Rodents in my attic...

[jumperstop]

A couple days ago I began hearing little scurring noises. They sound too big to be just plain mice which led me to believe they were possibly squirrels or rats. I was wondering if I should call an expert or just place some traps in the attic to see if I can get them to leave. I don't think they'd come back in the summer because it can get 115 plus in there, but I want to make sure once they are gone they don't come back. The only thing about traps is if they are squirrels, regular rat traps probably won't hurt them right? Then I just have deal with a pissed of squirrel that has been maimed by a trap that couldn't kill it. Either way I want the easiest quickest fix. I just know that exterminators for rodents just go up there and leave traps anyways, and I'll probably be charged each time they come out to check on them. Sounds like something I could just do myself.

[colleyvillesooner]

Don't use poison. They will burrow into your insulation in the wall then die. BIG PROBLEM.

Main thing is you have to find where they are coming in from.

I would just get some live traps like this for squirrels;

http://www.pestproducts.com/images/52842bob.jpg

Rat traps for rats. Google what they like best that wont kill any other animal. I had this problem, and like an idiot, sealed up all the possible entries and could have sealed it in. Placed traps, Didn't catch anything, so luckily i trapped them on the outside. make it hard for them to get in and they will move on.

Check for droppings by the water pan for your ac unit if its up there.

[jumperstop]

Thanks for the info. I've heard not to use poison for that reason and both times I've heard the scurring it's come from the exact same area of the ceilling.

Those squirrel traps look like they can get expensive. Do you think it would do any harm to put a couple of rat/mice traps up there just to see if they really aren't squirrels? My dad had mice in his house and said they can sound a lot bigger running through the wall.

[sooner_born_1960]

.22 and a flashlight.

[colleyvillesooner]

Thanks for the info. I've heard not to use poison for that reason and both times I've heard the scurring it's come from the exact same area of the ceilling.

Those squirrel traps look like they can get expensive. Do you think it would do any harm to put a couple of rat/mice traps up there just to see if they really aren't squirrels?

Maybe research something rats like that squirrels aren't interested. It was like $150 for the company i used to put the traps up there, and they told me to check it everyday, there was nothing after a week, so they came back and go them. haven't had an issue since. I was just lucky to have sealed them out.

also:


AND PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, THAT IF YOU HEAR SQUIRRELS IN YOUR ATTIC THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, YOU MOST LIKELY HAVE 4 TO 6 BABIES PER EACH MOTHER SQUIRREL IN THE ATTIC 40-50% OF THE YEAR. A MOTHER SQUIRREL CAUGHT IN A SQUIRREL TRAP, WHETHER SNAP TRAP OR LIVE TRAPPED, AND CARRIED AWAY - OR - A POISONED SQUIRREL - OR - A SQUIRREL SHOT WITH A PELLET GUN - COULD, 40% TO 50% OF THE YEAR, RESULT IN DEAD YOUNG SQUIRRELS IN YOUR ATTIC OR INTERIOR HOUSE WALLS LEFT TO DECAY AND SMELL.

[jumperstop]

Maybe research something rats like that squirrels aren't interested. It was like $150 for the company i used to put the traps up there, and they told me to check it everyday, there was nothing after a week, so they came back and go them. haven't had an issue since. I was just lucky to have sealed them out.

also:

This is the first I've heard of them so I don't think they would have been in there but just the winter months. I've read on a website that large rat traps work well for squirrels to. Since those would be cheaper than live traps I might just put a couple of those up there and see what happens. Now my concern is that I hope I can find the spot where they are coming in. I spent a lot of time in the attic a couple months back and didn't see anything up there so hopefully there isn't a lot and I can just kill them all.

[colleyvillesooner]

That is a short term solution. Other ones will find the same entrance if you don't seal it. Look where there are overhangs in the roof for holes. Also, go up during the day and shut the ladder and look for light sources. Might be worth it to get up on the roof too.

[jumperstop]

I just wish I knew what I was dealing with. Seems like from what I've read roof rats are a lot easier to get rid of than squirrels...Funny thing is we have no tree or anything that could get them right up next to the roof like that.

[colleyvillesooner]

I just wish I knew what I was dealing with. Seems like from what I've read roof rats are a lot easier to get rid of than squirrels...Funny thing is we have no tree or anything that could get them right up next to the roof like that.

They don't need a tree. They are determined little bastards.

And when looking for entry points, remember rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter.

This is scary:


Roof Rats are excellent climbers and get their name because they usually live high off the ground, like on the roof of a building. They have very poor vision and are color blind, but they have extremely strong senses of hearing, smell, touch and taste. Rats have four to six litters a year and each litter has 6 to 12 babies in it. These rats are only pregnant for about 21 to 23 days and they can start reproducing when they are three months old.

[Turd_Ferguson]

You're welcome in advance... (http://www.rodentstrobe.com/)

[jumperstop]

They don't need a tree. They are determined little bastards.

And when looking for entry points, remember rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter.

This is scary:

This isn't making me feel any better. Fortunately I only heard a couple of whatever it was.

As far as the stobe goes, I just don't know if the way my attic is set up would work well with something like that. It seems like they could hide behind stuff to avoid the light and it might acctually push them further into the walls to get away from that thing. Hopefully it doesn't come down to that and I hope it turns out they are just little mice, but I have a bad feeling they aren't.

[diverdog]

This isn't making me feel any better. Fortunately I only heard a couple of whatever it was.

As far as the stobe goes, I just don't know if the way my attic is set up would work well with something like that. It seems like they could hide behind stuff to avoid the light and it might acctually push them further into the walls to get away from that thing. Hopefully it doesn't come down to that and I hope it turns out they are just little mice, but I have a bad feeling they aren't.

Get a snake.