Need advice on how to deal with rats (roof rats that are native to texas)

[mikeofaustin]

Poisons? traps? mothballs? My GS dog got stuck under the porch this morning going after them and I had to tear the porch apart to get her out, all the while trying to keep her calm and from freaking out because of her trapped condition. They are indeed roof rats. They are under the porch, and I also have a big hole under an eve of the house. I'm done with them. They've even chewed through a security camera wire. But, trapping my dog under the porch is the last straw.

EDIT: Just as I'm browsing away, with the back door open, I hear one of them jump off the roof onto the deck. I am SOOOo done with these rats.

 

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[gleaner1]

We always looked at a critter infestation as a good excuse to get the 22 mag pistols out, with rat shot loads. Awful fun I tell you. Either that, or traps, or poison, but only consider poison if you can stand the smell of them when they rot in the walls.

 

[snakeyes]

Get youself a rat terrier, they are plentiful in Texas, and they are fun to watch.

 

[CaptainRobin]

Victor RAT Traps and peanut butter on the trigger. Works for me. Mouse traps will NOT work, the roof rat will get out of it ~ it's not strong enough to hold them.
Robin

 

[bsloan]

I would be careful with poisons, if a dog or cat eats the rat after it eats the poison, it might not end up so good. A saucer of beer, placed where a dog or cat can't get to it, will take care of the problem, with no harm to non rodents. Rats and mice can't burp after drinking the beer. Sounds crazy, but it works.

Bill

 

[bartholomewroberts]

As captain Robin says... peanut butter and a trap... we use live traps though...

And we have Jack Russel terriers (we call them jerk Russell terrorists¸).... They are death on any rodent.. And pack rats are the ultimate to the dogs.

So if you have a friend with one, or want a wonderful companion... try the terrorists....Not only do they kill the existing rats... their very presence discourages others from moving in.... and those that do, do not last very long

 

[Cappy Z.]

Vote em out of office...

 

[spartacus53]

Charge them rent, that should get rid of em

 

[Frankn]

Warfin rat poison placed where your pet can't get to it and a good "0zone" generator. Frank

 

[Bayter]

mikeofaustin,

First and foremost you want to seal any holes from the outside or it will be a lost cause. As far as killing them my vote is for the traps. I used poison on a mouse at my house, as good and quick as it worked I had to smell it for the next few weeks. Good luck brother and keep us posted.

Bayter

 

[gleaner1]

Victor RAT Traps and peanut butter on the trigger. Works for me. Mouse traps will NOT work, the roof rat will get out of it ~ it's not strong enough to hold them.
Robin

Correction: Not strong enough to kill them.

 

[centfladigger]

I do this for the fruit rats out back in orange grove. I use a cotton ball with peanut butter wrapped around the trigger of a big rat trap. I could catch anywhere from 3-4 to 5-10 a night depending on thier feeding activity .

 

[packerbacker]

CAUTION: It might be illegal to waste good beer on rats in Texas. I know you can't use Lone Star brand for sure!!

 

[Monty]

Oh, being an election year I thought you meant Democ rats! Seriously though, or maybe not so seriously, drink the beer and shoot the rats witsh .22 rat shot! I had a big nest of wood rats in my wood rack I used for the fireplace wood storage. My wife and I use to lay on the floor by a sliding patio door cracked just a couple of inches. We put out a bit of dog food as bait and loaded my little .22 Ruger pistol with birdshot. When they would come out to eat the dog food we'd drop them with one shot. Last count I believe we shot 13 before they moved on.
I had rats getting into my hunting camper trailer a few years ago. They would get into my paper packaged food and scatter it all over the place. One night I set up a 2X12 on edge as a backstop and placed a couple of cheetos on it for bait. The rat came out and I plugged him with my Colt Commander and shot shells. I only got one, but when I shot , the impact hit the backboard and it fell, smashing the rat even worse than it being shot. The guys in camp thought I had accidentally shot myself and got a big laugh out of my two way rat trap. They started refering to me as "Old Shoot'em and Squish'em!............Whatever works! Monty

 

[Jason in Enid]

you have roof rats? Get roof cats!

 

[packerbacker]

here ya go
http://www.electronicpestcontrol.net/html/roof_rat.html

 

[piegrande]

I have no experience with that earlier listed repeller. I do have considerable experience here in Mexico with the Steren model. http://www.sterenshopusa.com/catalog/prod.asp?p=2966

My house is 2850 square feet, and we need around 8 or 10 of them. It keeps away almost all, not all, mice. We have only seen one rat in years, and he was dying. He was stunned and could not move. They stun lizards, who then die of hunger if I am not there to wallop them.

We have almost no scorpions in the house, and this is scorpion country. If we do see one, he isn't running, but sits there waiting to be killed.

Power is the issue. I don't know how much power the other one has, this one has 1.5 watts. You still are limited to distance, which is why we need so many, and put them at the doors of each room, also in places isolated from the door.