Rats - glueboards. Help!

[fliptheswitch]

I'm at the end of my tether with "Rat-gate".
I've still had to luck with the traps, but Ratty is still coming in during the night.
Why is he not going for the traps I've laid out? There is no other food available for him, so I am so confused as to why he's not going for the bait (Peanut butter and chocolate). Four bloody traps! FOUR!!

Tonight I am using "the last resort".... glue boards.
I ordered two, which arrived today, but they are quite small. Wish I'd got twenty, now.
Where should I place them and, most importantly, do they work?

My plan is, to hang a bag full of a mixture of peanut butter, poison, glass and chocolate, on the kitchen drawer handle. This is where he grabbed a bag from before, so I know he can get to it.
Underneath, I was going to put one of the glue boards.
I figured if the mixture doesn't get him, the board will.

Will that work?

[fliptheswitch]

Thanks Gran.
As soon as ratty is dead, I'll be filling it every possible entry with some expandable foam. I'm sure they'll be able to chew through it, in time, but it will do until i can find out what else to use. Probably cement!

Thanks :-)

[rozia]

do not put glass there,its awful thing to do, how big are the traps?

[rozia]

we had a massive rat in our house, and her babies, got a selection of traps, very large and very small, stuck refrigerated galaxy chocolate on each one and scattered them around the kitchen and living room, next morning nothing, and then nothing again, persevered for a few weeks and bingo, got big momma rat and 4 babies, then got the rest some days later. stick at it, but i really do think the glass is very cruel.

[rozia]

let us know how you get on.

[fliptheswitch]

Rozia, oh my god! I hope there isn't more than one!! :-(
I've not done the glass thing, I've just put out some poison.

I've also got glue boards, but will hold back on those until I've stuck with the poison for a couple of days.

[starone]

Rats are a pest and they spread disease. They should be got rid of by fair means or foul. When my husband was alive he shot one in the garden - the neighbours were all in agreement. As I no longer have him I called in the Council Pest Control and they put down poison, which also got rid of another one who had decided to make his home in the garden. You should get rid of any rubbish where they could live and I would fill up any hole they can get through. I don't think they will die under the floorboards, they will just find another way out. Poison is the best way. As RATTER says, I have never heard of Pest Control men using humane traps.

[fliptheswitch]

Thanks Star.
Thinking about it, he was pretty useless then. He said the traps would "definitely" get him by the next morning... which didn't happen.
I have two young children, and need to get rid of ratty asap!
There is absolutely no rubbish around outside, whatsoever. I have made sure everything is spotless. There is nothing he can feed on, so I;m keeping my fingers crossed he goes for the bait tonight.

[Jemisa]

When we had 'em years ago the Rat-catcher smashed a milk bottle and stuffed it down the hole. Rats are not daft its not going to injure itself on the glass but it quickly learns its a nogo area and stays away.
I don't know about the Sticky Pads, are you going to come down one morning & find a live rat half stuck? Yikes!! then what?
i couldn't touch it, can you? (Makes me shudder to just think about it).

jem

[fliptheswitch]

Jem, that is actually not a bad idea!
He clearly isn't daft, as he hasn't gone anywhere near the traps I've put down.
If I'd used the glue boards, and he'd been there in the morning, I planned to pick it up (using god knows what?!!) and use the spade to kill him. I know that sounds awful, but I have to get rid of it one way or another.

I'm trying Ratters suggestion for the time being, though, and hoping that gets him.

[Jemisa]

You will let us know if it works wont you.? Fingers crossed - Fingers crossed.

night night all Jem.

[fliptheswitch]

Hoping I'll have an update in the morn! :-)

Night jem. x

[ruthann58]

hope it was successfull last night xx

[fliptheswitch]

Hi Ruth. Well, ratty has had a really good feed on the grain/poison I put down. I've moved it all from the kitchen now (as I've got a young child) and will put it back out again tonight. Oddly, even though he's not dead yet, I feel a lot better about the whole situation this morning. I can finally see a light at the end of the tunnel! I will keep you all posted!

[RATTER15]

Flip, It would be better if you could put the bait somewhere that you can leave it undisturbed, rats can be a bit funny like that. in the next few days you may even see a few small spots of blood, they you will know the end is nigh for poor Roland.

[fliptheswitch]

Thanks Ratter. Thankyou for all your help, it's been brilliant.
I've just taken the kickboard thing off, and had a look under the cupboard with my torch. He's eaten well over half of the 150g I put out! I hope it is just him!!
With regards to not moving it around, I've now put it all under the cupboard, and will just leave it there. That's where he's taken most of the food from (rather than actually IN the kitchen itself) so I'll just leave it there.
Two more quick questions for you... sorry :-)

How long do you think it will take if he's eaten that much? Is this likely to go on for days?

There are two holes which I think could be the point of entry, both at the back of the same cupboard, behind the kickboard, where the water pipes go into the ground. I'm thinking of filling them (once ratty's dead) with expandable foam. Do you think that will work, or will another rat just chew through it?
Basically, what are my chances of having more come through, after all this.

Thankyou so much. If I could buy you a pint, I would :-)

[RATTER15]

Flip, the rat will be unharmed and unaffected by the poison for 3 days, this is so the rat will continue to feed and gorge itself on the poison, when it has consumed a massive dose your rat will be dead in another 2 days" Five days it total" this is of course "generally speaking"

Most poisons have a delayed affect to prevent the rat feeling unwell before it has taken a lethal dose and shying away from the poison. It will work but will take a few days. Im sorry but it is now just a waiting game.

[fliptheswitch]

:-(
Ah, ok. Thanks Ratter.

I'll just continue to keep putting it out then. In your experience, is he likely to die under the cupboards, or will he go off to die somewhere else?
I know that's a bit like "how long's a piece of string", but I'm just worried he'll die under the floorboards!

[RATTER15]

In 13 years doing this work I was only ever informed of about 10 cases where there was a problem with the smell, im sure there were more that just never told me about it. My guess is that it is unlikely you will get that problem but no promises.

[fliptheswitch]

Thanks Ratter... again! :-)

I'll let you know once he's gone!

[barb1314]

Flip,so sorry you still have your rat problem. Our council are FOC for rats but charge for mice.Once he saw one solitary rat dropping he said it would be free. We called him out for mine and my neighbours attic. We had poison put down,heard them playing with it that night and have never heard them since. I guess we are lucky as if they are dead upstairs,we won't smell it it rises. I really feel for you.I was literally cringing every time I thought about it. Our council man didn't even mention traps and went straight for the poison blocks and wheat (I think that's what he said) I could never ever use glass or glue boards no matter how much I hate rats...it's so cruel. Incidentally I asked the man how many times they would come out for free and he said as many times as it takes. He even came to check a week later that the poison blocks had gone. Good luck with it. What a nightmare xx