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I specialize in attic rat trapping. |
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Customer Rat Email: Hi David, I'm talking from Austin, Texas. I live in a
small apartment and dealing with mouse and rat problems. The apt
complex did not help. They would send people every week to put one
trap or two (glue), but the problem compounded. I live with my
elderly mother and a young daughter, and none of us wanted to deal
with the job of catching them. However, I had to curb my fears and
started putting the traps myself every night (with dear corn on
them). I have been catching one or two mice and rats every night!
The pest control told me in the past that I had to leave the hole on
the wall open until I caught the mice, but they do not stop coming!
EVER. Your web page advise to seal the home first and only then
exterminate sounds logical. Thank you. I have to ask you one
question, though... One of the places that the rats are coming into
the apartment is through the dryer's hole on the wall. I cannot seal
that. What would you recommend in this case? I can hear them on the
sealing between the two floors. The dryer pipe probably runs in the
wall and between the apartment floors too. Hoping to hear from you
soon. Sincerely yours, Jesica
My Answer: Rat problems in apartments can be especially difficult because of the size of the building, and the fact that the openings might be on any unit, not just your own. The glue boards used by the apartment are a very bad choice. Snap
traps are better. But most importantly, the openings from the OUTSIDE of the apartment must be identified and sealed shut - a dryer hole is secondary in importance.
If you need rodent control services in your hometown, click for the National Directory of
Rat Trappers that I've carefully compiled in every USA city.
There are three kinds of rodents commonly found inside buildings (in the attics, walls, and even inside the living space). They are the Roof Rat (Rattus rattus), which is also called the Black Rat, then there's the
Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus), also known as the Brown Rat, and the House Mouse (Mus musculus). Roof Rats are more common in the south, such as Florida, where I work. The above photo is of a Roof Rat. They are very
common inside attics. The Norway Rat is more common in the northern section of the United States. The Norways are more commonly found underground, in subways and sewers and such. The House Mouse is found everywhere, but
seems more common in the north. All of these rodents thrive in urban areas and love to live in human buildings and houses. They use human garbage (and pantries) as sources of food. All of these rodents are carriers of
several diseases that can infect humans and pets. They contaminate homes and attics. The only way to permanently solve a rat problem is to find out how the rodents are gaining access to the inside of the building, and
fix those openings. Then the remaining rats inside have to be trapped and removed. If you want to learn more, please read my How To Get Rid of Rats page.
AAAnimal Control is a privately owned wildlife removal and pest control business, located in Orlando Florida. I deal strictly with wild animals such as rats. I am not an extermination company, but a critter removal
and control specialist. The above photos are some of the many that I've taken in the field over my years of work. Please email me if
you have any questions about the above photographs, or any questions about
wildlife problems or rat control issues.
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