Rat Control Questions

the rats are fewer and farther between now that we got the new trash cans here. Finally, the city did something right!!!!

i put out the tom cat blocks in previous years. i would put a lot out and kill them en masse and fast because those that survive will realize what the blocks are and won’t eat them. they even have the cojones to push them out of the access points they use and into the places where i walk.

Keep one thing in mind when dealing with rats; they are smarter than us and there are more of them. its a war and they could win.

Tell your neighbors to stop feeding them. i had to do that here but we had one rental where they continued to put trash out in bags. that rental changed hands and now there are no more rats.

Brownstone Home Inspection

in General Discussion 1 day ago

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lschalet | 2 days ago

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Hi, My ground floor tenant (in a Park Slope brownstone) saw a rat and I know that means finding the borrows and entry points. I can’t do any of that myself & am wondering about who to hire? The yard is fairly overgrown. A yard cleaner? A pest control company? A handyman? Thanks so much ch n advance for your thoughts.

cate | 2 days ago

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I guess you mean they saw a rat inside the house? If someone can follow the droppings, they may help find the entry points. It may help to remove the vegetation in the yard, which will mean no cover for the rats and also expose any burrows. Get rid of any food sources inside and out, including pet droppings and pet food. I would hire a pest control company or a handyman but the ones that just put down some traps and poison are useless. You have to get someone who knows how to find where they are getting in, find the holes, and close up holes with mesh and other appropriate materials. It is not difficult but it is hard to find people with the required attention to detail. In the meantime, you can try to find tiny holes by probing with a small screwdriver and blocking the holes with steel wool (using the screwdriver to pack the wool into the hole). Be careful not to touch the droppings or inhale close to them, they can be deadly. It is important to wash their trails using bleach and a few drops of dishwashing detergent to disinfect and remove the smell (which is dangerous to humans and attracts more rats).