ooooooh, rats!

[DaveS]

I was in my basement a few days ago, the house was really quiet (for a change), and I hear the tell-tale "scratch scratch scritchy scratch" in the suspended ceiling.

"mice!" I thought.

No problem - off to the hardware store for traps. Set the traps and sat back to wait for the massacre.

My first indication that something wasn't right was two days ago when I checked the traps... one was missing.

I know there were 8, they come 4 in a pack, and I got two packs. Now there are seven.

Then last night, I was down there again and "SNAAAP!!"

I thought "Ha! stupid mice" "I, superior being, have trapped the stupid mouse!"

Then he peeked out from the opened ceiling tile... it wasn't trapped, and it was no mouse. I think it was a Norway rat. Big mutha'.

I could tell it was hurt, but, I think it laughed at me, or perhaps I just imagined that.

It disappeared, and I haven't seen it since.

I have this fear that they are stealing the traps in order to construct some sort of human-dooms-day device, and when we least expect it, they will unleash their rodenty-fury on us...

On a more positive note, I did trap an actual mouse today... so, it wasn't a total loss.

[JoeyGee]

Did you get Pinky or the Brain?

[crokett]

Get a rat trap. Bigger and meaner but they work. Or get a rat snake. Bigger and meaner, but they work too.

[DaveS]

oh, I did forget to mention that when I saw the wounded snout, I actually said out-loud to myself "I think we're going to need a bigger boat"

I did go out and get some rat traps. They are pretty scary to load.

Waiting patiently.

[Richard in Smithville]

Any reason you can't lay down some poison?

[DaveS]

Any reason you can't lay down some poison?

Well, I'd like to use that as a last resort.

If a little mouse dies in your walls, you smell it for a couple days, and it goes away.

When a one pound rat dies in your walls, I'd say that he would linger a good bit longer.

[Hellrazor]

A colony of rats invaded my yard about 2 months ago. 4 gopher smoke bombs, a box of .410 in #7 shot, 3 weeks of stalking them and they are finally gone. What a PAIN that was.

[cabinetman]

That was a famous rat...it was "Ben".
.

[Uncle Cracker]

Well, I'd like to use that as a last resort.

If a little mouse dies in your walls, you smell it for a couple days, and it goes away.

When a one pound rat dies in your walls, I'd say that he would linger a good bit longer.

Most rat baits nowadays contain an agent that makes them insanely thirsty, and when they go outside to drink (I assume you don't have any water sources in your attic) it kills them out there. You have a better chance of a rat getting caught in a snap-trap, and dragging it off to die in your attic, so if you use traps, tether them with twine or fishing line (DAMHIKT ).

[Ed62]

Most rat baits nowadays contain an agent that makes them insanely thirsty, and when they go outside to drink (I assume you don't have any water sources in your attic) it kills them out there. You have a better chance of a rat getting caught in a snap-trap, and dragging it off to die in your attic, so if you use traps, tether them with twine or fishing line (DAMHIKT ).

Gotta go along with that. We had a bunch of mice a few years ago. I thought we'd never get rid of them. Bought some D-Con, and put it where the dogs couldn't get to. Finally they were all gone. Never smelled a dead one.

Ed

[just started]

Get a rat trap. Bigger and meaner but they work. Or get a rat snake. Bigger and meaner, but they work too.

I like a nice accurate 22 pistol with 'CB' low-power low-noise loads.

[Uncle Cracker]

I like a nice accurate 22 pistol with 'CB' low-power low-noise loads.

Taking a gun into your attic has definite drawbacks...

[just started]

Taking a gun into your attic has definite drawbacks...

Depends on how good a shot you are I guess. I've never had a problem.

[Richard in Smithville]

Depends on how good a shot you are I guess. I've never had a problem.

Mums boyfriend thought that when he went after a rat in the basement( High power pellet gun). I spent the next few weekends patching small holes in the plaster and replacing trim.

[pelligrini]

Depends on how good a shot you are I guess. I've never had a problem.

Kind of reminds me of this guy.

I probably blast one of the gas lines in our attic, that would solve my rat problem though.