What is the humane way to remove rodents?

[The Backlash Cometh]

First let me say, I should have seen this coming. I've dedicated a small part of my yard as a backyard habitat and though it's primarily a butterfly garden, it really is attracting all kinds of wild animals and birds. (I had four hummingbird sightings this last season and spotted two honey bees near the end of the fall). The larger animals are not a problem when they're here for a day or two, but a real problem when they arrive in large numbers and stay.

About six months ago, it was armadillos. I enjoyed the one or two who would usually stay a while before leaving, but this time a whole group stayed on, probably because of the abundance of earthworms on my property due to the trees. They did a frightening amount of damage. The armadillos were removed humanely and resettled in a natural preserve, but at a cost of $350.00 which my hubbie doesn't let me forget.

But now it looks like a family of rats have found their way into my attic. I can only guess they came all at once when someone down the way cleared a briar of palmetto shrubs. I've already received a quote and it would cost me $700.00 for a guarantee removal, $500,00 just for what they can catch during a period of time. So, I think this one I have to tackle on my own.

I believe they're rats and not wood mice from the little we've been able to discern of them. They're quick and stay in the dark and they look more grey than brown. If they're rats, are the usual traps acceptable? That's basically the question. If so, I assume the traditional traps that will kill them quickly are the better choice over the ones that trap them in glue and just let them starve to death.

Opinions would be appreciated.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. I would use a flamethrower, personally.

Rats. :scared:

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Well, that was my gut instinct. I have a dog that goes rooting around,

sniffing wherever they've been so I'm thinking of her safety. Even though she gets all her shots, you just never know.

[LaurenG]

43. Lol

:rofl: My house would burn to ashes. I am no good with fire! :rofl:

[Deep13]

2. Honestly, for rats use whatever works.

Snakes would be my first choice.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. It's not black racer season.

I get quite a few of them each year. Mostly we just eyeball each other. Had three in my yard last year but they won't be back for a while.

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

3. My method was cheap and a little unorthodox...

And very unintentional. (Stay with me here!) The field mice from down the street found their way into our garage last winter...I baited a box, managed to capture quite a few of them, and got the thing the hell out of my garage. Mission accomplished, so I thought.

A few weeks later, I noticed a very rancid odor, went through the remainder of the boxes, and found nothing, expect for the persistent smell. I started peeking around on a couple of shelves, and found an old apothecary bottle (here comes the kicker)...with a rotting mouse trapped inside. :puke:

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. We lost a hamster in the house once.

Thank God I heard it scurrying inside the cylindrical pitcher we used to mix the pancake batter. It was midweek and probably would have died before next Sunday morning when we make pancakes. But the pancake pitcher was pitched. I didn't think I'd ever get rid of that smell of ammonia, and didn't even try.

[raccoon]

5. What about this way?

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

9. That's foolproof!!!

Perfect compromise...almost guaranteed pest elimination, and a free snack for Kitty!

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. My dog would not appreciate a cat.

The rats don't actually come in the house. They just disco dance on the rafters of the attic. There are plenty of cats in the neighborhood that have free reign at night. I just have to remember to leave the door open for them to get access to the porch.

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. Hanging just outside the screened porch, I have cats at night and

red breasted hawks during the day. Well, one hawk, but it was pretty exciting to see.

[IzaSparrow]

8. Get a ferret! nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. If a ferret got loose and escaped from my house, it wouldn't last.

There are all kinds of predatory birds for anything who doesn't know how to hide well.

[Deep13]

13. You really cannot relocate rats.

Their population will always increase to consume available food. Putting them somewhere else only creates a problem wherever they go. Plus, you won't get them all and the few remaining will increase to fill the available food supply and you are back where you started. So, they have to be killed.

The best way I know without endangering inoffensive critters is to shoot them. Here is a tiny shot-shell for a 0.22 rifle or revolver. It is also called "snake shot" or "rodent shot." It has an extremely limited range that will not endanger your neighbors.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. You have no idea what would happen to me if I walked around my

yard carrying a revolver. Even on my own property. I shudder just thinking about it.

[Deep13]

19. Well, I guess we are down to spring traps, then.

Unfortunately, I can't think of any for bait that rats will eat, but chipmunks and squirrels will not.

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. I'll just bait them at night. They come into my enclosed porch.

That's not what a squirrel normally does, and certainly not at night.

[radfringe]

14. vote them out of office?

but seriously

two suggestions:

put down pieces of ex-lax near their habitat. ex-lax will give them the runs, and they will avoid those places as a "bad food area"

similar to the above - really really really really hot peppers, put down pieces of it. it makes them extremely sick and they will avoid the "bad food area"

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. Will ex-lax harm a cat?

Just want to make sure I'm not going to get into an area of unintended consequences.

[radfringe]

18. yeah

so you don't want it anywhere near where your pets can get into it.

typically we use the ex-lax in the attic and cellar areas where the cats aren't allowed access

if you are going to put it someplace where the cats MIGHT get into it, use the peppers. cut them up tiny, so if a cat does perchance to nibble, one tiny piece will be enough to convince them to stay away.

the other thing with the peppers - wear gloves while handling it, and don't wipe your eyes, touch your nose or mouth

[JohnCheg]

17. The most humane way.....

Is to use a tiny waterboarding technique

George W. Bush

[av8rdave]

21. Check out this website

http://www.havahart.com

Their live catch traps really work. It's easy to catch, move and release without having to handle the animal at all, and it does absolutely no harm to them whatsoever.

If it's rats, use a piece of bread or cracker with peanut butter on it. The smell attracts them, and they love it.

Good luck!

[The Backlash Cometh]

25. That's the kind of trap they caught the armadillos.

Maybe the cage was a little tight for the armadillos, however, because they were pretty scraped up even though the catcher came diligently every morning.

[av8rdave]

32. You have to have the right size trap. Always better to err on the large size

[Thirtieschild]

26. We used a humane trap to catch a feral cat who was dining on quail babies

Caught a huge skunk instead. Mr. D. was able to let the skunk out without a release, proudly called himself The Skunk Whisperer. We were sorry the night Mr/Mrs Skunk walked past the open doors on our deck, causing Big Red Dog to set up a horrendous racket. Said Skunk released through the open doors into our bedroom, hitting Big Red Dog, the floor and grazing us, peacefully sleeping at the time. I've told this story here before, and apologize to anyone who read it then. I repeat it because it was a horrendous experience.

One morning, not full light, just light enough to see, a kangaroo rat hopped past the door, stopped and we had a staring match. Curious looking little creature. Right now we are working on decreasing the rat population under the house. When the temp drops below 15 degrees, they try to gnaw their way through the floor. I picture the scene in Ratatouille where the rats came out of the ceiling and kept coming and coming and coming. We aren't using humane traps - there are apparently too many of them - but d-con and regular traps. Figure there are only rats under there, certainly not chipmunks, feral cats or ground squirrels. (Outdoor domestic cats can't survive for very long out here - owls usually get them.)

[The Backlash Cometh]

35. For the area I'm in, I see quite a bit of wildlife, but you beat me, hands down.

I think I may have seen a Florida panther, once, a long time ago. It just didn't look healthy, poor thing. It must have been making it's way around, using the creek for cover during the night. It just sat calmly on a small outcrop, looking at my dog who was dutifully staying on the sidewalk and unaware of the animal. It was late at night and very little light. I remember trying to stay calm to call my dog back, aware that the "cat" had pointed ears and looked foxlike, but too catlike in the body to be a fox.

I know about those cat-eating owls.

[Thirtieschild]

38. Seeing a panther must have been a wonderful experience

We've seen the tracks of a mountain lion but not the cat, although two neighbors have seen one in their yards in the last year. We've found bear scat on the back four and have seen, besides the skunk, coyotes, javalinas, mule deer and elk in the yard. I worry about our dogs, especially Little White Dog. We restrict them to the dog run at night, and even then Little White Dog won't go out without Big Red Dog. I worry about coyotes and suspect he's read my mind.

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. Your concerns are justfied.

Even though I knew it was prudent to leave when I saw the foxy-cat, I was surprised that it seemed very calm, and seemed more amused, than predatory. Almost as if it wanted to interact and play with my dog, which has a very light coat, just a little lighter than a panthers.

[marzipanni]

22. I occasionally have to use a Havahart trap in my attic

to catch a roof rat, because we have a black walnut tree, and our neighbor has an English walnut tree, so rats like our area.
If I had several to catch, I think I might try this-
http://journeytoforever.org/at_rattrap3.html
If you want to put it outside without having to dig a hole, or inside, you can use a bucket with a small board for a ramp, and someone on another website said you can use an empty plastic water bottle with a small hole poked in the bottom, instead of a corn cob, smeared with peanut butter.
I called the "Vertebrate Pest Management Specialist" at U.C. Davis, and she told me that glue traps are cruel, rodents will chew off the stuck foot to release it. :(

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. My friend tried one of those glue traps and he said that

he thinks one of them got caught first, and then the others came to help. He ended up with five in the trap. As effective as it was, he said it made him sick to his stomach.

[Kali]

47. if it was rats they were probably more into cannibalism than altruism.

Pretty vicious, some of them.

[Orsino]

24. Impeachment.

But Nancy says it's off the table.

Seriously, a professional exterminator can advise. After removing a couple myself, I had animal-removal specialists put in the Havahart-type traps, and most importantly, plug all the holes the little b------s were using to get into the house.

I didn't want a bunch of dead rats in my house, either, even if that's better than live ones. The exterminator was going to feed them to his boa constrictors, supposedly.

[noonwitch]

27. The glue traps do work, if you can deal with it.

Face it, to get rid of rats you have to kill them. There's no humane way to kill a rat-you either use traps that break their necks or get them stuck in glue.

The last time I had mice, I got a cat. I have not had any mice since.

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. Thanks, noonwitch.

I don't think I can do the glue thing. If I can deter them with a few traps and pepper, that's what I'll try to do. They came suddenly, maybe they'll leave the same?

[laconicsax]

29. That's easy

Lead them to the river, they drown.

It doesn't work without the costume.

[The Backlash Cometh]

31. LOL!

[Critters2]

30. The electronic pulse things do work on rodents,

if you have electricity in your attic. A combination of that and live traps should solve your problem.
A cat or two wouldn't hurt, either.

[FloridaJudy]

33. Make a trail of breadcrumbs

Or other tasty bait, leading from their lair to GD-P...

Oops. I'm sorry. You said humane, didn't you?


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ never mind

[The Backlash Cometh]

34. Poor things will probably scratch their eyes out if they can't get out.

[harmonicon]

36. If you want human, I would civilize them

Teach them your language. Leave little hints, like rat-sized sets of clothing, small tools..... an easy bake oven and a book of recipes, perhaps. Once they understand, charge them rent, but get a security deposit first.

[The Backlash Cometh]

37. Well, now that you put it that way, I know where they came from.

[Kali]

40. old fashioned snap traps

livetrapping and releasing is NOT humane. Snap traps are fast and effective. The newer plastic ones for mice are easy to handle.

[The Backlash Cometh]

41. Are the plastic ones availale in Home Depot?

[Kali]

45. oh sure, I imagine - I think I've bought them at the grocery store,

feed store for sure - I haven't seen them for rats yet so you are probably stuck with the old scary-for-your-fingers wood ones. If it is rats you are dealing with.

Peanutbutter and a bit of bacon or a chocolate chip wedged in good so they have to tug on it makes the best bait. If you have a concern about dogs or cats an overturned plastic milk crate will deter most of them.

You need to be diligent and keep the traps out. Put them where ever you see sign of rodents or think you hear them. (keep track with notes if you are like me and liable to forget where you put them!) Older somewhat dirty ones work better than shiny new ones. Another trick I have used in both kill and live traps is to feed the bait a few times with out setting the trap - then when they are taking it good set to catch.

Poison and drowning are both supposed to be very effective, but drowning doesn't seem very humane to me and I worry about other critters eating the poisoned bodies. I have never tried either. (accidental drownings I have seen, though)

Squirrels and chipmunks can become destructive pests too, just for a heads-up.

[The Backlash Cometh]

46. Good advice!

Especially on the kind of bait and how and when to set the bait.

[CorpGovActivist]

42. Ask Skinner nicely.

[The Backlash Cometh]

44. You mean, tombstone them?