Dealing with rats

[CarpCharacin]

I went ahead and ordered the more powerful poison, because I checked the bait boxes today, and all the poison was gone except for 1/2 a block, and some poison crumbs in the tray below the wires which hold the bait blocks. When I run out of the anticoagulant, I'm going to start purring out the bromethalin based bait blocks.

 

[CarpCharacin]

The more powerful poison came today, so I went out and checked the bait boxes, and there was still quite a bit of the old poison. They had eaten a little bit of it, but not a lot, so I think they might be dying off. If they finish eating the remaining anticoagulant poison in the boat boxes now, I'll put out some of the stronger stuff, even though I haven't used put out the remaining anticoagulant poison.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Oh good!

 

[aart]

The more powerful poison came today, so I went out and checked the bait boxes, and there was still quite a bit of the old poison. They had eaten a little bit of it, but not a lot, so I think they might be dying off.

The bait will continue to be eaten until no more rats.
I wouldn't put any more out until all the bait is gone.

 

[Howard E]

On your progress, sounds like you are right on schedule using the type of bait blocks you started with. So other than reduced consumption of blocks, are you still seeing rats or finding evidence of them around? Droppings, etc? Have you found any deadO's laying around?

Since you already have it, you may want to switch one bait box to the stronger version in case some rats were not eating the first kind or not affected by it. A switcheroo to a different type bait is always a good idea once the initial consumption falls off. And going forward, leaving bait out in the boxes should be the plan for the foreseeable future. And if you are uncertain if you got em all, you could now set a few traps to use as monitoring devices.......or use a trail camera for the same purpose.

 

[Jammerz]

I don't have time today to read through the whole thread but I will relate my experience and successes.

We have 'roof rats' they aren't nearly as big as Norway rats or sewer rats. When they were getting in my coop, I would put a Havahart box trap along the wall and bait it with nuts-usually a pecan have glued to the bait pan with Nutella. I caught 6 in 6 days and that was the end of them.

They occasionally get in my shed where I keep my food. I don't know how they get in there but they do. I have my chicken feed in 5 gallon buckets and they try to chew the lids off. I tried a lot of stuff. I had some success with a diving board trap but many of the rats were too big and could reach the bait from the edge of the bucket (comfirmed by a game camera)

I found a snap trap, similar to the common Victors, called a Big foot. It has a hair trigger so to speak. I put a 1x6 over the top of my buckets and put a few cherios or nuts on it and GLUE some cherioes or nut halves to the bait pan with Nutella. I recently caught 6 rats in 5 days. I still have the trap on the board (not set) and bait out. No more rats. Next year they will be back- only seem to come during the cooler time of the year.

I don't like poison because the rats tend to die inside and STINK. IF you use poison, buy a bait station from a commercial pest control supply, They have a concrete base and are heavy. Put them along a runway and keep them FULL. You will kill lots of rats this way.

 

[CarpCharacin]

On your progress, sounds like you are right on schedule using the type of bait blocks you started with. So other than reduced consumption of blocks, are you still seeing rats or finding evidence of them around? Droppings, etc? Have you found any deadO's laying around?

Since you already have it, you may want to switch one bait box to the stronger version in case some rats were not eating the first kind or not affected by it. A switcheroo to a different type bait is always a good idea once the initial consumption falls off. And going forward, leaving bait out in the boxes should be the plan for the foreseeable future. And if you are uncertain if you got em all, you could now set a few traps to use as monitoring devices.......or use a trail camera for the same purpose.

I haven't been seeing as many rats around, but I haven't found any dead ones. I'll definitely switch at least one of the bait boxes to the stronger stuff once they finish eating the poison that's out there now.

 

[CarpCharacin]

Ugh, I just went out there to check the bait boxes, and I saw two rats in the garage, and they still hadn't eaten too much of the poison. I put two of the blocks of the stronger poison in one of the bait boxes, and also left the remaining anticoagulant poison, so the rats will be able to eat either in the one bait box. I also moved one of the bait boxes. I hope they keep eating the poison. I noticed that the rats have been bringing leaves and stuff into the bait boxes.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Ugh, I just went out there to check the bait boxes, and I saw two rats in the garage, and they still hadn't eaten too much of the poison. I put two of the blocks of the stronger poison in one of the bait boxes, and also left the remaining anticoagulant poison, so the rats will be able to eat either in the one bait box. I also moved one of the bait boxes. I hope they keep eating the poison. I noticed that the rats have been bringing leaves and stuff into the bait boxes.

It takes time. Hang in there.

 

[aart]

I noticed that the rats have been bringing leaves and stuff into the bait boxes.

Ugh is right, cheeky little batrastards!