Killing Rats

[No_Mind]

My house is plagued by big rats. Not rats .. because at any time only one creates havoc (9 inches long). But as soon as one dies another magically replaces it after a day.

I live on ground floor of an old, dilapidated house offering umpteen points of entrance to the rat(s). So no use using stronger drain covers or things like that. They just bust out the drain cover or come out of the commode (they are mighty strong creatures). And if they cannot bust out the drain cover they chew through a door (there are 5 doors to my house) or wooden partition.

I have till now used humane ways for last 25 years .. spray kerosene, ammonia .. try and make them sleepy using Xanax .. give them low blood pressure and bradycardia using mix of amlodipine and atenolol in butter.

But now it is beyond control. One of them punctured a 1 kilo bottle of cooking oil yesterday night and my kitchen is a mess.

So I have invested a lot of money in a rat trap from Amazon. There are 80 glowing reviews (by people who were like me almost driven out of their home by rats) that it breaks the rat's neck instantly and there is no pain to the animal (no blood too).

Feeling really bad .. but would feel lot more bad if this keeps on happening. One whole Saturday morning gone wiping my kitchen .. I have obsessive compulsive disorder and sight of my kitchen swimming in oil was enough to give me a stroke; I obsess over sticky fingers after eating one chicken finger so one can well imagine what I am going through now.

It is literally either I live or the rat(s). And if anyone knows someone with OCD they know how strenuous it is for sufferers like us.

Feeling sad .. but I have no way

P.S. - apologies if this is not the appropriate sub-forum.

[Disciple]

I have an uncle who also had a rat infestation in his house. He bought a trap and each time he would catch them he'd slip them in a heavy plastic bag and proceed to bash them against a concrete wall until they stopped moving. I wouldn't recommend that method but he has never had a rat infestation since.

[SarathW]

What is the problem?
Is the sight of rats or they destroy your food?
How many rats their in one time?
Are they come only at night?
Are you scared of rats?
Have you been to the rat temple in India?

[No_Mind]

I have an uncle who also had a rat infestation in his house. He bought a trap and each time he would catch them he'd slip them in a heavy plastic bag and proceed to bash them against a concrete wall until they stopped moving. I wouldn't recommend that method but he has never had a rat infestation since.

This one kills instantly by breaking its neck.

No pain to the creature .. that is to some extent comforting.

What is the problem?
Is the sight of rats or they destroy your food?
How many rats their in one time?
Are they come only at night?
Are you scared of rats?
Have you been to the rat temple in India?

Sarath, I believe I have described the problem quite adequately!! No I am not scared of rats .. I am a sturdy ex-weightlifter with countenance of a pitbull which has had its tooth pulled and I do not scare at all (ghosts, terrorists, rats bring them all on).

[Disciple]

That looks like a good alternative but a bit pricey. My uncle got the job done with something like this http://www.amazon.in/Ekam-Humane-Mouset ... G6V3CYQMM3

[No_Mind]

That looks like a good alternative but a bit pricey. My uncle got the job done with something like this http://www.amazon.in/Ekam-Humane-Mouset ... G6V3CYQMM3

Yes but with that I would still have to kill the rat after catching it.

Releasing it has no effect .. just finds its way back after a few hours and I do not want to drive a mile with a live rat kicking inside a bag.

[Dhammanando]

Have you considered getting a cat? With the right sort its mere presence should keep the rats at bay.

[Mkoll]

I have till now used humane ways for last 25 years .. spray kerosene, ammonia .. try and make them sleepy using Xanax .. give them low blood pressure and bradycardia using mix of amlodipine and atenolol in butter.

Are those 3 drugs OTC in India? All are prescription only here. Xanax is DEA Schedule 4 and is widely abused.

About the rats...I'm sure you've considered moving and are unable to for whatever reason. I'd guess some contractor could rat-proof your house for the right amount of money. You might be able to do it yourself using Youtube; have any contractor buddies? A cat seems like a good idea---the rats would probably look for easier pickings.

Altogether crappy situation and I'm sorry you're in it.

[robertk]

In Thailand we bought a steel mesh trap that catches them. I used to release them miles away.

Ah I just saw the post with the link to amazon: same type as that
.. I am pretty sure the ones I released couldn't have traversed 15km from one side of Bangkok back to our house.

[SarathW]

Hi No-mind
I caught small rats using a vaccum cleaner.
If you wish to be a millionaire try to invent this machine.
Be quick before this post is seen by an American.

[No_Mind]

Have you considered getting a cat? With the right sort its mere presence should keep the rats at bay.

Venerable,

The problem is pet cats are not available here .. only stray ones. And I am used to having dogs as pets (though not at present moment) .. but not very eager to keep cats. What if it steals fish from another house .. will be very messy situation indeed. I do not eat fish much but being a Bengali neighbourhood one cannot chuck a stone without hitting a catfish. The fish deprived cat will soon steal.

Not joking. It is something I have considered and rejected. Cats stealing fish used to cause major row among Bengalis. As prices of fish have risen over last 30 years people have stopped keeping cats as pet .. not worth the trouble with neighbours it causes every week.

In 1990, tilapia was 10 cents per kilo and used as cat feed. Now it is $3 per kilo and we eat it!! 3000% price rise for fish.

I have till now used humane ways for last 25 years .. spray kerosene, ammonia .. try and make them sleepy using Xanax .. give them low blood pressure and bradycardia using mix of amlodipine and atenolol in butter.

Are those 3 drugs OTC in India? All are prescription only here. Xanax is DEA Schedule 4 and is widely abused.

About the rats...I'm sure you've considered moving and are unable to for whatever reason. I'd guess some contractor could rat-proof your house for the right amount of money. You might be able to do it yourself using Youtube; have any contractor buddies? A cat seems like a good idea---the rats would probably look for easier pickings.

Altogether crappy situation and I'm sorry you're in it.

Xanax is prescription only but the others are available (like U.S. most drugs are prescription only but one can buy most medicines without a prescription except benzodiazepines. Benzos are off limits). The rats had my share of Xanax

It is not possible to rat proof this particular house. It is just too old and too many problems with it. I cannot rat proof the doors and to rats wood is like butter. They will eat through one in no time. One ate half way through a window frame and adjoining brick in December before I noticed. Newer apartments have 2 wooden doors (main and balcony) and no residents on ground floor which is used as garage .. no wooden windows either but aluminium and glass. It is ground floor (first floor in U.S.) which suffers from rodents.

This is an old fashioned flyover from 1950 (not over pillars/piers but a concrete structure filled with earth topped by a roadway) about a mile from my home. Rats have burrowed through it and caused parts of it to subside (it connects very busy localities and cannot be demolished and new one built in its place easily).



Rat proofing does not seem to work much. Rats can bite through 4 ft wall of concrete. Their jaws exert an immense 12 tons of pressure per sq inch. Humans can generate maximum 100 kilos pressure per sq inch through molars.

[Dhammanando]

The problem is pet cats are not available here .. only stray ones.

I see. That comes as an enormous surprise.

And I am used to having dogs as pets (though not at present moment) .. but not very eager to keep cats. What if it steals fish from another house .. will be very messy situation indeed.

Well, the idea is to select a spayed female of the kind of breed that will be content to stay in the house (though not so passive that she won't bother to hunt). An American shorthair or a Chinese Li Hua, for example.

[No_Mind]

Well, the idea is to select a spayed female of the kind of breed that will be content to stay in the house (though not so passive that she won't bother to hunt). An American shorthair or a Chinese Li Hua, for example.

No cats of different breeds available. Dogs yes .. cats no. There are some Persian cats (the kind Blofeld used to pet in old Bond movies) for sale but will cost me a month's salary probably.

I even searched for someone with a pet stray cat .. to collect its urine if possible or rub the cat with cloth and keep the cloth near the rat's ingress point. But no luck.

I think it is because people here think of cats as disloyal. Almost everyone has had a dog as a pet at some time or other but I have seen cat as a pet only once in my whole life.

To be honest I do not think 9 inch long sewer rats are really scared of cats .. because then the stray cats in my neighbourhood would not have been so skinny and rats would not have been so bold.

He is not likely to be scared



of her

[santa100]

Try red chili powder. Put lots of them at openings, entrances and food storage areas. The pungency acts as a good natural repellant. Also combine with eucalyptus or peppermint oil. Use ample amount on cotton balls and put them around areas with high rats traffic. These natural and affordable means might help..

[dharmacorps]

Not sure if this would help given the multiple points of entry you describe, but I have used steel wool to great effect in one apartment I lived in. Also spray foam sealant (like tire puncture seal). Just have to keep on every hole they make.