Get Rid of Rats Without Breaking the Bank
You don't need to spend a fortune to get rid of rats. Using a few basic techniques and inexpensive traps it is possible to solve your rat problem without breaking the bank.
The venerable wooden snap trap like the one made by Victor, is still one of the most effective ways of trapping rats. They are the least expensive of all rat traps and can even be purchased in bulk by the dozen in order to save even more money. One of the most effective strategies for trapping rats is to place as many traps as possible in a given area at one time. Bait the traps without setting them for several days to a week so that the rats become used to feeding at the traps. Then set the traps all at once. This is to ensure a large kill before the rats become trap shy and to interrupt their breeding cycle. It takes a lot of traps to implement this strategy so this is where the wooden snap trap shines because of its low cost.
You can bait your traps with items commonly found around the home. Homeowners often bait traps with foods such as bacon, nuts, candy bars and peanut butter. Peanut butter tends to be one of the most widely used and effective dates that can be found at home. No need to buy expensive commercial rat attractants.
After trapping as many rats as possible began to seal any and all access points into your home. Openings or cracks even as small as one quarter to one half an inch must be sealed. Stuffing copper wire mesh into the holes is a very effective way of sealing them. Follow that up with a construction type expanding foam or possibly a caulk to seal the mesh in place. Some people have had success using the copper mesh pots scrubbers found in the kitchen to seal the occasional opening. Heavy hardware cloth can be placed across vents and other larger openings. Just ensure that the holes in the mesh are small enough to keep rodents from crawling through. It is not necessary to spend lots of money but you do want to make sure that the materials you use to seal your home cannot be chewed through.
Make sure you remove all sources of food the rodents might use around your home. Do not leave pet food out, make sure trashcan lids are tight and any fruit or nuts on the ground from trees are removed. If you like to feed birds and have a rat problem you may need to stop that practice. Rats are very fond of eating birdseed! If you have to get rid of rats, making sure there is nothing for them to eat is vital.
Lastly, it is time to de-clutter in and around the home. Thin out any thick undergrowth and as much as possible, keep a relatively clear space all around the perimeter of the house. Rats like to hide in thick growth while chewing their way into your home. At the same time cutback any bushes or trees touching the home as the rodents use these to climb onto the roof and seek access into the home. This can all be accomplished with just some time and energy if you do it yourself.
You can get rid of rats around the home with a little money, a little sweat and some ingenuity. Apply the basics of rat control consistently and you can win the war against rats without spending a fortune.
About the Author
After battling rats in his attic and around his home for many years, Randy Parsley eventually won his battle against rodents. He shares his unique perspective in the form of honest reviews and information about rat control devices and methods at http://ratcontrolreviews.com.
See a Roof Rat live trapped on my deck
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