Rodents in attic - Rentokil

Rockfish · 17-10-2019 02:16PM #1

Ive mice or more likely rats in the attic, its very small and i can't physically get up there to have a look due to a bad back. I can set traps, posion etc near the attic door but even if i get rid of whats there i have no idea where they are getting in and have checked around the house but no obvious entry signs. What i really need is someone who is experienced in this field to inspect the attic, assess the scale of the problem and have a look around outside to see how they are getting in etc. Rentokil's reputation doesn't seem to be that great and they seem very expensive though if anyone has a positive experience of them id be interested to hear it, thanks. Ive no problem paying if the service is good but from what im hearing im a bit dubious tbh

BrokenArrows · 17-10-2019 02:35PM

They could get getting up the gutters and in somewhere at the roof level.

Try closing off the bottom of the gutters with chicken wire.

Mango Joe · 17-10-2019 02:40PM

FWIW on another thread I read recently on askaboutmoney someone called a pest control company out.

Yer man put a bait box in her kitchen and another in the attic, without entering said attic, failed to check around the house for entry/exit points or signs of where they were nesting and charged her a whopping €305 for the privilege.

Go DIY on this if at all possible or if you cannot then perhaps a helpful relative, neighbour or friend might assist.

For a start get good traps set in this attic, you don't want them to dig in and start breeding up there.

The Bishop Basher · 17-10-2019 02:50PM

Your main priority needs to be to seal off the access point(s).

Until you've done that, everything else will be futile.

I speak from experience.

The suggestion about blocking off the gutters is a good start.

If you can't figure it out how they;re getting in then pay some to do it for you but bear in mind when you're looking that they can crawl through tiny gaps so don't assume a gap is too small.

You'll know whether you have rats or mice from the droppings. A quick google search will confirm.

Good luck..

careless sherpa · 17-10-2019 02:53PM

A mouse in an attic can sound like an elephant. Hard to believe something so small van make such a racket so the immediate thought is it must be a rat

frillyleaf · 17-10-2019 02:54PM

Set up humane traps in the attire and release them in a field away from your house. Seal up anywhere they are accessing house, they can squeeze through tiny gaps!

Don’t use poison, it will be a prolonged and cruel death for the rodents. It also means they could die and rot somewhere you can’t access. Wildlife or pets can die from eating rodents that have consumed poison.

katiek102010 · 17-10-2019 02:57PM

We had them last year. Bought pre baited traps and they caught nothing.

Bil told me to replace the bait with Nutella. Caught 8 in 2 days after. 2 weeks later caught another 6

Stigura · 17-10-2019 05:18PM

Buy a Mars bar and get back to me.

Rockfish · 17-10-2019 05:32PM

Mango Joe wrote: »

FWIW on another thread I read recently on askaboutmoney someone called a pest control company out.

Yer man put a bait box in her kitchen and another in the attic, without entering said attic, failed to check around the house for entry/exit points or signs of where they were nesting and charged her a whopping €305 for the privilege.

Go DIY on this if at all possible or if you cannot then perhaps a helpful relative, neighbour or friend might assist.

For a start get good traps set in this attic, you don't want them to dig in and start breeding up there.

Ya thats what im afraid of, i can set traps and poison myself or get someone to do it, what i really need is someone with expertise who can survey the house and see where they are getting in

pburns · 17-10-2019 05:41PM

I'm not convinced about the old 'mice making as much noise as rats' thing. In my experience it just helps you feel better about things!

Rats or mice are nothing tho...

We once had a mink in the attic! He **** all over the place & used the water tank as a swimming pool... Cost a fortune to sort it all out. He was getting up the drainpipe & under a tile. They are dirty, vicious, fearless fookers so a safety worry apart from anything else...

cheif kaiser · 17-10-2019 11:53PM

Rentokil, etc are extremely expensive and will only lay traps. You will probably need someone who will survey around the house and attic and seal up all access points for you. A decent handyman should be able to do this. I used this guy to do some work for me and found him very reliable and very reasonably priced, he also has Pest Control listed as one of the jobs he can do. https://www.adverts.ie/handymen/handyman-available/18357126

He is in no way related to me. - Just in case anyone thinks otherwise

BarraOG · 18-10-2019 02:20PM

I heard before that mice can get in through a crack the width of a pencil. I sealed all my cracks over the course of the last year but caught a mouse in a trap in the attic yesterday - sickner! Can mice really climb up a down pipe? I presume since people are recommending chicken wire that they can only do so inside the pipe.

Effects · 18-10-2019 02:29PM

katiek102010 wrote: »

We had them last year. Bought pre baited traps and they caught nothing.

I bought baited traps last year, didn't catch anything. Poison left out in trays seemed to do the trick though.

Then last weekend I had a look in the attic and found a recent kill in one of last years prebaited traps. Even though the bait had dried up somewhat.

I rebaited with cheese and some corn kernals. Best I had to hand at the time!

I'd a friend spot a rat in his garden a few weeks ago. I told him to lay some traps.
He just called Rentokil who laid the traps instead, for a steep price.
His wife was so scared when she spotted the rat outside that she left the house with the kids. So far the traps haven't caught anything.

Tabnabs · 18-10-2019 02:35PM

We had rentokil out, he sealed up all cracks or holes where mouse could squeeze through at ground level outside. Put poison traps in attic, hot-press etc. and came back to check them all three weeks later and reapplied poison.

They are all sub-contractors so you can have good or bad experience, but a follow up email if you're not happy worked for us.

The Princess Bride · 19-10-2019 06:34PM

pburns wrote: »

We once had a mink in the attic! He **** all over the place & used the water tank as a swimming pool... Cost a fortune to sort it all out. He was getting up the drainpipe & under a tile. They are dirty, vicious, fearless fookers so a safety worry apart from anything else...

I would burn the house down, 100%.

liquoriceall · 12-01-2020 11:51PM

Can I ask what happened with this? I have I'm pretty certain rats in my attic.....have poison and traps up there with no success. Had builders out found a hole in sewer pipe of attached house which they sealed as we feel the rats are in the walls between us and still noises
I'm wondering should I go for rentokil at this point or what next??

Stigura · 12-01-2020 11:59PM

liquoriceall wrote: »

I'm wondering should I go for rentokil at this point

For gods sake NO!

Get a mars bar.

liquoriceall · 13-01-2020 12:00AM

I'm using peanut butter but have caught nothing.......no poison touched either.....it's like a herd if elephant up there

Stigura · 13-01-2020 12:04AM

What has peanut butter got to do with any of this

Get A Mars Bar.

What county are ye in?

Boredstiff666 · 13-01-2020 12:13AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHwPYze5M9s

Better Than Christ · 13-01-2020 12:13AM

The last time I had mice, I bought the cheapest poison I could find and poured generous amounts of it wherever I saw signs of droppings (under the kitchen sink and in the attic). They gradually became quieter and quieter and after a week, they were gone. Then I found where they had been coming in (through a vent), and covered it with cheap squares of aluminium mesh from Halfords. Job done, for around a tenner.

Boredstiff666 · 13-01-2020 12:14AM

Better Than Christ wrote: »

The last time I had mice, I bought the cheapest poison I could find and poured generous amounts of it wherever I saw signs of droppings (under the kitchen sink and in the attic). And then I found where they were coming in (through a vent), and covered it with cheap squares of aluminium mesh from Halfords. After a week, they were gone.

They probably went next door where they get peanut butter and mars bars.

Tell me how · 13-01-2020 12:18AM

Stigura wrote: »

Buy a Mars bar and get back to me.

Stigura wrote: »

For gods sake NO!

Get a mars bar.

Stigura wrote: »

What has peanut butter got to do with any of this

Get A Mars Bar.

What county are ye in?

What do you think they should do Stigura?

Snow Garden · 13-01-2020 12:31AM

Do an exorcism.

Seriously though, always important to find the food source. What are they eating in the attic? Block the entrance holes too. Poison might work but dead rats will smell awful for months. I would use traps.

Stigura · 13-01-2020 12:33AM

Tell me how wrote: »

What do you think they should do Stigura?

Dunno. Up to them. But, I was being trained in rat catching the better part of a century ago. Been bang at it all my life. Got a job on as I type. Retired, but, try to help out where I can. Can't help it

Few enough listen though. I'm not on fb, see? LOL! That's fine. I let them crack on. Internet's full of 'experts' and money takers are two a penny. I won't try to force myself on anyone. Nor argue with the 'experts'.

One, gentle, offer and I'm gone

tom_tarbucket · 13-01-2020 12:34AM

Stigura wrote: »

Dunno. Up to them. But, I was being trained in rat catching the better part of a century ago. Been bang at it all my life. Got a job on as I type. Retired, but, try to help out where I can. Can't help it

Few enough listen though. I'm not on fb, see? LOL! That's fine. I let them crack on. Internet's full of 'experts' and money takers are two a penny. I won't try to force myself on anyone. Nor argue with the 'experts'.

One, gentle, offer and I'm gone

Seriously, what are you on about!

Stigura · 13-01-2020 12:38AM

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Seriously, what are you on about!

Seriously? If I have to explain that? It'd be a waste of effort trying.

Snow Garden · 13-01-2020 12:39AM

Stigura wrote: »

Dunno. Up to them. But, I was being trained in rat catching the better part of a century ago. Been bang at it all my life. Got a job on as I type. Retired, but, try to help out where I can. Can't help it

Few enough listen though. I'm not on fb, see? LOL! That's fine. I let them crack on. Internet's full of 'experts' and money takers are two a penny. I won't try to force myself on anyone. Nor argue with the 'experts'.

One, gentle, offer and I'm gone

Classic!!

You sound like Quint in Jaws.

Tell us more about the Mars bar method.

Boredstiff666 · 13-01-2020 12:40AM

Stigura wrote: »

Dunno. Up to them. But, I was being trained in rat catching the better part of a century ago.

Do you reside in a town called Hamelin?

Boredstiff666 · 13-01-2020 12:49AM

To be fair and not taking the piss. In days not all that long ago there were people who were experts in catching rats as farms and food places were over run with them. What they learnt as their trade was worth their weight in gold because these men could clear a premises of hundreds of rats.

If ever you have had rats you will know that some rats arent affected by poison and are clever to avoid traps.

Stigura · 13-01-2020 12:52AM

Snow Garden wrote: »

Classic!!

You sound like Quint in Jaws.

Tell us more about the Mars bar method.

No. I actually sound far more laid back than him

Granted, that character knew his schit. But, I've long since found that raking ye finger nails down black boards does no good when the room's full of people who just know better.

Mars Bar? Any rat catcher worth air would know about that. Here, of course, we have a variation. Hence (Half the reason) I ask for county

I guess that bog basic trick hasn't found its way onto 'social media' yet then? Think I'll leave it that way. Like a lock smith will always block what he's doing with his shoulder. Lest everyone rush out and buy a brad awl and become a " Lock Smith ", on line, over night.

Rodents in attic - Rentokil

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