This is so gross, but we live right behind apartment buildings and are having a problem with rats. They have made a home under our deck, which is enclosed underneath, and I have 4 children and 2 dogs that I can't have anything that would be harmful to them (not that they would be touching it) but I can't have these disgusting rodents around. Does anyone know of a natural way to keep them away, like moth balls, etc that would work? My kids/dogs would not go near it. And we were told by the city that we live in, that we would have to hire a private pest control company to take care of it which would be costly but I am trying to use this as a last resort type thing. Because if no one else in the area does anything we will continue to have the same problem no matter what. That's why I am looking to at least keep them away from our area. I know that mothballs worked on keeping the mice away I wasn't sure if it was the same for the rats. We are not directly in the city just about 20 minutes NW of downtown area. I have also complained about the apartments and they keep citing them but we still have problems.
Thank you for your responses. I did get some good ideas. Our village has already come out and cited the apartment buildings for garbage and they have sent out a pest control company but they told me that unless everyone in the area got rid of their gardens and flower beds that would be the only sure way that they would completely leave the area. And none of my neighbors are willing to give up there gardens etc. So I am hoping to find a way to atleast try to get them away from our house. Thanks for everyone's advice.
Hi L.,
Call a pest control company. I would then contact the owners of the apartment buildings & tell them to hire the same company (perhaps they can do a group rate discount). If they refuse to hire a company to get rid of the rats then I would report them again to the housing authority.
Rats are totally disgusting, aren't they? We used to find rat poop by our back porch everyday. Finally, I went and bought a bulk container of cayannne pepper and sprinkled it all around the doormat and around our porch. We haven't see rat poop since (and it's been years!)
You would probably want to be very careful with that around your dogs, but if you can put it places that the dogs can't get, give it a try!
Good luck!
The best way to get rid of the rats, and safest way for both your kids, dogs and the rats themselves, is to get rid of the reason they are there in the first place. Are there waste receptacles around? Open garbage cans and food? That is what attracts the rats to begin with. And like someone else mentioned, the dog poop can also keep the rats around, because they love to eat it.
I am not sure of any natural way to keep them out though (maybe google "humane and safe rat removal". I am sorry. I know there are humane traps that you can use to trap them and the release them FAR away, maybe in a forest preserve or field.
I am sorry you are having this problem. I actually like rats, I am an animal lover, but I do realize they pose a health hazard. I hope you find something that works.
I'de be losing my mind if I were you L.. I really think I'de move and leave the problem to the next buyers/renters. Have you written your town mayor or gone to town meetings to bring the problem up before the board? Nobody wants their kids to be raised with rats. The city could probably get after the apartment building. They probably need a complete cleanup and disinfecting. UGH!!! It gives me the shivers. Good luck.
I agree with the other poster that said to make sure there is nothing around to keep the rats fed (open trash, etc...), but that said, rats can chew through concrete with their teeth to get to food! Call a small pest control company and ask them for a discount, a payment plan, or even just ask them for ADVICE! I once had a really nice guy from a pest control company tell me how to get rid of roaches on my own. You have to get rid of the rats, if even for your kids' sake. The kind of rats we have in Chicagoland can give birth to a litter, then be pregnant again within 6 hours!!! Yikes! If worst comes to worse, if the city isn't doing anything, and the people who own the apartment building aren't doing anything, I would call your local news station and see if they would do a story on it. Far fetched, I know, but some tv stations have community reporters who do stuff like that.
I don't know if this is practical for you but what we did with mice was use non-violent traps.
They were cages with bait. When it would catch a mouse-- we could carry it somewhere far away and release it....
I know this sounds wierd, but I had some animals living under my deck and I was told to use human hair. It is supposed to keep them away becasue of our smell. I do not know if it will work for rats but it is worth a try. I just went to my beauty shop and asked them for the hair that they swept up. They looked at me like I was nuts! But then I expalined to them what I was doing and they thought that was a great Idea. It worked for me, like I said I am not sure if it will work for rats but it is safe for your pets and children.
Good luck,
let me know if it worked!
Hi L.. :)
We had a squirrel issue awhile back and used ABC Wildlife ###-###-####. http://www.abcwildlife.com/
They came out, set a trap and took care of it (seven squirrels later!!) for us. It was costly but well worth it. :)
Good luck! :)
K.
I'm not sure if mothballs are any less risky for your kids and dogs, so be careful about that. Rats, while they are creatures too, can really pose a hazard to your family's health so I wouldn't go out of my way to protect them. If your dogs have a place where they poop, be sure to pick it up because the rats absolutely LOVE dog poop. You don't mention if you live in the city. If so, call your alderman's office and ask them to send the rat patrol out. If the problem is with the apartment building not taking care of their refuse, that building owner should be cited for failing to maintain his property safely. The city uses traps that people and other animals can't get into so that's a much safer way for your family to deal.
