Pest Control - any smells that rats don't like?

Author

any smells that rats don't like?

friesian@zoocrewphoto.com

2006-03-17, 8:21 am

We've had rats on and off over the years. Traps have helped in the
walls and garage. We are currently remodeling the house, so areas that
were closed off have been opened, and we've been working to get rid of
them.

The problem I am really having, though, is a dresser that I have in my
bedroom. It is the only place in the actual living areas where we have
found rat poop. Inside the drawers. I have a food cabinet in the same
room with no problems there, but they like this little dresser. I used
to have boxes of ziplock bags and other supplies in there. They ripped
that up, so I emptied it and left it empty. I cleaned all the drawers
with cleaner and left the dresser completely empty.

Since then, I have cleaned it a couple times, and still a couple of the
drawers have rat poop in them. I can't imagine why they go in there.
There is nothing in there at all. I would really like to use the
dresser again, but I don't want to put my things in there if the rats
are going to keep coming back.

Is there anything I can put in the drawers that would repel the rats
without repelling me as well? I've heard nicotine, but I can't stand
that smell.

Thanks.

Lar

2006-03-17, 11:21 am

In article <1142597458.659368.303530@p10g2000cwp.googlegroups.com>,
friesian@zoocrewphoto.com says...

Is there anything I can put in the drawers that would repel the rats

without repelling me as well? I've heard nicotine, but I can't stand

that smell.

I haven't come across one that works yet, and I would say my customers
have tried them all over the years. Don't just concentrate on getting
rid of the rats out of the house, but the one living near the home.
removing the areas they can hide and live out in the yard along with
baiting the perimeter, using tamper resistant bait stations seems to be
the best solutions to stopping the constant return of rats in a house.
--
Lar

Oh, if only Noah would of been a bit more wise,
he surely would of swatted those two flies.

to email....get rid of the BUGS

friesian@zoocrewphoto.com

2006-03-17, 6:21 pm

Lar wrote:

> I haven't come across one that works yet, and I would say my customers
> have tried them all over the years. Don't just concentrate on getting
> rid of the rats out of the house, but the one living near the home.
> removing the areas they can hide and live out in the yard along with
> baiting the perimeter, using tamper resistant bait stations seems to be
> the best solutions to stopping the constant return of rats in a house.
> --

We can't use bait outside because of nieghbor cats. We tried an
electric trap, and we did get a couple, but after that, they avoid it.
We've caught several in the garage and walls with traps, but never
enough to remove the problem completely. And since we have cats too, we
have to be careful where we put the traps.

Part of the problem is that our house is pretty old, and there were
places where they could easily get in. My dad has fixed most of them,
but there are still some places where the siding needs to be replaced.

And things have been worse with the cold weather. They even got into
the car and chewed a couple wires there. It just didn't start. After
replacing the battery and the starter, my dad found the chewed up
wires.

Lar

2006-03-17, 11:21 pm

In article <1142633579.788826.123300@j52g2000cwj.googlegroups.com>,
friesian@zoocrewphoto.com says...

We can't use bait outside because of nieghbor cats. We tried an

electric trap, and we did get a couple, but after that, they avoid it.

We've caught several in the garage and walls with traps, but never

enough to remove the problem completely. And since we have cats too, we

have to be careful where we put the traps.

When using baits outside you need to use a bait station.
http://belllabs.com/cgi/products.cgi?op=p&nm=domeprotlp
It is a closed "box" that keeps non target animals away from
the bait along with protecting the bait from the weather.
--
Lar

Oh, if only Noah would of been a bit more wise,
he surely would of swatted those two flies.

to email....get rid of the BUGS

friesian@zoocrewphoto.com

2006-03-17, 11:21 pm

Lar wrote:

> When using baits outside you need to use a bait station.
> http://belllabs.com/cgi/products.cgi?op=p&nm=domeprotlp
> It is a closed "box" that keeps non target animals away from
> the bait along with protecting the bait from the weather.

Thanks! We'll try that.

In the meantime, my dad is going to put a new bottom on the dresser
below the bottom drawer so that there is no gap that they can get into.

Also, is there a difference in getting rid of mice? My dad looked at
the turds and thought they were mice turds. I just assumed they were
baby rats since my cats will get into a litter of baby rats once or
twice a year and bring them to me one at a time. I wish they'd take out
the adults and be done with it, but i guess this way they get renewable
toys.

I've never actually seen a mouse in the 18 years we've lived here. Just
the baby rats (with long tails) that the cats have brought me, and the
adults that I have seen outside.

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