Best Way to Deal with Rats?

AlienC on 19/12/2016 - 00:02

So my place has some ginormous rats like surely big ones

One I saw was like the size of a subway foot long but maybe fatter

Do you guys have any good tips to dealing with rats or proven effective methods?

I will probably buy some rat poison pellets and make some bait stations around the house mainly the kitchen and pantry area

Saw some good traps on YouTube might try that if these don't work

Recommend me some good bait or poison or tips or traps or cheap post control operators if you know of any good options

Cheers again and thanks ozbargain

You my number one ninja for life

Peace

Home & Garden

Comments

  • aboabo on 19/12/2016 - 00:09
    +13

    My cat has been solving the neighbourhood rat problem nicely. The cat-flap helps of course.

    • AlienC on 19/12/2016 - 01:03
      +2

      Every time I hear this I seriously consider buying a cat.. also internet street cred

      • [Deactivated] on 20/12/2016 - 03:23
        +7

        But some cats just don't want to hunt rats, or they are selective, or like to bring their outside catch inside as a present to you, so it's really a lucky dip.

        • cameldownunder on 20/12/2016 - 10:29
          +6

          How I love that: Chasing the Rat in my house with a bat, because my cat brought it home ( alive ) as a present for me, with my wife jumping on the bed completely hysterical. Shame I don't have the time to record her in her PJs, and instead have to go after the rat.

        • Munki on 20/12/2016 - 21:37
          +2

          @cameldownunder: should definitely record the missus in her PJs for internet points. Do it.

        • zealmax on 21/12/2016 - 14:22

          It is a sight to be seen, bloody wing on kitchen floor. Kitty brought home take away.

        • atrorz on 21/12/2016 - 20:26
          +2

          forget cats, get/borrow a Jack Russel. They will hunt the rats all day if you let them, & dig them out of any outside burrows, which a cat won't do. They kill them quick and humanely as well… sometimes cats like to play around and bring you the head… :( Also, JR's don't really go after natives, they'll chase a possum up a tree, but I haven't seen one climb a tree yet… scratch that i just googled it and there's pics :o

        • sd4f on 21/12/2016 - 22:17

          It usually helps to feed the cat less, then they learn to work for their next meal.

        • onlyletters on 22/12/2016 - 00:23
          +1

          @Munki: more points if she ends up naked

        • Cusack on 22/12/2016 - 08:43
          +2

          @atrorz:
          Agree,youtube the term 'ratters'. Their speed and efficiency as rat killers blows cats away

      • apptrack on 20/12/2016 - 09:59
        +9

        They also kill native species more than anything…

        • cameldownunder on 20/12/2016 - 10:30
          -5

          Native Species? We don't have any !@#@!!

        • [Deactivated] on 20/12/2016 - 10:56

          @cameldownunder: Possums & Birds mainly

        • cameldownunder on 20/12/2016 - 14:16
          +2

          @The Land of Smeg: Ohhh those. Possum, check. Bandicutes, check. Water Dragon, check. Flying fox, check. Rainbow Lorikeet, kookaburra, Cockatoo, Red Head parrot check. Magpies coming in the house and eating cat-food, check.
          We have a docile cat, she only brings lizards. The last lizard she brought us, she wasn't holding in her mouth, it was the lizard biting her fur.

        • DarwinBoy on 20/12/2016 - 16:36
          +1

          @The Land of Smeg:
          In darwin it's the lizards that take a massive hit.
          Saw a cat a few months ago on my place standing over a bandicoot it killed. Tried trapping it but no luck.

    • chiefbodge on 21/12/2016 - 21:17
      +2

      Possibly solving the neighbourhood native animal problem nicely too.

      There's a cat that comes up to our front bedroom at night and meows REALLY loudly on and off for hours, in turn it sets our dog off (who is usually incredibly quiet). It also craps in our front yard and stinks. Unfortunately according to legislation in SA we aren't allowed to trap the cat and take it to the pound as it has a collar, it's too fast to catch it and get the details of the owner.

      I really wish cat owners would think about other people / native animals for once and at the very least not let their cats out at night.

      If I let my dog roam the streets she'd be taken to the pound and I'd have to pay to have her released.

    • Cluster on 21/12/2016 - 22:45

      My last cat was a real rat killer. We counted almost a dozen in total. Some were cut in half, others we only found the tail.

      A couple of years after my cat died the council emailed the street asking people to secure food supplies and bird cages as there was an infestation of rats and mice in the area…

    • peterpeterpumpkin on 22/12/2016 - 11:57

      Some rats are known to attack cats.

      Exhibit A:
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tYJ8G9i5yc

  • subywagon on 19/12/2016 - 00:14
    +11

    Buy ratsak bait stations, or satchels etc containing brodifacoum, as apparently many rodents have built up a tolerance to warfarin. I had rats twice, got rid of them fast each time that way.

    • AlienC on 19/12/2016 - 16:13

      Yeah deciding between ratsak cubes or pellets / bunnings big cheese cage / snap trap (but don't want blood and rat remains all over the kitchen floor)

      • subywagon on 19/12/2016 - 16:17

        Ratsak pellets were extremely successful for me. I threw packs of them under my house, both the little sachets and the ripped open boxes. I leave them topped up now and haven't had a rodent problem for over a year now. They generally leave your property to die. I saw a couple out in the street dead near my property, I assume they were from mine and put them in the bin. Don't leave water sitting around because they look for a drink apparently due to the poison.

      • Chris Topher on 19/12/2016 - 19:48

        Ahhh… Okay… I won't suggest the rabbit trap like I use then…

        [Shhh] You can't buy them any more anyway, ya gotta know an old farmer or go to rural-type garage sales. [/shhh]

        Big Cheese rat bait works good, and the go somewhere else to die. There are harmless (catch and release type) traps, try hardware stores or on the 'net for pest control.

        If you use a bait or trap, use peanut butter as an attractant to get them. Beware if you have an animal, cat… or dog… etc.

    • ItsMeAgro on 20/12/2016 - 19:03
      +2

      apparently many rodents have built up a tolerance to warfarin

      Can confirm. Bought the standard box of green ratsak pellets. Result: a lot of green mouse poo.

      Only buying the more expensive one that specifically said it "killed with one dose" got rid of the mice.

      • troyww on 21/12/2016 - 13:34
        +3

        I remember helping my father clean his shed out years ago and finding a rat nest in the ratsack box .

  • PVA on 19/12/2016 - 00:14
    +1

    call your council, they will give you baits.

    • AlienC on 19/12/2016 - 01:04
      +6

      Seriously? I am in blue mountains council how do I go about this?

      Me: hi I have a rat problem

      Council: Good for you get out of my house

      • mskeggs on 19/12/2016 - 08:31
        +59

        I'm in Blue Mountains too, and haven't heard of free baits.
        We have had problems a couple of times.
        The worst was we have ducted heating vents under the floors.
        They had chewed a hole in the ducting and were using it as a highway.
        Baits from the supermarket sorted it fine the first time.
        The second after a week there was a very bad smell - dead rodent in the heat vent.
        I crawled under the house, lying on my back untaping the ducting above my head.

        Then I had the proudest moment in my life, and nobody was there to see it.

        Just a second before the duct came loose, I considered maybe a liquefied rat corpse might tumble out, onto my face, so I shifted to the side.
        The smug satisfaction when said corpse did not land on my face was a great feeling.

        And that is the only time I have been happy to see a rotting rat corpse at close quarters.

        • Slippery Fish on 19/12/2016 - 08:49
          +6

          7:48am and you've made my day.

        • AlienC on 19/12/2016 - 16:11
          +5

          Are your rat dodging services for hire? I can do ya a Domino's pizza and Woolies coles soft drink sorry this is ozbargain here haha lol

        • subywagon on 19/12/2016 - 16:18
          +7

          Those type of victories are the best.

      • Slippery Fish on 19/12/2016 - 08:51
        +1

        Cook bacon, once cool rub Styrofoam in the fat, leave out for rats. It blocks their intestines.

        • rompastompa on 19/12/2016 - 11:40
          +4

          Mmmm bacon

        • Tasmaniac on 22/12/2016 - 04:06

          That's twisted dude, you've got problems. If you bought a rat from a store and then did that to it you'd be visited by the rspca.

        • Slippery Fish on 22/12/2016 - 08:34

          @Tasmaniac: yet fortunately it invaded me. If the Indonesians invaded us youd blow them up ect too.

          And before you get back on your high horse thats from a famous teen book.

          Im actualy one of thebiggest animal lovers you will ever meet, I once paid $500 for a ladys malnutritioned cow just to give it to a farmer whod look after it. Turned out the old girl calmed his cows and it lived out its life in peace.

        • Tasmaniac on 22/12/2016 - 17:11

          @Slippery Fish: Rats don't really invade though, they just live. Well done for buying the malnourished cow as well, some people just don't seem to have the empathy gene.

        • Slippery Fish on 22/12/2016 - 22:25

          @Tasmaniac: haha, anything that comes into my home, eats my home or breaks it is an invader in my books, just look at all our pm's

        • JamesP on 24/12/2016 - 15:53

          @Slippery Fish:
          One of the biggest animal lovers, despite using a method that's arguably more cruel than poisons when there are always alternatives?

          Righto.

      • PVA on 19/12/2016 - 10:39

        i'm in qld, no idea about Blue Mtns.
        Call and ask for the pest management area.

        also, at Woolies you can buy baits, they are a waxy square block (not affected by weather) put a few of them around where pets can get at like under a deck. dont have them in your house you dont want rats seaching through the home for these and dying, or in your roof. put them outside.

        https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Browse/bags-food-wraps-cl… hope the link works.

        • shapers on 19/12/2016 - 11:36
          +1

          where pets can get at
          :O

        • PVA on 19/12/2016 - 11:38
          +1

          @shapers:

          yeah, neighbours pets :) :)

          nah, I meant CAN"T get to, of course.

      • Tasmaniac on 22/12/2016 - 04:05

        Spend $20 and get something a bit more humane, no need to kill everything that annoys you. http://m.ebay.com.au/itm/Rat-Trap-Humane-Box-Mice-Cage-Live-…

  • Janko on 19/12/2016 - 00:26
    +10

    They can be real smart - I had one that would come out when lights off and make a hell of a noise. Just couldn't get him with Ratsak (he enjoyed that) or traps.

    Finally got him when I went into the kitchen at night at accidentally trod on him. He bit me in the process though.

    • [Deactivated] on 19/12/2016 - 12:26
      +14

      and now you have rat based superpowers?

      • pyramid on 19/12/2016 - 16:21
        +9

        Ratman…

        • Rashed on 20/12/2016 - 13:51
          +4

          And you got yourself few turtles..

      • apptrack on 20/12/2016 - 10:01

        Try eat Ratsak and see

    • snackerjoe on 20/12/2016 - 19:43
      +2

      Sounds like Splinter got done in by the Foot after using his ninja skills to avoid the bait and traps.

      • StateOE on 22/12/2016 - 14:26
        +1

        So that's why they're called the Foot Clan!
        Could never figure it out.

  • Donaldhump on 19/12/2016 - 00:43
    +2

    shredder

  • bargainslut on 19/12/2016 - 02:14
    +1

    Cats

  • altomic on 19/12/2016 - 08:27
    +9

    Snitchers get stitches.

    • bargainslut on 19/12/2016 - 10:46
      -2

      stalkers goto jail:)

      • PJC on 19/12/2016 - 14:26
        -1

        It seems only right that I apologise unreservedly for harassing you …
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/4286127/redir
        bargainslut on 19 December at 10:08
        @PJC: obviously breaking the rules between spackbace, savas and PJC.
        harassment is taking place here, please step in mods, btw I will defend myself under the law.

        … although I always thought I would know if I was doing that …

        … so understandably you repeated the accusation …
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/4286132/redir
        bargainslut on 19 December at 10:09
        @Savas: obviously breaking the rules between spackbace, savas and PJC.
        harassment is taking place here, please step in mods, btw I will defend myself under the law.

        … and naturally I also apologise for my "inflammatory" comment welcoming your return from the Penalty Box …
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/4278004/redir

        … thank you so much for alerting me to my disgracefully abusive conduct. I deservedly ascend a spiral of shame.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/12/2016 - 08:37
    +3

    Just be careful with poison baits. They work well, but generally dehydrate the animal slowly and you don't want them dying in roof or wall space. If you can trap, that is ideal.

    • AlienC on 19/12/2016 - 16:10

      So place outside not in kitchen.. got it

      • Untameable on 20/12/2016 - 21:50
        +1

        Don't place them outside. They're toxic to other wildlife too.

        Also, make sure they're rats. If they're really that big they may be endangered natives (not rattus rattus).

        • AlienC on 21/12/2016 - 01:44

          Can they kill Cockatoo's or whatever those loud pterodactyl ones are called? I have like 12 of those in my backyard everyday also asking for a friend?

    • diddy50 on 20/12/2016 - 09:31

      yep, a dead rat or possum in a wall or in the roof is a great smell in summer!

    • Al Kider on 21/12/2016 - 21:17

      That also can have an effect of alerting other mice/rats to be more alert to what they eat. I had the best luck with traps as they ignored my ratsak baits. Bacon and chocolate worked best for me.

  • IMFrugl on 19/12/2016 - 08:50
    +2

    This is the type of trap I have used with consistent success for large rats.
    They are variants of this design and usually available in asian shops, ebay etc:

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-X-Rat-Catcher-Spring-Cage-Trap-H…

    http://bestpestcontrolexterminators.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/r…

    There is a spring loaded door and a hook with a link to the door.
    1. With rubber gloves, attach a piece of bait (burnt strong smelling dried fish etc) to the hook. Place the bait quite high up the hook.
    2. Fix the link to the hook at the tip so it triggers easily. Ensure that the door lock bar is correctly set so that it drops with gravity when triggered to lock the door.
    3. Place it on some newspapers so that you don't need to clean up poop later.
    4. Wait for rat. If your bait is dried fish, it can be left indefinately until the rat is caught.
    5. Dispose/ exterminate rat using your favourite chosen method.
    6. Spray down trap with water, hot water and dry in sun to remove all evidence/ scent of last rat.
    7. Repeat.

    This is most effective if your bait smells really strong which is why I burn it slightly. I've caught some seriously large rats with these traps. They don't work well with small ones as they can't reach the trigger hook. Glue is most effective for tiny ones but the glue traps are illegal in Australia.

    • DialIN on 20/12/2016 - 11:47

      Essentially this. I use peanut button on a bit of bread as the bait, then fill the laundry sink with water and drop the cage in.

      • btst7000 on 20/12/2016 - 15:35
        +1

        f'in rat hitler

    • zfind on 20/12/2016 - 11:55

      How do you dispose of the rat once caught?

      • IMFrugl on 20/12/2016 - 13:30
        +1

        To kill it, I'd first leave it out in the sun. It will eventually pass out and die. Easiest and probably least cruel method. I've heard of someone fixing the cage up to the car exhaust to euthanise them… but that would be going too far.

        To dispose them, I'd dig a small hole in the garden near a tree and bury them. It makes good fertilizer, has no smell and has minimal handling. For tiny ones, I'd just throw them into the compost bin.

        • jaypeee on 20/12/2016 - 13:56
          +5

          Least cruel? Bloody hell!

        • greatlamp on 20/12/2016 - 18:36
          +3

          what happened to decapitation via shovel.

          No need to torture the critters

        • JamesP on 22/12/2016 - 07:35
          +2

          Least cruel? Who the hell are you kidding?

          This method is awful and possibly illegal. Leaving them to die under a hot sun is inhumane, it takes time to die like that. And it's agonising. And when you said "using your favourite chosen method", I immediately think "psychopath".

          Pull your head in mate. Kill them quickly.

      • zfind on 20/12/2016 - 15:39

        Maybe freezer would be best, that's the most humane way to euthanise unwanted pet fish and frogs / toads. Having a live rat in your freezer is probably a bit much though.

        • JamesP on 22/12/2016 - 07:49
          +2

          It's the most humane way for those animals because they're cold blooded. A rat isn't. It would take longer to die. I'd never recommend freezing and warm-blooded animal to death.

    • sraymond on 20/12/2016 - 17:13
      +1

      Glue traps are bought and used by Pesties daily in Australia.

  • Slippery Fish on 19/12/2016 - 08:53
    +1

    With big ones youwill either need Strong bait, you use to get it in Melbourn China town lol (was illigal and like 50x stronger)

    If thats not an option the electric ones should do the job.

  • rover on 19/12/2016 - 09:24
    +11

    Bikies

    • ItsMeAgro on 20/12/2016 - 19:08
      +3

      Wouldn't recommend. I used the ones that looked a bit like a rhino and a warthog. They could barely handle the rat, let alone his turtle buddies.

  • Archi on 19/12/2016 - 09:34
    -7

    many years ago my girlfirinds dad was drunk and had caught a rat in a trap in the back paddock,

    he poured some kerosene over it lit the cage on fire and set the animal free. a couple of minutes later and rings of burnt grass,… and not corpse to be seen. rat problem was gone.

    • johnno07 on 20/12/2016 - 13:28

      This is a bad idea on a number of different levels.

  • ProjectZero on 19/12/2016 - 09:57
    +1

    snakes… ask SLJ for some… I'm sure he'd like to get rid of some.

    • matt_will_fix_it on 20/12/2016 - 22:24
      +2

      Yeah a snake will polish them off pretty quickly

  • shaybisc on 19/12/2016 - 11:37

    The best way to stop them getting in your roof (don't know if that's what you mean) is to find out the entrance and seal it.

  • raytriplej on 19/12/2016 - 13:03

    Bunnings "big cheese" cages. Bait goes on a pressure plate and when the rat stands on the pressure plate
    the door shuts behind it.

    100% success rate at my house.

    Then you get to decide what to do with him/her.

    • AlienC on 19/12/2016 - 16:10
      +1

      What do you do with him or her? Do people buy rats?

      • raytriplej on 19/12/2016 - 16:23
        +1

        Mine died. Some people relocate to the bush a long way away.

      • shaybisc on 19/12/2016 - 17:37
        +4

        If you catch them in a cage trap, get a big bucket of water, then submerge the trap. They drown real quick.

        • frostman on 20/12/2016 - 08:20
          +1

          you'll end up with a soaked wet rat, worst scene in the world

        • shaybisc on 20/12/2016 - 08:59
          -1

          @frostman:

          Hold the cage, open the door to cage, drop rat into used plastic shopping bag, tie bag, drop in red bin.

        • djprima on 20/12/2016 - 09:25
          -2

          works better if you use boiling water…

        • shaybisc on 20/12/2016 - 10:01
          +1

          @djprima:

          Needlessly cruel. They die remarkably quickly in cold water. Under 20 seconds on average from my observations. I left them in for a minute or two just to be sure.

        • shaybisc on 20/12/2016 - 10:02

          @shaybisc:

          You can also bury them or compost them if you want.

        • kevsta on 20/12/2016 - 18:37

          @djprima:

          Don't do boiling water, they'll leave a bad smell around the area that you can't get rid of for weeks. Drowning is best or leave them in the cage out in the sun and they will die in under a day.

        • AlienC on 21/12/2016 - 01:41

          @kevsta: isn't there like some sort of rat shelter we can call or send them to

          I have a Facebook friend that has recently acquired rats as a pet (no idea why guinea pigs are cuter) so my first try will be her then the RSPCA then some pet stores then some more animal shelters if they still even exist then if all else fails I will kill it :(

        • raytriplej on 21/12/2016 - 10:54

          @AlienC:

          Pretty sure hand raised domestic pet rats and pest rats are a little different in regards to disease and potential bites.

        • zfind on 21/12/2016 - 11:26

          @AlienC:

          The rats you catch around your house are very different to captive-raised specimens; they're feral, likely diseased and are absolutely not suitable as pets. It's admirable you want to give them a chance, but I doubt the RSPCA will take them, so you're better off humanely euthanising. Cold water or car exhaust pipe into a closed bucket.

        • JamesP on 22/12/2016 - 07:36

          @djprima:

          Use boiling water to kill a caged animal and you'll be receiving a visit from the RSPCA and a possible court summons:

          http://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/rat-torturer-ryan…

        • JamesP on 22/12/2016 - 07:41
          +1

          @kevsta:
          No.

          You don't leave an animal in a cage to die in the sun. That's exceptionally cruel.

          Geez, what is wrong with you people? If you capture it, kill the animal quickly. Some of you are messed up in the head. People who do that sort of thing should be prosecuted… in fact, I wouldn't be surprised that your "hot sun" method is a criminal offence.

      • penthius on 20/12/2016 - 23:13

        Watch the documentary called RATS to see what "some" people do with them . but watch at your own risk!

  • BigTed on 19/12/2016 - 13:16
    +16

    I love that you didn't say they were a foot in length - nope, you used the internationally recognised sub unit of length.

    • AlienC on 21/12/2016 - 01:42
      +1

      Well I have been having subway a lot recently and it was the first thing that came to my mind.. These critters are huge and scary fast.

  • Filbert on 19/12/2016 - 16:28
    +2

    Rat Zapper!
    I have one of the original designs of this now sold by Kogan

    https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/pestill-electric-mouse-and-rat-…

    They are great and generally clean, rat is dead so just put him in the rubbish.
    One of my mates had a rat that was eluding the traps and scratching at screen doors at night. He borrowed my Rat Zapper and nailed it the first night. I said he could hold onto it for a while and he said it's ok he has already ordered one…greatly impressed.

    • shaybisc on 19/12/2016 - 17:32

      They actually work, huh? I have one. Bought it out of curiosity and because I couldn't think of any other way to spend a Kogan gift card. Left it on for a month under the house on an outside power point: didn't catch anything. I guess I don't have rats.

      What did you use for bait?

      • Filbert on 20/12/2016 - 06:57
        +1

        Peanut Butter or dry dog food.
        The original gives you tips like initially leaving the dry dog food around the entrance and inside but not turning the unit on, then when you see the bait being taken turn it on. Also up against a wall where the buggers normally scurry.
        I have had chooks and will again soon but I had a mouse/rat problem in their shed.
        I let them out in the garden late arvo and set the rat Zapper up in their shed and nailed 3 in about an hour.
        They work.

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