Advice on Rat.

[DulwichFox]

Just seen a large rat in my living room. It run off but just disappeared.

Found dropping right next to my armchair where I sit watching TV.

Dropping is over an inch long and 3/8ths of an inch wide, so looks like a big bugger.

Have had mice in the past but this is a different story altogether.

Left front door open so it may of escaped but probably not.

Have put down Rat Poison just to see if any bait taken over night.

Bait too big for a mouse to handle.

Anyone got a number for pest controllers you may of used. ?

Any advice much appreciated

Foxy

[red devil]

Don't fall asleep tonight, it will be waiting for you to do so...

[jaywalker]

is this a metaphor?

if so I applaud it.

if not, you need a gatto nero (free from Battersea) - you will get both good luck and a total absence of vermin.

[DulwichFox]

red devil Wrote:

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> Don't fall asleep tonight, it will be waiting for

> you to do so...

I'm supposed to be a Fox.

Foxy

[Sue]

Are you sure it wasn't a small fox, not a large rat?!

I noticed you have been keeping your door open. Maybe it ran in from outside?

Maybe wait and see if it (or more) comes back before you take any action?

[Trinnydad]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Just seen a large rat in my living room. It run

> off but just disappeared.

>

> Found dropping right next to my armchair where I

> sit watching TV.

> Dropping is over an inch long and 3/8ths of an

> inch wide, so looks like a big bugger.

Count your blessings things could be worse - if it had a stomach upset!

[titch juicy]

Poo that size i would reckon it's a dog. Some of the pathetic little fashion pooches you see these days are about rat size.

[DulwichFox]

Sue Wrote:

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> Are you sure it wasn't a small fox, not a large

> rat?!

>

> I noticed you have been keeping your door open.

> Maybe it ran in from outside?

>

> Maybe wait and see if it (or more) comes back

> before you take any action?

No it was a rat. About 7-8 inches long with a 8-9 inch tail.

I chased it around till 01.15 this morning when I thought it had run outside,

I heard it and found it behind my sofa. I had a powerful torch and it was just staring at me.

Then it went behind a cabinet, I poked it with some metal piping and run, very slowly under

a TV table. I was kneeling down and the thing just crawled by me. Then back under my sofa.

Shining the torch it just stared back at me. Then it run under my armchair.

I arranged the sofa and armchair in a 'V' formation pointing at the door.

It run from under the armchair and disappeared. I thought it had run outside.

2 hours I was chasing it.

Came down this morning and one of the bait boxes I placed in the fireplace had been used.

It was Rat bait and I think would be too big fir a mouse to eat.

Think I need professional advice.

Foxy

[Jeremy]

I don't mind admitting that if it was me, I would have been out of the house like a shot. Sounds like it probably got in through the door, as it would be too big to get in through holes in the floor/walls.

If it ate the bait, then just wait for a foul rotting stench to appear in a few days..

[Louisa]

Foxy, in my experience, rats tend to enter properties either via overgrown gardens where they can easily find sanctuary, or more worryingly a burst or damaged sewage pipe which allows them access under the floorboards or through the toilet. You must ensure all access points are covered with wire netting and stapled, and if possible look for access points and use wire wall to fill them with some sort of easy drying concrete mix over that. As for the escapee currently squatting, I would recommend a pest controller comes out to humanely trap the stowaway.

Louisa.

[BrandNewGuy]

Foxy, given its sluggishness, it sounds like it's already been poisoned and is on its last legs.

[DulwichFox]

BrandNewGuy Wrote:

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> Foxy, given its sluggishness, it sounds like it's

> already been poisoned and is on its last legs.

That's exactly what I thought. My double patio doors are normally open during the day.

I suspect it has wandered in and got itself trapped. Even trying to dislodge it with a metal

tube, gentle pushing it along, it was in no hurry to move.

Foxy.

[DulwichFox]

Bugger not hiding in any of the places it was last night.

Moved out other furniture to check. Definitely had a good look around. (poos)

Have moved all the clutter on the floor.

I have Hoovered up all the Poos (8 in total)

Will just have to wait till this evening and see if he/she returns and look out for fresh poo.

I feel it is probably a solitary rat. There is no food laying around for it to eat.

Foxy.

[Green Goose]

Let's have a photo when you have it cornered.

If you really want to catch it here is one way that does work and is based on the fact that rats and mice feel most comfortable when moving about if they have contact with a vertical surface. Thats why they run along. walls and love tunnels.

The bits you need are...

1. A six foot length of plastic down pipe.

2. A pair of latex gloves.

3. A roll of gaffer tape

4. A glue trap for rats or mice.

5. Hacksaw.

Put on the gloves to minimise human scent. (VIP)

Now, cut the length of pipe in half.

Roll the glue trap into a tube that is marginally smaller than the inside diameter of the pipe.

The sticky side must be on the inside of the roll.

Slip the glue trap roll halfway into one end of the pipe. Secure it with a little tape.

Take the other piece of pipe and slip it over the other half of the glue trap roll.

Use the gaffer tape to join the two pieces of pipe.

Place the pipe on the floor along a wall say behind the sofa.

If you can get the sofa up tight against the pipe then so much better.

Go to pub and have a few pints then come back and check. If it is not there go back to pub.

Repeat as necessary.

Better still get a Mark 4 from https://trapbarn.com

GG

[DulwichFox]

Rat now in Kitchen. almost got it to go out to the garden but then decided to go behind my fridge / freezer.

Then appeared in kitchen cabinet under sink. I'm fairly sure it's the same creature. We are getting to know each other.

But Alas I have now called in Pest Controllers. (I cannot deal with this on my own) They are coming tomorrow morning.

Foxy.

[rendelharris]

Well someone had to...

 

[DulwichFox]

Thanks Rendel lol

Foxy

[Robert Poste's Child]

If it's moving slowly couldn't you trap it (or frankly just whack it) with a saucepan? Not nice I realise but kinder in the end than poison.

[ianr]

Perhaps better not to give it a name then.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Might help, ianr. 'There you are, Jeremy.' Smack.

Edited to add hastily, not our Jeremy: the other one.

[Mystic Mog]

Call it Theresa, show it the door, should go of its own accord.

[tomdhu]

turtle Wrote:

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> Call it Theresa, show it the door, should go of

> its own accord.

Love it, very topical. :)

[adonirum]

turtle Wrote:

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> Call it Theresa, show it the door, should go of

> its own accord.

......or not!!!

DF, can I have my pet coypu back, please. Last seen in the park, it must have been homing it's way back and went wrong at the last turn.

[Mick Mac]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Rat now in Kitchen. almost got it to go out to the

> garden but then decided to go behind my fridge /

> freezer.

>

> Then appeared in kitchen cabinet under sink. I'm

> fairly sure it's the same creature. We are getting

> to know each other.

>

> But Alas I have now called in Pest Controllers.

> (I cannot deal with this on my own) They are

> coming tomorrow morning.

>

> Foxy.

And.....??? is it deed yet?

[Sue]

ianr Wrote:

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> Perhaps better not to give it a name then.

:))