My neighbor has rats!

[HipChick]

I was out walking tonight, and the neighbor nosey told me that my neighbor has a rat problem. So much so that the wife had moved out and taken the kids with her until the exterminators got it under control. WTF? She made sure to let me know that they breed quickly and I make sure the problem doesn't spread over to my place. The thing is we have an HOA,and are charged monthly dues who apparently know about this problem, but are trying to keep it on the low key so people aren't panicked. I'm terrified of anything like this, can I contact my local health dept to force the HOA to at least do something about this etc also, any recommendations for what you can get to treat the ground surrounding the areas.. I will die a thousand deaths if I see one...

[Kali]

1. leave NO food or trash of any kind out, this includes pet foods, bird food, fallen fruit

block all openings and set traps (yes snap/kill - don't fuck around with live traps)
rats are smarter than mice so trapping is a little harder

[struggle4progress]

2. I'm 100% intolerant of rodents. I put poisoned baits in places they might be:

attic or basement

Raccoon in the undoored separate garage -- OK with me. Bats outside -- fine. Snakes in the brush -- no problemo. Fox or deer on the property -- I don't mind. Voles and chipmunks chewing my roots and digging up my bulbs -- live and let live

But mice or rats moving in -- nope, no way

[RandomThoughts]

3. People deep in there bunkers can't really stop them.

Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaa!

I will cheer for the mouse.

The Mouse That Roared.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7L7WLFBYR4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYMuJDajujc


:rofl:

[NV Whino]

10. I'll send you my raccoons.

[struggle4progress]

14. That's a real nice offer, but I'm afraid they'd be eaten by the hoards of predatory bunnies here

[kimi]

4. When I kept my rabbits outside

I had an awful rat problem. Even my feral couldn't keep up with them. They're horrible, nasty, disgusting creatures. I don't care how smart and adaptable people say they are. They got so fat that they'd get stuck in between the bars of the hutch cages, trying to exit after a gargantuan meal on bunny food. Miserable little beasts. I hate em. Moved the buns inside. No more rats. Now the feral brings me tiny little mice and moles. Everyone is much happier. :)

Good luck with your problem. Seriously, rats are a menace.

[MajorChode]

5. A feral cat should do the trick

[SwampG8r]

6. get a cat or just cat urine

rats will move on if they smell a cat
a cat to a rat is like a security light to a burglar
just like humans they will go with an easier location
i live between a river and the ocean and have had rats
one cat and they all cleared out over a week

[LibertyLover]

7. I have a rat problem too -

whenever I walk into a pet store, I want to buy more rats. I control myself, because right now I have 4 pretty little girls nestled together under an old t-shirt. I've got 3 blonds named Boanin, Selene and Iris and a black and white charmer named Danu. They love to be picked up and petted and allowed to ride on my shoulder. Boanin is the oldest, almost 4 years old, so quite old in rat years. Iris is the youngest - about 6 months old. I love my rat problem.

[Kali]

8. in most cases there is a huge divide between PET rats and an INFESTATION of VERMIN

although I have seen hoarder/"rescue" types let the pet situation get completely out of hand where the dwelling became damaged and more "infested" than one with wild type rats. They can cause a lot of damage including to wiring and as such are beyond the obvious sanitary and health concerns to being a very real fire hazard.

[old mark]

9. If you are fortunate, he may give YOU some!!!!

We had mice last spring, and that was more than enough for me...get an exterminator or get on your HOA's ass and ride them like a stolen horse till you get them critters out of there...You pay them, thney should work for you.
Good luck - rodents suck.
mark

[NV Whino]

11. Every house I take care of has had a rodent problem

Gawd, it's exhausting trying to keep up with it.

[Mr. Ected]

12. You need to check your covenants

To see if the association has any responsibility to exterminate rodents or other pests. I would almost assume that this is NOT the case.

I would also not shy away from calling the local health department. To hell with causing a panic. YOU'RE panicked, and that is enough. Stop the pestilence before it spreads throughout the community. You will be revered, not reviled. I shudder to think what would happen if a child and rat made an unforeseen rendevous.

[marzipanni]

13. Do you have barn owls in your area?

If you do, get the HOA to buy some barn owl nesting boxes. We love our local barn owls, and Swainson's hawks- great mouse and rat hunters.
http://birding.about.com/od/birdhouses/a/barnowlboxes.htm