Rats in Loft?

pers5579 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 11:46 AM

Hi All,

Fro the last 6 months or so, every so often (maybe once a fortnight) during the night (usually between 1 and 3 am) we here scurrying around in the loft.

Whenever I have been up there to check I have found nothing. Last night when I went up in the loft I found a collection of droppings. They are shaped like pellets black and larger than mice droppings (we have a mice problem in the shed a couple of years ago).

I am slightly confused though - how would rats get in the loft and how do I get rid of them in a humane way?

Thanks

Venger · #2 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 02:20 PM

They can access through the crawl space, so look for holes and access points around ground level, I had the same thing last year (I'm sure mine were wearing hob nail boots!) - found an access point on the ground floor that I filled in with bits of broken brick - haven't had any problems since.
If the dropping's are around 5mm in length then you are probably dealing with rats.
Not sure about removing them humanely - clear plastic traps or something that you would need to collect.
Sadly pest control officers still use poison.

hannahpanda · #3 (**permalink**) 02-12-2007, 04:04 PM

You can buy humane rat traps, if you google it you can find them!

zan · #4 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 12:00 PM

the alternative to rats might be squirrels? My boyfriend got squirrels above his flat a couple of years ago and they pulled all his insulation up into a giant heap, presumably for a cosy wee nest! I think they found quite an obvious access hole though, and got it closed up while the squirrel was out. You could try a baited animal trap to catch whatever it is - if it's as large as a rat or squirrel it shouldn't be too hard to find an appropriate one.

Rob T · #5 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 02:33 PM

This is the time of year that rats try to find somewere warm to spend their nights they can access the roof space by crawling up the brick cavity or they can easily crawl up your down pipe and run along the gutter and in under the roof tiles even chewing the facia and roof felt to make a gap if there isnt one.

I would suggest you buy a humane trap, but remember if you choose to relocate it once caught put the trap into a bigger cardboard box whilst transporting it and even wrap the bottom and sides of that in a bin liner and throw them both away after. Watch for any damp patches (urine).

Around 20% of rats carry weils disease , this can be passed on to humans and can be fatal. So unless your confident pers, let the council deal with it although most councils just leave poision down then after a while you have the aroma of a rotting animal in your home. . . nice.

Good luck

Rob

shirl · #6 (**permalink**) 05-12-2007, 06:36 PM

We have had rats in our loft for about 2 months now, found a couple of places where we thought they might be getting in, blocked them up and it went quiet. Hoovered the loft, replaced the insulation and one week later - they were back! Found another possible gap, blocked that up and I am putting a wild mammal cage (for live trapping) up there plus a small mammal cage in case the mice get any ideas. Not caught one yet, so I am hopeful this time. But if this doesn't work then they have to be getting in through a cavity - could take a while to sort that out. Strange though, I have not heard them for a week, lets hope they are living back in the garden!

Good luck with your ratties

Shirl

suzted · #7 (**permalink**) 16-12-2007, 02:02 AM

have to watch your electrical wiring if theres rats about as they love to chew. i have two pet rats that will chew anything, but there used to be a rat problem in this house before we moved in and most of the wires have rat chew marks in them. we also have quite a few dodgy sockets that rats have chewed the wires on. i am just waiting to see if they come back this year as winter is well on its way so they will be needing somewhere to live! the thought makes me cringe! i love pet rats but not wild ones, especially when they are roaming my house!!

Blackbrook Eye · #8 (**permalink**) 16-12-2007, 03:09 AM

Sorry but if you have one rat it is almost certain that you have more, best to seek professional help before the problem gets out of hand, d.i.y pest control is rarely effective and can lead to other problems, if they spread to neighboring properties, you may be held responsible if you have not taken reasonable measures to contain the outbreak, as far as I know it is still a statutory responsibility to report the presence of rats in domestic premises to the local authority

m1.carson · #9 (**permalink**) 16-12-2007, 07:40 AM

Hi blacbrook eye,

Our council in it's infinite wisdom has started charging £25-00 for their rat catcher, it was free until this year, [we won't start on about the fortnightly bin collections

].

Now I shan't phone about the rats I'll leave it to the neighbours to complain and pay.

Shirl and pers5579, the best bait for them is chocolate, not cheese.

Max.

P.S. the weils disease is serious, but you need to get the infected urine that only comes from a pregnant female into an open wound like a cut or scratch.

They tried to get into our house via the central heating pipes, climbing them and in under the floorboards upstairs.

Blackbrook Eye · #10 (**permalink**) 16-12-2007, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m1.carson

Hi blacbrook eye,

Our council in it's infinite wisdom has started charging £25-00 for their rat catcher, it was free until this year, [we won't start on about the fortnightly bin collections

].

Now I shan't phone about the rats I'll leave it to the neighbours to complain and pay.

I take your point about the council, seems to be a typically short sighted approach on their behalf, however with government cuts I suppose they have to take every opportunity to winkle a few more pounds from the rate payer, whatever the consequences

shirl · #11 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 12:04 PM

It's been quiet in my loft for a week now, no new droppings and I would have thought that if they were close, they would have come inside for a warm. I borrowed a live trap from a Wildlife Solutions firm (wire) and I have a large cardboard box lined with plastic ready. Just in case the mice decide to move in I also have a small plastic mammal trap with bedding material and choc buscuits. Loft beginning to feel like a mammal hotel! Let's just hope they have moved back to the garden and outbuildings.

Shirl

denisg · #12 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 01:10 PM

Sorry folks but this thread is pure madness

. Live traps and re-location indeed, ingnorance must surely be bliss!.

Rats are dangerous, to people and other animals anywhere but ESPECIALLY around human habitation. Many local councils now hire professional companies to sort the problem which is getting to be horrendous. My son works for one of the bigest companies there is in this field and currently does all the work for our local council. The stories are horrifying.

Take some advice, please talk to a technician with hands on experience about this problem. Think of your neighbours, their pets but above all their children. If you have rats on your property and they went to neighbouring properties and bit or fouled a baby or youngster, how would you feel, not only about any disease they might spread but also how it would affect the child psychologically. If proved they came from you both your neighbour(s) and the council could probably take heavy legal action.

Catching one rat only means there are more, get it sorted, professionally!

Denis

denisg · #13 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m1.carson

Hi blacbrook eye,

Our council in it's infinite wisdom has started charging £25-00 for their rat catcher, it was free until this year, [we won't start on about the fortnightly bin collections

].

The situation with rats is now so overwhelming for councils, the days of the 'rat catcher' and his jack russell are gone. For public health reasons they now have to employ professional contracted companies and the cost is MANY thousands of pounds per year. Going to a pro company like this directly would cost you a lot more than £25. You are getting the pro service at a fraction of the cost.

Quote:

Now I shan't phone about the rats I'll leave it to the neighbours to complain and pay.

I find it very hard to believe you even wrote that sentence

. If they come from your side of the fence and you have not reported their presence, you might have to pay big time!.

Quote:

Shirl and pers5579, the best bait for them is chocolate, not cheese.

Max.

P.S. the weils disease is serious, but you need to get the infected urine that only comes from a pregnant female into an open wound like a cut or scratch.

A risk way too high to take with children, grand-children or pets around in my book

.

Denis.

hannahpanda · #14 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 04:20 PM

Can i just mention that its not just rats that carry Weils disease, cattle, foxes and other rodents and wild animals also carry it.

Also Leptospirosis is rare in the UK, and Weil's disease is extremely rare in the UK, im not saying dont do anything about it because obviously rodents can cause alot of damage in houses so it should be dealt with.

It is unlikely you only have one rat as rats are sociable and have a hierarchy so there will probably be afew about.

Good luck anyway, i hope your ratty problem is sorted soon

bunnylover · #15 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 09:40 PM

Hannahpanda,weils disease is far from very rare in the UK. again a myth you ve chosen to believe because you aren t yet effected by it.I had a friend die of it and i know of many who have come down with it and many many dogs who have died.Get rid of the rats kill them no other way round it,please people waken up to this releasing of vermin thing.

Dogghound · #16 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bunnylover

many many dogs who have died.

Dogs should really be vaccinated against it, so if you know of lots of dogs dying then its irresponsible owners at fault as it is a high risk area by the sound of it so extra precautions should be taken to safeguard pets. I agree leptospirosis is quite common in rats. Although it is found in alot of other animals too.

hannahpanda · #17 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 10:46 PM

I do apologise, what i was trying to say was fatalities in humans from Weil's are rare, not that the disease is rare.

And like Dogghound said, responsible dog owners should vaccinate their dogs against diseases.

Oh and i dont have to experience something to believe in it.

denisg · #18 (**permalink**) 17-12-2007, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Dogs should really be vaccinated against it, so if you know of lots of dogs dying then its irresponsible owners at fault as it is a high risk area by the sound of it so extra precautions should be taken to safeguard pets. I agree leptospirosis is quite common in rats. Although it is found in alot of other animals too.

Good point, but there are those on low incomes, unemployed and particularly some single pensioners where the dog is truly, if not the only, friend. They just cannot afford all these expensive, very expensive, vaccinations. Well, you might say they shouldn't have a dog. In some cases then they would rather be dead. Still no reason for them to lose their friend because their neighbour refused to pay to have the vermin removed.

Unless you are good friends with these technicians who have to remove these rats and other vermin and listen to their stories of their working day, see some of the catches they make or photo's of actual on site situations, you have no idea!. The old joke about "Rats as big as cats" is no longer as innacurate as some would have you believe.

To those playing this down and trying to make it appear less serious than it really is..................get real...............this IS a serious area.

Note to self: Ask son for some of his photo's!!!

Denis.

m1.carson · #19 (**permalink**) 18-12-2007, 12:08 AM

Hi denisg,

You know via son about the problems with rats, most people don't, a big but here is on cost, I report rats and pay £25-00 and the rat catcher kills the one maybe two that are trying to get into my house, and a week later another one or two are trying to get in, another £25 etc, I think not, the experience we've had once was that the catcher came in set poison and there was no concern about where they came from, he had eradicated the one we had.

Our particular ones were coming over from the Southern electricity board sub station ground, and have now spread, needless to say they won't report them because no one from the SEB has seen them, why should I pay.

Max.

Blackbrook Eye · #20 (**permalink**) 18-12-2007, 02:32 AM

Hi Max, the next time you contact your council about the problem, show them the evidence that you have that it originates from the SEB substation, you will then have the right to insist that action is taken, at no cost to yourself. Provided that the council do not have to bear the cost you will more than likely find them most co-operative, if this doesn't work contact the editor of your local newspaper, no-one likes adverse publicity.

epops · #21 (**permalink**) 18-12-2007, 10:34 AM

surley the most cheapest and humane way to deal with rats is a big snap trap baited with choclate and check it every day its not nice i know but then again nor are rats in ya house i know we used to be infested with them

Dogghound · #22 (**permalink**) 18-12-2007, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denisg

Good point, but there are those on low incomes, unemployed and particularly some single pensioners where the dog is truly, if not the only, friend. They just cannot afford all these expensive, very expensive, vaccinations. Well, you might say they shouldn't have a dog. In some cases then they would rather be dead. Still no reason for them to lose their friend because their neighbour refused to pay to have the vermin removed.

Unless you are good friends with these technicians who have to remove these rats and other vermin and listen to their stories of their working day, see some of the catches they make or photo's of actual on site situations, you have no idea!. The old joke about "Rats as big as cats" is no longer as innacurate as some would have you believe.

To those playing this down and trying to make it appear less serious than it really is..................get real...............this IS a serious area.

Note to self: Ask son for some of his photo's!!!

Denis.

Yes i agree it is a serious problem in homes around people. Although as you say regarding the dogs, if you carnt afford to pay vet bills etc you shouldnt really have the dog. Get a goldfish or something cheap if you want a pet.

shirl · #23 (**permalink**) 18-12-2007, 03:53 PM

I did seek expert help from a Wildlife Solution firm, if you can deal with the rats safely without the use of poison then that has to be the best way. Rats can die quite away from the where the poson was laid, and I for one would not want either of my springer spaniels getting their teeth into a poisoned rat, neither would I like our local tawny owls and kestrels to think they had an easy meal without knowing it would be their last.

You do need to find out how to deal with wildlife problems safely, and take the necessary precautions, surely it's better than just killing something , we humans do far too much of that.

denisg · #24 (**permalink**) 18-12-2007, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shirl

I did seek expert help from a Wildlife Solution firm, if you can deal with the rats safely without the use of poison then that has to be the best way. Rats can die quite away from the where the poson was laid, and I for one would not want either of my springer spaniels getting their teeth into a poisoned rat, neither would I like our local tawny owls and kestrels to think they had an easy meal without knowing it would be their last.

Right type of poison used and placed correctly is unlikely to be the problem you think it is Shirl, as long as you take proper advice. Remember you are one person and many around you may already be using poison anyway.

Quote:

You do need to find out how to deal with wildlife problems safely, and take the necessary precautions, surely it's better than just killing something , we humans do far too much of that.

Shirl, I am a big wildlife fan and detest needless killing of anything. You will even find Ratus pics in my gallery. However, rats aren't wildlife, they're VERMIN, and dangerous vermin at that. To catch and re-locate you are taking the problem to someone else. It's also illegal I believe.

Denis.

denisg · #25 (**permalink**) 18-12-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Yes i agree it is a serious problem in homes around people. Although as you say regarding the dogs, if you carnt afford to pay vet bills etc you shouldnt really have the dog. Get a goldfish or something cheap if you want a pet.

I do agree Dogghound but regrettably, life's never that logical

Denis.