Got a rodent problem?

[midnight rambler]

I had been using Tomcat brand bait blocks with limited success, the rats just didn’t seem to be all that enthused about the Tomcat bait blocks. And those are expensive at retail where you only get 16 oz. for about $16 plus tax. So I searched on feebay and found a much better deal - 144 ozs. for less than $30 shipped (double plus good when I can avoid going to the store).

https://m.ebay.com/itm/JT-Eaton-709P...sAAOSwiONYOyna

WOW! The rats LOVE this stuff! It’s touted as having peanut butter in it. I know it works ‘cause I find the occasional dead rat. At first I was replenishing at the rate of about ten blocks per day in a known heavily infested area but after about 7-10 days I haven’t needed to replenish for that storage area. I even saw one near death (it was unconcerned I was four feet from it making noise in plain sight that’s how hosed it was) STILL feeding on the bait block. I recently discovered evidence of rats at home so I started putting out the bait blocks - tonight they took NINE bait blocks out of ONE location! (so far at least)

If you have a rodent problem I highly recommend this J.T. Eaton product.

[cheka.]

thanks for the tip. we have a cat that looks exactly like this. it takes care of rodents for us and the houses on each side of us. it is a mousing machine -- dedicated to his craft

[Dogman]

Those critter's large and small love peanut butter! But need to keep away from pet's. Bait works well , no fuss and helps keep the smell down for behind the walls kills.

Dam man !

Sounds like you live in/at rodent Central! Peanut butter and spring trap's work very well together.

Ongoing debate , crunchy or smooth which is better

[Hitch]

Ongoing debate , crunchy or smooth which is better

I used snap traps and reeses peanut butter cups, then left for the night. It was an absolute slaughter the next morning, after setting up the traps. They just couldn't resist the peanut butter and chocolate combo!

[midnight rambler]

Success rate not so good here for spring traps, this bait works like gang busters.

I did try the Reese’s only nailed one rat and it was on the smaller side, i.e. either sickly or not mature.

[midnight rambler]

thanks for the tip. we have a cat that looks exactly like this. it takes care of rodents for us and the houses on each side of us. it is a mousing machine -- dedicated to his craft

Your kitty must be really quick, when I see rats in the daytime all I see is a dark flash.

[monty]

http://jteaton.com/productinfo/sells...tSellSheet.pdf

[cheka.]

Your kitty must be really quick, when I see rats in the daytime all I see is a dark flash.

yup. he's got those skills. and his determination is off the charts. spends every night hunting the things. and when he finds one hiding somewhere, he'll spend days out there laying in wait. we know when we dont see him for a while that he's got some poor sucker cornered. one track mind

[Hitch]

Success rate not so good here for spring traps, this bait works like gang busters.

I did try the Reese’s only nailed one rat and it was on the smaller side, i.e. either sickly or not mature.

The spring traps worked great in my case because the rats got inside. I read a very good article that explained once they get in, you've got to find out how, then seal the place up. Then kill them. If you don't seal it up and stop them from getting in, more rats will come. They smell each other, and it attracts them.

I'm kicking the thought about getting some of that bait though. To put different places on the dock to try and stop them from getting on the boats. But, not sure if that would just attract more of them.

A cat is ideal, because the rats can smell a predator like that and stay away.

[midnight rambler]

The spring traps worked great in my case because the rats got inside. I read a very good article that explained once they get in, you've got to find out how, then seal the place up. Then kill them. If you don't seal it up and stop them from getting in, more rats will come. They smell each other, and it attracts them.

I'm kicking the thought about getting some of that bait though. To put different places on the dock to try and stop them from getting on the boats. But, not sure if that would just attract more of them.

A cat is ideal, because the rats can smell a predator like that and stay away.

I've observed rats have interesting behaviors. I've been concerned about the Hantavirus for some time so a few years ago I went to 'the source', i.e. the Texas Dept. of Health and had a couple of conversations with a RKI there. He advised me of the following: if one contracts the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) one has a 50% chance of survival IF one gets hospitalized at the onset(!), a mouse can enter through a hole as small as 1/4" and a rat can enter through a hole as small as 3/8" - he said if they are able to squeeze their head through a hole their bodies are built such that they can contort themselves through the hole, rodents leave a urine trail showing others 'the way in' and even if you wipe out an entire (current) population the urine trail remains UNLESS you find the point of egress and douse it with a bleach solution (of course it helps to close off all points of egress), he also advised me that despite his personnel going out into the field suited up with Bio-safety Level Three gear they still managed to have HPS anitbodies in their blood (he said they didn't understand how this happened and none of them had contracted HPS).

My own observations: The urine trails seem to also be a means of communication, as in "The clubhouse is this way!" or "THERE'S FOOD IN THE CLUBHOUSE!!!" Don't ask me how, this is something I picked up on from plenty of exposure/experience. Additionally, I've noted they can become VERY comfortable in their environment and lose their shyness of people where they really don't give a fuck if you see them up close, as in their behavior can change over time. I was recently talking to someone who served a stretch in prison and he told me about how rats would come into his cell and when he tried to shoo them away the rat would raise up sitting on it's hind legs and raise it's front legs like it wanted to duke it out, as in being very confrontational not the least bit concerned this hulking, towering human was hovering over him - he said he literally how to kick the rats out of his cell with his foot.

And FYI, never put bait out where cats, dogs or other animals you don't want poisoned getting into it, always use bait stations which you can also find on feebay.