Rats! Help

[DennisG 0]

Hello people,  this is my first post on here. 

I dont know if this is the wrong people to speak to but I have a rat problem in my attic.  Presently there is no family of rats in there, more of individuals.   I've been told that people with ferrets will sort the matter in double time.
Is anyone prepared to take the job on.  I'm in North Warrington, Cheshire.

[big napper 3,574]

Probably best off with poison or traps up there mate

[DennisG 0]

No I dont want poison - you don't know where they're going to go and die, often down a cavity wall stinking the place for weeks.  And that doesnt stop them anyway.  Traps have been tried with limited success but the smarter ones wont go to the traps and if they do it'll be after about 2 weeks, again others will follow.

[keepdiggin 9,561]

People will help with ferrets mate

[DennisG 0]

That's what I'm hoping.  Ive never kept ferrets myself, nothing against them.  So thought I'd look see where I can find someone

[comanche 2,991]

5 hours ago, DennisG said:

Hello people,  this is my first post on here. 

I dont know if this is the wrong people to speak to but I have a rat problem in my attic.  Presently there is no family of rats in there, more of individuals.   I've been told that people with ferrets will sort the matter in double time.
Is anyone prepared to take the job on.  I'm in North Warrington, Cheshire.

It would be madness to ferret your attic.

The ferrets could become lost down the cavity walls. Then you'll have dead rats and dead ferrets stinking the house out.

      If you have holes in the garden or under outbuildings ferrets might be of use . 

      Your best bet really is traps and ,failing them , poison.

      Yes,  the body might smell but would you be happier with a live and odour-free rat making merry with your wiring and dropping disease into your water tank?

        Discovering why  you have  rats in the loft is  important . Is the garden tidy? Are there bird feeders? Broken drains? Unless you address the wider issue it's no good looking for a quick fix with traps ,poison or ferrets.

Good luck

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by comanche

[Squirrel_Basher 17,100]

Top answer mate .Rats either gain access to lifts via outside plants grown buildings or under lintels over badly filled foul drains and up through the cavity .Address this problem then poison the feckers  or just put up with the nightly dancing on the ceilings .

[DennisG 0]

2 hours ago, comanche said:

It would be madness to ferret your attic.

The ferrets could become lost down the cavity walls. Then you'll have dead rats and dead ferrets stinking the house out.

      If you have holes in the garden or under outbuildings ferrets might be of use . 

      Your best bet really is traps and ,failing them , poison.

      Yes,  the body might smell but would you be happier with a live and odour-free rat making merry with your wiring and dropping disease into your water tank?

        Discovering why a you have  rats in the loft is also important . Is the garden tidy? Are there bird feeders? Broken drains? Unless you address the wider issue it's no good looking for a quick fix with traps ,poison or ferrets.

Good luck

 

I hear what you say and i had thought of that and that the reason for the enquiry - to learn what can be done.  I am actively investigating the drains.  United Utilities have done their part on shared amenities, a private contractor is about to start work on the specifics to my place.
Another line of thought: is there a ferret odour available anywhere?  To spray in the attic to scare the rats shitless.

[ginger beard 4,652]

I think modern poison drys the body right out and some how stops it from stinking.

[Arry 21,795]

13 hours ago, DennisG said:

Hello people,  this is my first post on here. 

I dont know if this is the wrong people to speak to but I have a rat problem in my attic.  Presently there is no family of rats in there, more of individuals.   I've been told that people with ferrets will sort the matter in double time.
Is anyone prepared to take the job on.  I'm in North Warrington, Cheshire.

It's traps or Poison Dennis you chose mate. It needs sorting fast they can gnaw electric cables, which could cause a short circuit and a possible fire. As said already nobody that values their ferret would put one in loft.

Cheers Arry

[comanche 2,991]

10 hours ago, DennisG said:

Another line of thought: is there a ferret odour available anywhere?  To spray in the attic to scare the rats shitless.

Probably not ,and it would be unlikely to work anyway  . Rats will live and feed in proximity to dogs ,cats ,pigs and various other predators ,including caged ferrets. 

The answer really  is to sort the surrounding environment out . Of course you only have control over your little patch and it may not be so simple if neighbouring properties are not taking the problem seriously.

[Adampie8432 820]

Maybe find someone with a ferret and ask them could you have the dirty shavings when they clean it out. Put the bag in the loft open and hopefully the scent and smell of ferret will move them on. Atb Adam 

[darkwood 41]

I don't think ferrets droppings bother rats,when I clean my ferrets out the waste goes into plastic sacks,and in the past rats have gnawed into the bags and removed rabbit skins ,egg shells etc,,,

[gaza 508]

Hi mate I had rats in the loft at last house quite recently and I’ve got ferrets but there’s a good chance of losing them. I through the wife’s cat up don’t like cats anyway and he did f*eck all lol. Got them with traps and peanut butter. I’m randomly in Warrington as well. All the neighbourhood was tidy but must of been existing problem as was traps already in the loft. 
 

atb

[budgie123 163]

Statistically only 25% of rodents poisoned inside a property die inside the property leading to smell issues.

I work as a Pest Control Officer and undertake Dozens and Dozens of jobs annually with a single figure percentage having an issue with smells due to a dead rat.

You have to understand that rats are not living in the property permanently traveling out into a drainage system or garden environment daily to feed and drink if you are only seeing activity in the roof space.

You are describing neophobia or new object reaction when you say they are too clever to go near traps.

As a rat gets older neophobia develops and becomes an issue.

We catch hundreds of young and adolescent rats on traps with peanut butter annually.

If you use poison an adult rat will feed on this as there is no neophobia with a food source and will loose its natural ability to avoid traps.

Numbers seems to be the most common concern and it is always low numbers family groups.

As has already been said the most important aspect is determining point of entry.

Obvious defects on the external fabric of the building.

Decking to face of building allowing rats cover to dig into foundations area.

Shrubs to gutter level allowing rats to climb.

Lastly drainage problems. Broken or defective drainage but the most common thing we find is redundant uncapped drainage when property alterations have been undertaken.

If you are not a detached property then you have to consider all these issues at the adjoining properties. Again a common issue.

Working for a local authority we have the support and powers to investigate the wider aspect and properties something which is difficult for a private contractor.

Rats will chew wiring but this is something I see very infrequently.

Poison that dries rats up and stops them smelling old wife's tale.

Something I see regularly is rats preference for certain bait formulations.

Bait is available in a number of formulations with previously grain type bait being most effective but this is changing with blocks on wires now becoming more effective. Possibly just the block consistency giving rats something to chew on but they are now much more effective on some jobs but I always use both and traps.

Good look but look at the wider picture if you are not detached.