Eradicate Rats in Roof Space - Pest conrollers in Kapiti?

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KiwiTim

376 posts

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#3179147 8-Jan-2024 18:57

xpd:

Rats generally nest close to their "hunting" grounds, around 100m. We used to get them at our place until the paddocks across the road got developed for housing. No rats since.

You've not mentioned if you're rural or not, but if in suburbia, start looking for places they could nest easily, such as abandoned sheds, overgrown areas etc. Then poison around it and clean it up if possible.

There is a river about 200 meters away, and plenty of fruiting trees in the neighbourhood. No chickens on our property or on neighbours property

Plenty of trees and shrubs in the area where they could hide.

andrew75

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#3179149 8-Jan-2024 19:03

The key thing I have found to avoid escapes is to ensure the rat comes into the trap front on. If they come in side on back on, or from the top often you get a misfire or escape.

I've found these very good (with the killbar)

https://peststop.co.nz/collections/monster-traps?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtOmsBhCnARIsAGPa5yZ3IbsGIlNmyvQCC-Yagecpnxq3PuhDwPalEVAtQzwjuuKN24lNwOgaAugBEALw_wcB

xpd

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#3179235 9-Jan-2024 08:57

Rats only need to be able to get their head into a gap and the rest of the body follows. So a small hole that you think isn't anything to be concerned about, is a perfect entrance for a rat/mouse.

And bugger about the fruit trees, rats will be loving it.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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timmmay

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#3179240 9-Jan-2024 09:46

I called a pest control guy in Wellington, the guy has a masters degree in pest control. Integrated Pest Management (link1, link2), Brian, nice guy. He got up into the ceiling and threw handfuls of rat poison in every direction. Cost $120 or so, maybe a bit more. Never had one die in the ceiling, yet. Try the poison first, then call him and see if he comes out your way.

Additionally I've seen bait stations outside in sheltered areas, along walls where rats run. Not sure it'll work if you have a huge rat.

I learned from the pest guy that rats can jump a couple of meters, so any trees anywhere near a roof provide roof access. From there they can easily squeeze up under the edge of a roof.

MikeAqua

7773 posts

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#3179394 9-Jan-2024 15:20

Burn them out👹

"I love the smell of Napalm in the [ceiling]"

"the rats, the rats, the rats are on fire.

We don't need no water, let the [little rodents] burn

Burn [little rodents], burn"

Mike

Shindig

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#3179463 9-Jan-2024 18:18

patterdale terrier required!

https://youtu.be/Jl1tOqEEOu8?si=7dNT6latz4lO2dDr

The little things make the biggest difference.

MadEngineer

4271 posts

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#3179469 9-Jan-2024 19:12

timmmay:
I called a pest control guy in Wellington, the guy has a masters degree in pest control. Integrated Pest Management (link1, link2), Brian, nice guy. He got up into the ceiling and threw handfuls of rat poison in every direction. Cost $120 or so, maybe a bit more. Never had one die in the ceiling, yet. Try the poison first, then call him and see if he comes out your way.

Additionally I've seen bait stations outside in sheltered areas, along walls where rats run. Not sure it'll work if you have a huge rat.

I learned from the pest guy that rats can jump a couple of meters, so any trees anywhere near a roof provide roof access. From there they can easily squeeze up under the edge of a roof.

That’ll allow them to pick the bait up and run it outside the property onto other peoples yards. Great for killing the neighbourhood pets.

Best if they’re nailed to the joists where they have to consume on-site.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

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timmmay

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#3179488 9-Jan-2024 20:23

MadEngineer: That’ll allow them to pick the bait up and run it outside the property onto other peoples yards. Great for killing the neighbourhood pets.

Best if they’re nailed to the joists where they have to consume on-site.

That's what the professional does. There's still plenty of it up in the ceiling. I've never seen any outside.

KiwiTim

376 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3179778 10-Jan-2024 15:13

MikeAqua:

Burn them out👹

"I love the smell of Napalm in the [ceiling]"

"the rats, the rats, the rats are on fire.

We don't need no water, let the [little rodents] burn

Burn [little rodents], burn"

I like the concept, but a little risky. How about Tear Gas for rats; safer for the house.

Hammerer

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#3180278 10-Jan-2024 22:26

timmmay:

MadEngineer: That’ll allow them to pick the bait up and run it outside the property onto other peoples yards. Great for killing the neighbourhood pets.

Best if they’re nailed to the joists where they have to consume on-site.

That's what the professional does. There's still plenty of it up in the ceiling. I've never seen any outside.

I’ve used rat poison blocks many times and the rats have never moved it from the “safe” locations where it was placed.

I helped a relative with rats above the ceiling in Lower Hutt. The solution was also a guy called Brian throwing copious quantities of poison in the ceiling cavity then finding out how they were getting in so we could keep them out.

I was regularly patrolling the property and inspecting the roof and spouting. I never saw any traces of the poison outside the ceiling cavity.

The rats arrived when an old homestead was moved offsite to make way for a couple of townhouses. They got up a power pole and travelled along a cable to the building. I put an aluminium pole wrap on the power pole to keep them out but there was still a small possibility of a rat leaping to the cable from an adjacent fence.

Hammerer

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#3180280 10-Jan-2024 22:37

KiwiTim:

… I purchased a GoodNature A24 trap, using a nut flavour paste. That has caught nothing.

I have a couple of those traps and have used their various bait flavours. The traps don’t automatically attract rats because their are several factors that need to align before you get success. Goodnature have info and videos on their website to help guide you.

Right now, after successfully killing the nest near my compost bin, I’ve had no kills for a year but then there are no signs of rats living on my property, or mice in my compost bins, so it is not a concern. However, I will put some GoodNature locator cards around the property, just to check. In the event, that there are rats that have got bait shy, I will start spreading the bait around the property to see if they eat it.

P.S. For anyone who is interested, the traps and supplies have cost me $8-10 per rat so I haven’t found it a cheap option but I like the non-toxic bait, the weatherproof trap, and the electronic recording of kills.

MadEngineer

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#3182751 16-Jan-2024 18:08

Spread baby powder everywhere to find their entry/exit points

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

KiwiTim

376 posts

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#3183159 17-Jan-2024 16:25

I did the rat poison bats in stations outside and threw them around the roof space. It seems to have nailed about 95% of them. Just the odd noise now, and no bad smells!

SepticSceptic

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#3183282 17-Jan-2024 23:16

KiwiTim:
I did the rat poison bats in stations outside and threw them around the roof space. It seems to have nailed about 95% of them. Just the odd noise now, and no bad smells!

In this heat, any rat carcasses dessicate pretty quickly.

Especially in the roof lining. Almost oven-hot.
Not even enough time for blowflies to visit and hatch maggots

cddt

1548 posts

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#3206283 14-Mar-2024 11:14

Just a reminder that with the weather cooling down it could be a good time to add bait under the house, in the roof cavity, in bait stations outside.

I put some bait under the house on the day we went on holiday a couple of weeks ago, then checked it the day we got back and it had all disappeared. Despite not seeing any evidence of them since last spring they must have returned.

Even if you don't see any rats or mice it's quite likely there will be some near your house trying to find a warm and dry place to make a nest for the winter, and of course find food.

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