| Author |
Message |
    
Shari Noland
Citizen
Username: Snoland
Post Number: 11
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, December 9, 2004 - 11:28 pm: | 
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A few months ago we found out we have rats. We thought they were mice, but no, they are rats. We hired an exterminator to get rid of the rats, but they took our money and didn't solve the problem. In fact, they didn't even do what they said they would do and won't come back to finish the job now that they have our money. (It's a long, pathetic story, but suffice it to say never, EVER CALL C & R PEST CONTROL). So, we desperately need a good exterminator...like yesterday. We're willing to pay what needs to be paid, but don't want to get ripped off again. We've tried the whole traps with peanut butter thing and have not caught one single rat...not even one. We see them. They leave their droppings. But they aren't stupid enough to fall for our traps. We have an infant in the home and a toddler. This problem needs to go away. Help...please. It has me in tears for fear something horrible will happened to my children...and I feel like no one can help us. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 3502
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 7:22 am: |
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I don't have the number handy, but we use Kevin Williams in Scotch Plains. We have had infestations (although never rats) & he knows his stuff. You can probably find Williams Exterminators on Superpages.com
In the meantime, rats like environments that make it easy to survive. Is there a construction site, junk pile, available food source, etc. nearby? You'd have to get rid of that, too. Kevin will find the nest & lifeline source.
Good luck. |
ffof
Citizen
Username: Ffof
Post Number: 3139
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 8:28 am: |
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We had a contract with Western and they would come out for no charge anytime I called to check traps and re-bait etc. We had a mouse problem that is now cured and we also saw a rat once crossing our street, so they put a rat bait trap behind our garbage cans.
Their yearly contract might be something like $300 but I thought it was worth it. |
rssounds
Citizen
Username: Rssounds
Post Number: 320
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 8:45 am: |
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Call Mr. Roe, the health officer, in town hall. He'll come out and take a look. He knows what to look for re nests and such. Do you or your neighbors have a lot of bird feeders? That is a great source of food for rats. |
Me2
Citizen
Username: Me2
Post Number: 74
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 10:32 am: |
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We used Jerry Buckingham for bees and squirrels. He is excellent. I don't know whether he is the right person to deal with rats, but it can't hurt to give him a call. 973-762-6760 |
las
Citizen
Username: Las
Post Number: 45
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 10:55 am: |
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We are using Ron from KRB Pest Control for our basement rat removal - (973) 669-8030. The man knows vermin and his expertise has enabled me to continue living in my home without freaking out. You can P/L me if you want specifics.
Best of luck to you - this will soon be over.
-las |
Amie Brockway-Metcalf
Citizen
Username: Amie
Post Number: 118
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 12:20 pm: |
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Shari, you've probably considered this, but I'd suggest getting a cat to keep the population down. The presence of a cat or dog will keep a lot of vermin out. |
Joe
Citizen
Username: Gonets
Post Number: 525
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 12:27 pm: |
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I'm with Amie. Get a cat with claws. Actually my clawless cat is a pretty good hunter, but she'd be even better if someone hadn't torn her claws off. Plus, the sorts of things that can be used to catch or kill a rat can be harmful to your child. Of course a pet with a bad temperment could be harmful as well. So, choose wisely. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 3506
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 12:29 pm: |
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Warning - coordinate your extermination plan before you get a cat. If the rat eats poison & the cat chews on the rat....
I had a friend who had to put down her 6 y/o kitty because of this. |
Joe
Citizen
Username: Gonets
Post Number: 528
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 12:46 pm: |
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Greenetree,
Thanks for that warning. I would be heartbroken if I had to do that. I grew up hating and fearing cats. Can't believe what a mush I've become for mine. It's almost embarassing. |
Lydia
Citizen
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 792
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 10:04 pm: |
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Obviously, you don't have time to get a cat immediately, but it's a good long-term preventative measure.
I'm half-way through a book called "Rats" by Robt Sullivan - it's a non-fiction account of one man's documentation of rat behavior in New York City.
It's not a loving ode to rats, the author is skeeved out by rats but fascinated by them too.
The first thing you should do is try to dry up their food sources -- no fruit out in bowls, take the garbage out every day, close your toilets at night. Rssound's right about the bird food too - Put all your flour and baking ingredients in tupperware or something sturdy. Also rats follow the same path everytime, so if you know where they're walking, that might be a good place to put some poison or traps.
I feel for you, I'd be hysterical if I had rats in my house. It might make you feel better to know that rats usually don't bite people unless it's a huge infestation, but I would call one of the exterminators recommended ASAP.
Good luck |
Lydia
Citizen
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 793
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, December 10, 2004 - 10:06 pm: |
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One more thing - my book said that rats' favorite food is scrambled eggs, might be more enticing than peanut butter in the traps. |
compsy
Citizen
Username: Compsy
Post Number: 159
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, December 11, 2004 - 8:08 am: |
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Try this website:
http://www.pestproducts.com/rat.htm
for some education, and then if none of the other exterminator suggestions works out, I'd suggest Cavanaugh's 973-716-9191. We used to use Drone but like these guys better. |
Dego Diva
Citizen
Username: Fmingione
Post Number: 166
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, December 11, 2004 - 10:09 am: |
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Glue Traps.
I can't say for certain that they'll work for rats, but when we lived in NYC we would get a mouse in the apartment sometimes, and a glue tap caught it every time. In fact, one time, the restaurant owners below us decided to just up and leave the place with all the food still in it. We were caching 2 and 3 mice on a glue trap at a time, until we finally got rid of them all.
Good luck - I feel for you! |
Earlster
Citizen
Username: Earlster
Post Number: 768
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 10:55 am: |
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I second Jerry Buckingham. |
singlemalt
Citizen
Username: Singlemalt
Post Number: 788
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 13, 2004 - 2:43 pm: |
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A third rec for Buckingham. Honest, honest, honest. |
joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 206
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 8:46 am: |
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Don't know about the cat idea - having lived with cats all my life - i've only had one that i thought could tackle a rat. She was a siamese with attitude - would taunt a german shepard and once backed down 2 dobermans! Her, i would trust with a rat. all of my other 8 cats (not all at the same time...) - i would trust with mice - but not rats...but get a cat because you want one - you'll fix the rat problem soon enough. A cat could be with you for 20 years. |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 647
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 9:41 am: |
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Shari, please give us an update. I really feel for you. We had a mouse about five years ago, and it freaked me out so much that for weeks I was afraid to be in my house. To this day, when I see loose coffee grinds on the countertop, I worry that they are droppings. |
las
Citizen
Username: Las
Post Number: 46
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 1:08 pm: |
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We have cats (3) and are finishing up with a rat eviction. My cats have no clue. Not a sniff, not an ear twitch, nothing...
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shh
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 1926
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 1:27 pm: |
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Not to be naive, but I've never heard of rats around here! I just remember those news stories of rats coming up toilets in the ritzy suburbs of DC. What can we look out for? This totally freaks me out, I'm sorry anyone has to deal with this at all. |
Shari Noland
Citizen
Username: Snoland
Post Number: 12
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 14, 2004 - 1:39 pm: |
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Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I chatted with Ron at KRB Pest Control per the suggestion and phone conversation I had with one of you. (THANK YOU so much Las). He's coming tomorrow morning. I'm still in freak-out mode, but feeling hopeful we'll get this thing resolved. Meanwhile, we did still have a rat trap out that we bought at A&P supermarket. Would you believe, and this seems impossible I know, the rat was able to get the peanut butter bait without setting off the trap??? Twice. They work beautifully for mice, from what I hear, but when it comes to rats we haven't had much luck as I said before. We feel like we freely gave them dinner two times in a row. Needless to say, the peanut butter claw trap is now in the trash. |
sally
Citizen
Username: Sally
Post Number: 33
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Monday, December 20, 2004 - 1:47 pm: |
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Sharri , What happened ? Did you find out what was in the house ? Did the exterminator get rid of the thing whatever it was ? |
thegoodsgt
Citizen
Username: Thegoodsgt
Post Number: 703
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, December 20, 2004 - 4:59 pm: |
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Learn from my recent mistake. While digging through our (detached) garage recently for Christmas cards, I found that mice, rats, squirrels had chewed a hole into a bag of grass seed I left on the garage floor. There were huge turds everywhere from their feast!
So don't be an idiot like me. If you have any kind of seed, put it into a sealed container now! |
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