• Donate to T.B.F.

    T.B.F. is dependant on donations from users like you! Thank you to those that have made a donation! All donations go back into upgrading the site!


    25% of donation goal reached.
    Donate Sidebar by DevFuse
  • Recently Browsing

    No registered users viewing this page.

Sign in to follow this  
350chevy

Rats in Thunder Bay!

Recommended Posts

350chevy

Anyone know whats going on with the rats in town? I never saw them around before and now I have one bugger in my house! Got up this morning and went to get some coffee out of the pantry and opened the door and almost had a heart attack. Frigging thing jumped out and just disappeared under the counter by my sink. Wife is now out of her mind and doesn't want to stay here until I get rid of it. Any ideas? I went and bought a couple of the big snap traps but other ideas would be great. Thanks

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Bobber Down

Roger aka Some Old Guy is the resident exterminator here. He will have an answer I'm sure. That being said hundreds have fallen prey to my snap traps over the course of my lifetime. If they are getting into your house and this is Very Important you need to find the entrance and close it. It's tough in winter as they can travel under the snow. DO Not use poison inside your house or you will have other rat members dying in the walls and you won't like that stink I guarantee. If you saw one there are probably many more. You need to check you home out. Every closet, every wall, attic or crawl space for crap. Two summers ago I had a rat infestation in my shed. I had 5 traps on the go and every trap had a kill every day and sometimes two or three per day per trap. Those snap traps are very effective. Just put a tiny bit of peanut butter on the trip plate. Unfortunately a few chipmunks got caught up in the carnage as well as a vole. You might get away with only two traps for just the kitchen sink but in my experience you should get more. Look on Kijiji sometimes someone may be selling traps cheap.

IMG_4929.JPG

IMG_4928.JPG


Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - WOW - what a ride!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Some Old Guy

There is many ways to get rid of rats. But the most important thing is as Bobber Down mentioned. You have to find out how the got into your house.

 

This can be as simple as the rat dashing into the home while you have your door pinned open while you are bringing in groceries! The most common way I have been seeing lately is through your exchanger (exhaust) vent and dryer vents. The rats then just chew through the pipe and they are in your house.

 

Snap traps are effective if used properly. As you can see Bobber Down has the baited lethal side of the trap up against the wall. That is important! If you put it out in the middle of no where they rarely get caught in it.

 

As for the problem of rats getting pretty bad in Thunder Bay: This is just my thoughts:

 

9-10 years ago everybody was sick and tired of feral cats using their flower beds and gardens as littler boxes. So the city said, keep your pet cat indoors or leashed or we are taking it. They cleaned up the city of feral cats. How many cats do you see running around now? Not as many I bet. Those cats killed rats to eat and for fun. They kept the rat population in check.

 

The same amount of time ago you were able to place all your garbage at the curb, then it was five bags, then 3 bags and now only two bags! So many people store their garbage in the shed. (prime rat forage!) And now there is encouragement for composting. Prime rat forage and shelter as it creates it's own heat!

 

The problem is getting worse. Keep an eye out and tackle the problem right away. The multiply fast!

 

Roger


R.T.R. Respect the resource!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Bobber Down

Here's a link to an earlier thread on the subject

 

 


Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - WOW - what a ride!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thefishleclair

Getting them in My garage as well, As an avid trapper its fun to just walk out the door and look at my trapline, I will be setting heavy for them this spring and summer, To many apple trees in the area and great food source in the fall and they be stock piling the dried up ones for the winter feed. Ill rent out my traps and boxes if anyone would be interested?


Grumpas' Baits

Check it out on FB

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Bobber Down

Something we failed to mention in these posts - safety. Once you know you have a problem and commit to the hunt and eradication there are a couple of things to know. When handling dead rats, used traps, re-baiting etc wear rubber, latex or some other type of glove. Put the dead rat in a plastic bag. Also in an enclosed area like in an attic, a closet, small shed etc wear a mask. Even a dusk mask will help protect you a bit better than nothing when you are sweeping up poop and dust. You don't want to be breathing it. I'm not going to get into the diseases you could get. Just google it.

  • Like 1

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - WOW - what a ride!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Bobber Down

Maybe the increased number of lynx sightings in the city and area has something to do with the increased numbers of rat sightings. Predator following and staying close to it's prey. When food is plentiful more of the young survive. If this is the case they will be hunting throughout the city all year, not just the winter. Take extra care with small pets in your yard. Mother Nature can be cruel at times.

lynx.jpg

  • Like 1

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - WOW - what a ride!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
damn

If you have no pets in the house just buy poison from boles it will kill them and dry them from the inside out so there is no stink. They usually get disoriented and wander outside anyway.  My cat has caught a couple that were wasted on poison. Only took one scare for the cat to realize they taste bad. After some time of traps poison and cat activity, they all died or moved out. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Some Old Guy

Hi Damn,

 

There isn't a rodenticide out on the market to dry a rodent from the inside out. That is a myth. 

 

When a rodent isn't feeling well, like ingesting a rodenticide it will usually head for it's nest or burrow. If that nest area is in your home it will most likely got there to die. And it will stink.

 

I strongly suggest you DO NOT use rodenticides in your home. Anti coagulant rodenticide, once ingested, takes 4-10 days to kill the rat. This rat can and will defecate and pee. This stuff you will see in their fecal matter as it turns it green. (Ya don't want it doing it's business in your open food or on cutlery and dishes!)

 

Also these poisons can be 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation poisons meaning the animal that eats the rat can also be poisoned.

 

Roger


R.T.R. Respect the resource!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Thefishleclair

I used to get some good stuff, Could never find it on the shelf but had a friend who had some, I know what you mean by green poops, It was all over my Garage, But shortly after there were no mice! and I did find a few that were on the floor, Had to come back for one last Bite! 


Grumpas' Baits

Check it out on FB

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Sign in to follow this