Build a better rat trap? No chance

About three months ago, while reading the paper early one morning, I heard some scratching sounds in the ceiling near the fireplace. I figured birds were on the roof, pecking away at the grit embedded in the composition shingles. They'd done that in the past, forcing me to replace the ridgecapping on an otherwise good roof. I went outside, but saw no birds.

A few days later, I heard something in the wall near the bathroom. Then I went out into the garage and noticed a distinctive odor, along with some chewed up cardboard. And as I stood there, something jumped over my foot and scurried away. It was a rat. A filthy, stinking rat -- one, as it turned out, that had plenty of friends and relatives.

I bought some traps and placed them beneath the house at the crawl space, three or four in the garage and one up in the attic. Within three days, using peanut butter as bait, I had several kills. But the noises continued. The extermination continued. Within a week, the count reached 10. When I went to fill the dog's water dish in his pen, I saw another rat along the fence. So I put traps there, too.

 Turned out they were getting under the house through some holes in the venting. Once I patched those, things have slowed considerably. But before that happened, the death toll reached 30. I am not kidding. It was disgusting, but at least they didn't get inside our home.

It's been two weeks since the last score. No more sounds in the attic or the walls. And I give the credit to peanut butter and old-fashioned Victor wood-based snap traps. Time tested and still as effective as ever.

Oh my!

Should we congratulate you?  I guess maybe.  I'm glad it's over!  I woulda moved out 'til it was over!  Gives me the creepie shivers just thinking about it!  ((creepy willies shiver))

You need some kitty cats!

Actually,

Now that the creepy shivers are over I kinda feel like puking.  Won't be eating that un-necessary snack.  So I guess I should thank you for assisting with my weight loss efforts.

I'm sick now. 

Before you stop try a couple of never been used traps

sometimes the smell of death...well..some of them are smarter than others. If you don't get any hits you can always use them next time.

Get cats!

Like cats the size of mountain lions!!!

Related (sorta) problem.

OMG!! I think the Jardine household should network with this family:

http://www.feelslikehomeblog.com/2008/11/toilet-is-clogged.html

(Got this link from 9to5to9 on twitter.)

Pastel's picture

We have all sorts of vermin

We have all sorts of vermin out here, and when they built some new houses across the street in 2005, they all came over here looking for goodies to eat, and a place to stay.  My cats were curious, but scared to death of them.  My dogs went after them and made 3 kills in a short period of time.  We got one of those boxes with the poisoned food inside, the type they take out, and take back to their nest, and it gets all of them.  Three years later, we are still refilling the box regularly!

Lazy cats... 

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Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't.
- Following the Equator, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar

get a scotty dog

My first scotty, Angus MacDuff, was an excellent ratter.  My second scotty, Roddy MacDuff, was a CHAMPION ratter.

My latest scotty, Shaw's William Wallace MacDuff?

He lets the cat do it.

can you say, "spoiled little baby scotty?"

Pastel's picture

Haha, Scotties are cute. 

Haha, Scotties are cute.  I've always wanted one. I love terriers.  Mine are terriers. (or is that 'terrors'??)

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Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't.
- Following the Equator, Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar

rats

Are rats bad?

 

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