[Closed] Practical problem solvers assemble.

Get professionals in?

Get them out as soon as possible. They will be eating the insulation of any wires up there, leaving live cables showing. A definite fire risk. I've go loads of photos of rat damage in attics.
The 'professional' approach is to tie bait down, wherever they run in the attic.Probably 5 pieces of the solid block green bait. It will be clear where they run when you lift the insulation, as they pee and shit everywhere they go.
One we had last week had half a joist gnawed through. Luckily it was an easy fix to join a new piece next to it, but could be a horrible job in the corners.
If they die upstairs, you will know it, as they start stinking after a few days.
We usually get a company in to remove the old insulation, then vacuum it all over, as there are droppings everywhere. Around £500 to clean it out, then another £500 to put in new insulation.
If you know where they are getting in, get metal mesh and concrete in the holes.

I have an idea whereabouts they are but not sure about moving the loft insulation and disturbing a possible large nest.

Please wear a GoPro.

Expanding foam grenades.

Open loft hatch.

Stab and throw, stab and throw.

200 should do it.

Get UB40 in. They’ll fix it.

I changed my insulation when we had mice in the attic of our extension. They loved making nests in the glass fibre, but there was nowhere to go and nothing to do after I put celotex back in.

They never bothered after that.

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Want to borrow Patch?

perchypanther

Get UB40 in. They’ll fix it.

It's in the loft, not the kitchen! 🙄😆

Sounds like your first job is to remove all the insulation and thus remove the hiding places. I would then have fun with my air rifle which would probably result in holes in the bedroom ceilings 😱

Get UB40 in. They’ll fix it.

It’s in the loft, not the kitchen! 🙄😆

Not to mention the fact that in their limited experience it's only a single rat. And it's not 100% clear that they ever did fix it. Given that, I for one wouldn't trust them with a potential nest scenario.

Joking aside, for your situation you'd be best following that old adage of set a thief to catch a thief. The obvious choice then is (tiger optional)..

I think I'd rather have rats in the house than Bob Geldof.

Patch certainly looks up to the job, I'd be happy to offer that little chap a permanent home 😊. I have an air rifle and have considered a stake out, but a night in the loft doesn't hold much appeal. I have also seen some poison in the form of a foam that I may consider at £50 a pop. 😶 Removing the insulation would be horrendous it's a generous loft,

Cat or some kind of terrier.

Lure the rats into the your kitchen one at a time.

Then UB40 can strike

Mink

funkrodent
Full Member

Expert advice there, going on username. 😆

Please wear a GoPro.

And bicycle clips.

They are clever little sods and when I used to shoot them in chicken sheds they would hide under the chickens. Best bait is peanut butter but wear gloves as they will smell your scent.

We're in a rental in the highlands, part of a converted steading of 3 houses - every night you can hear them in the roof space and sometimes in the cavity walls. Fortunately, they don't come into the house itself. They've ignored the traps so far and every day I'm stuffing steel wool and mesh and expanding foam down their holes, with instant concrete to finish - most mornings they've made a new exit. Trouble is, there are burrows at multiple points, not just our property so they can still get in and out. Don't want to use poison/bait in case they die in the wall cavity / roof. Our landlord is an ar$e who will probably charge us to get pest control in - just need to keep them away for another 6 months when we move out...

Suffocate the little darlings with a co2 fire extinguisher. They won't smell too much during winter 🤣

My dear departed lurcher Bailey would have relished the job, never seen a dog with such a pathological hatred of rats .He could pull them out of everywhere.
Now I am not an expert by any means, never had them in the house due to assorted lurcher and terrier friends, but I have heard that they take new foods back to the nest to see the effect it has on their young. Happy to be corrected here. I would imagine if they die in the nest that is going to absolutely reek.
Can you somehow bait them to go outside then clobber them there? Its windfall apple season so maybe use whats around you as bait, go all Sleepin Beauty on their arses and poison some apples? They arent as daft as youd think. I know they definitely target fallen apples in my area cos next doors rats tunnel under my wall to get at my mini orchard. Until they meet Roary the Destroyer, 12" tall and packed with Highland fighting spirit.

You could try UB40, but I reckon they'd only get 1 in 10.

UV torch might help see the trails left and give you a clue where they're getting in.

Don't know if it's true, but I was told that mice carry a disease that, while it doesn't affect them, is fatal to rats. If it is true, maybe introduce some mice.

Or fund a professional with infra red, motion activated cameras to see where they are coming from.

funkrodent
Full Member

Expert advice there, going on username. 😆

Good spot. Which is why you'd never find me near the front at a UB40 gig..

cat