.sorex.com/

We managed to keep my rat out by blocking it's entry point.

Apparently rats love the blocks he put down, and if one was still
around it would definitely taken it.
- he told me he recently put 12 quite large blocks down in a farm with
a rat problem - they ate the lot.

Interestingly he used wire to fix the block to the ceiling joist, that
way the rat couldn't run off with it to it's hidy hole and it meant
that he could examine it to see how much had been taken.

Also, he told me that by law, all traps must be checked every 24
hours. A trap may not instantly kill, and may cause unneccesary
suffering.

By the way, you do want to get rid of them - for some reason they love
to chew mains wiring.

Regards,

Chris.

Hi,

Block up any possible points of entry with newspaper to find out where
they're getting in.

cheers,
Pete.

On Sat, 21 Feb 2004 23:39:25 -0000, "Mark"
wrote:


Got a bit of a rat problem.
Some rats are living in the small roofspace (8 feet x 3 feet x 4 feet
approx) above my kitchen which juts out from the main house. They're also
heard in the main attic, and in the wall cavity of both houses.
The local council only provides an advisory service and say the house (and
adjoining neighbour's house) has had a long history of rats, and cant offer
any further advice.
I've got 4 B&Q rat traps in the main attic, and 9 of them in the small
kitchen attic - most baited with chocolate and chocolate biscuits. I check
the roofspaces every fortnight and no traps have been touched. There's some
poison up there too, B&Q rat killer stuff, but it hasnt been eaten.

In the small roofspace above the kitchen, I can see tunnels in the
insulation where they're living and any time I poke my head up there I hear
them scurrying away into the tunnels.

Had a drain specialist out who put cameras down the drains, but came up with
no sources of entry. Found a possible point of entry and have blocked it up,
so there may be no way for them to get out. In any case, i'd like them to
leave in a rat trap so I can be sure they're dead and out, and dont cause a
stink in an inaccessible place.

I've had a cat for a year now. I've let it have a sniff around in the main
attic and even brushed it up there to get its hairs around to put the rats
off settling there. Doesnt seem to have had any effect.

Considering getting protective equipment and pulling all the insulation down
from above the kitchen, unless any of you can give me any advice. I imagine
they may attack when I start dismantling their "home".

Any advice?

thanks,
Mark.

On 22 Feb 2004 14:23:25 -0800, Chris Howard wrote:

Also, he told me that by law, all traps must be checked every 24
hours. A trap may not instantly kill, and may cause unneccesary
suffering.

And a rat trapped by something "disposable" like a leg or tail will
gnaw through trapped part to escape. All we ever caught of the three
rats that tried to join us was 2" of tail and a blood stain...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

(Chris Howard) wrote in
m:

Interestingly he used wire to fix the block to the ceiling joist, that
way the rat couldn't run off with it to it's hidy hole and it meant
that he could examine it to see how much had been taken.


They (rats) have been known to carry bones from graveyards - lift your
floorboards and it looks like a serial killer's being busy

One option would be to invest in a pair of night vision goggles and wait
for them armed with an air rifle. Just a thought.

--
john

"Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what
they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand." -
Putt's Law

just seen off 16 of the pesky beggers, did not catch one in the loft
space, even though they were up there alongside traps. i put the traps at
the side of the house beside the entry points. I used cage traps and tied
bacon with cotton thread to the trigger, and set the trigger as sensitivly
as possible. I took about 3 months and I got 15 this way. Number 16 was
stupid enough to run across the conservatory while i had a screwdriver in
my hand.

happy hunting

"misterroy" wrote in message
news
just seen off 16 of the pesky beggers, did not catch one in the loft
space, even though they were up there alongside traps. i put the traps at
the side of the house beside the entry points. I used cage traps and tied
bacon with cotton thread to the trigger, and set the trigger as sensitivly
as possible. I took about 3 months and I got 15 this way. Number 16 was
stupid enough to run across the conservatory while i had a screwdriver in
my hand.

where did you get the cage traps or did you make them yourself?

"Chris Howard" wrote in message

It sounds to me like you need the services of a professional pest
control man (or woman). - not very DIY I know.

Its beginning to look that way...
Thanks for the link, btw.

By the way, you do want to get rid of them - for some reason they love
to chew mains wiring.

So I've heard. I was thinking of getting up into the small roofspace this
saturday with a long cable, the other end would be connected to a 13A plug
socket downstairs. By poking the cable in through the insulation into their
home, I may be able to electrocute a few. I'll just need to be careful not
to touch the live part of the cable myself... Surely this would kill them?

"Sneezy" wrote in message

One option would be to invest in a pair of night vision goggles and wait
for them armed with an air rifle. Just a thought.

A very entertaining idea, and would be one to pursue if the rats were in the
open.
thanks anyway,
Mark.

I bought two in a local shop the other two are borrowed from next door.
His solution was two cats. Similar traps are the top two on this page

http://www.trap-man.com/rat-traps.htm

the Modern Live capture"Family"Rat Trap being the best

happy hunting

In article , Mark
writes

"Chris Howard" wrote in message

By the way, you do want to get rid of them - for some reason they love
to chew mains wiring.

So I've heard. I was thinking of getting up into the small roofspace this
saturday with a long cable, the other end would be connected to a 13A plug
socket downstairs. By poking the cable in through the insulation into their
home, I may be able to electrocute a few. I'll just need to be careful not
to touch the live part of the cable myself... Surely this would kill them?

I doubt it would, unless you can get both live & neutral to make contact
(& not touch each other.) The rat is not going to have a very good
connection to earth. They might feel a bit of a tingle but that's about
all.

--
Tim Mitchell

Tim Mitchell wrote in
:

In article , Mark
writes

"Chris Howard" wrote in message

By the way, you do want to get rid of them - for some reason they
love to chew mains wiring.

So I've heard. I was thinking of getting up into the small roofspace
this saturday with a long cable, the other end would be connected to a
13A plug socket downstairs. By poking the cable in through the
insulation into their home, I may be able to electrocute a few. I'll
just need to be careful not to touch the live part of the cable
myself... Surely this would kill them?

I doubt it would, unless you can get both live & neutral to make
contact (& not touch each other.) The rat is not going to have a very
good connection to earth. They might feel a bit of a tingle but that's
about all.


Life of Grime where the rat had died after chewing one of the wires under
the bonnet of a car?? The heat accelerated decomposition. CSI demonstrated
how even low voltages can kill providing the current crosses the heart. If
that's a human, it must apply to rat surely??

--
john

"Technology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what
they do not manage, and those who manage what they do not understand." -
Putt's Law

By the way, you do want to get rid of them - for some reason they
love to chew mains wiring.

So I've heard. I was thinking of getting up into the small roofspace
this saturday with a long cable, the other end would be connected to a
13A plug socket downstairs. By poking the cable in through the
insulation into their home, I may be able to electrocute a few. I'll
just need to be careful not to touch the live part of the cable
myself... Surely this would kill them?

I doubt it would, unless you can get both live & neutral to make
contact (& not touch each other.) The rat is not going to have a very
good connection to earth. They might feel a bit of a tingle but that's
about all.


Life of Grime where the rat had died after chewing one of the wires under
the bonnet of a car?? The heat accelerated decomposition. CSI demonstrated
how even low voltages can kill providing the current crosses the heart. If
that's a human, it must apply to rat surely??
Low voltages can kill - but you need a VERY good connection with LOW
resistance to get enough current to flow.
Skin (and hair I think) have fairly high resistance.
In the CSI episode the skin was wet which lowers the resistance.

Either way this doesn't sound like a good way to kill rats.

wrote:

By the way, you do want to get rid of them - for some reason they
love to chew mains wiring.

So I've heard. I was thinking of getting up into the small roofspace
this saturday with a long cable, the other end would be connected to a
13A plug socket downstairs. By poking the cable in through the
insulation into their home, I may be able to electrocute a few. I'll
just need to be careful not to touch the live part of the cable
myself... Surely this would kill them?

I doubt it would, unless you can get both live & neutral to make
contact (& not touch each other.) The rat is not going to have a very
good connection to earth. They might feel a bit of a tingle but that's
about all.


Life of Grime where the rat had died after chewing one of the wires under
the bonnet of a car?? The heat accelerated decomposition. CSI demonstrated
how even low voltages can kill providing the current crosses the heart. If
that's a human, it must apply to rat surely??
Low voltages can kill - but you need a VERY good connection with LOW
resistance to get enough current to flow.
Skin (and hair I think) have fairly high resistance.
In the CSI episode the skin was wet which lowers the resistance.

Yes, a high voltage will tend to flow around the outside of a body
(think van der Graf generator. The car rat died because of the current a
car battery will kick out, not the fact it was only 12V.

Either way this doesn't sound like a good way to kill rats.

No, poison/traps/shooting them is better.

Peter

In message , Mark
writes

"Chris Howard" wrote in message

It sounds to me like you need the services of a professional pest
control man (or woman). - not very DIY I know.

Its beginning to look that way...
Thanks for the link, btw.

By the way, you do want to get rid of them - for some reason they love
to chew mains wiring.

So I've heard. I was thinking of getting up into the small roofspace this
saturday with a long cable, the other end would be connected to a 13A plug
socket downstairs. By poking the cable in through the insulation into their
home, I may be able to electrocute a few. I'll just need to be careful not
to touch the live part of the cable myself... Surely this would kill them?



Not that I'm an expert, but would poking a live wire into insulation
constitute a fire risk?

In addition, an old electrician told me that rats and mice have to be
really unlucky to get electrocuted by chewing cables as they usually
have just enough dust under there feet to give good insulation.

It also strikes me that if you have a number of rats that you poke a
wire at, some may decide to go for your arm. I've heard that rats these
days aren't that timid. I'd get a pro in, and probably invest in a
pellet gun just in case.


Kind regards,

Saeed

sr_ng 786