Rats in the loft!

[dogfonos]

Appreciate some advice please...

Wasn't sure which forum to post this in so feel free to suggest a better alternative.

Basically, I'm struggling to suggest a permanent solution to my mother-in-law who has a rat-in-the-loft problem and could do with some help. I live too far away to get 'hands on' so I'm trying to provide advice at a distance, which is proving frustrating.

My MIL has the occasional rat visiting her bungalow loft, evidently. When she hears scratching noises coming from the loft space (as she's heard on a few occasions), she calls the local council who send out pest control. They confirmed that a rat (or rats) visit(s) her loft by entering from the outside.

On the first callout, pest control put down poison in the loft and blocked a gap near the eaves (maybe just under the eaves? - it's unclear to me) with balls of aluminium foil. A few months later the rat noises returned so she called out pest control again. Again, they confirmed that rats had re-visited her loft and again, placed poison and said rats were entering via another gap/hole which they blocked, I'm told, with a bundle of wire wool.

Sounds like a temporary solution to me. Makes me wonder how many more gaps/holes/vents (or whatever) there are for rats to enter through? I think a permanent solution is required. I suggested that a tradesperson conducts a survey and quotes for doing whatever work needs to be done to make the loft space secure from wandering rodents.

My question is: what tradesperson would conduct such a survey and carry out the necessary remedial work?

 

[joe-90]

Are you sure they aren't squirrels? Have you tried an ultrasonic thingy that we can't hear?

 

[dogfonos]

Thanks for your reply.

Pest control man said rats, I'm told. Also the MIL has said there are no squirrels in the immediate area.

The ultrasonic thingy is an interesting idea but I'm sceptical. My neighbour uses something similar in her garden - I guess to keep our cat from crapping in her flower beds. It doesn't work, I'm glad to say!

Best we deal with the rat access points I think.

 

[GuinnessSI]

Depending on your view on humanly killing animals chose a trap, bait it and get the bugger. Chocolate works very well.
This does not stop them entering. Fill the holes if you can with something of sound construction. If it’s at a point of movement it may need to be a flexible material such as a polysulphide or something.

 

[Norcon]

Latest rat traps are battery electronic electrocution.

 

[dogfonos]

Thanks for your replies.

Although no rat corpses have been found either in the loft or close by outside, the poison left by the pest controller has been taken on at least two occassions, the assumption being that the rat (or rats) that took the bait will have met their maker. Problem is, others seem to wander in so trapping/killing is just a temporary fix until the next rodent visits.

I can't visit the MIL at present to sort this out so what tradesperson would you recommend she asks locally to check out the problem and provide a solution? Would it be pest control surveyor/engineer (if such a role exists?) followed by a builder?

The way I see it is that a pest controller understands rodent habits but doesn't have the necessary building knowledge to construct a solution whereas a builder won't know about rat's habits but could construct a solution if he/she understood what was needed (maybe when guided by a pest expert).

 

[ponyagent]

blocking entrances is the only option, sounds like the soffits need replacing keeping rats out is not hard whereas mice are

 

[xdave]

I was sceptical about the plug in scarers too, but I had a problem with rats in my bungalow loft eating through the insulation in the wiring and tried one. I bought a scarer that is supposed to work as ultrasound both through the unit itself and through the wiring by inserting some form of noise into the circuit. However it claims to do it it did do the job - the rats left last year and did not return this winter.

I tried to find the brand for you but can't locate the e-mail receipt. A quick check on Amazon/eBay shows many that claim to work in the same way. YMMV.

I never did find how the rat/s were entering my roofspace - I checked all the soffits and verges and there were no gaps at all (everything was sealed), and the vent slots in the sofits are only 5mm wide with an insect mesh on the reverse, so I doubt it could squeeze through there. Mine must have been getting in through the cavities somewhere; maybe through a disconnected drain or something that I don't know about.

When replacing the insulation a few months ago I found two or three old dead rats up there that had nested under the insulation so they had obviously been getting in for a number of years.

 

[dogfonos]

Thanks xdave - that's a strange case.

From what I've been told, the pest controller says the rats enter just below the eaves by first climbing up (inside?) a sewer vent pipe then walking along the gutter until they find a gap. Hmm. I'm unconvinced but who am I to say - I'm no pest expert. I'm picturing rodents in harnesses with grappling hooks, ropes & pulleys etc.

Climbing up inside a cavity wall, assuming the resourceful little b*****s can get access, seems an easier route but then the MIL's bungalow has insulated cavities, rockwool I think. Your unfortunate case of (possibly) an old unsealed, disconnected drain is a tricky problem to solve and also a rarity, I hope!

Interesting you found an ultrasonic device successful. Definately a consideration but I think it's best to check/block obvious gaps first - as indeed you did.

 

[joe-90]

I still think it's a squirrel.

 

[noseall]

I still think it's a squirrel.

You mean a tree rat.

 

[dogfonos]

I still think it's a squirrel.

You mean a tree rat.

Well, no-one has actually seen it yet. If anything conclusive comes out of all this, I'll post here.

Cheers all.