OMG! RATS!

[sumbride]

I live in Baltimore City, so I''m used to rats, but that''s OUTSIDE. This morning I saw one run across the kitchen, closely followed by my cat, Bill. I didn''t have my glasses on but it was big enough that I could see it from the other end of the house, and it was definitely not a little field mouse. Bill chased it into a hole between the wall and the cabinet, but I''m all freaked out now. M bought some glue traps and I put them down outside the hole, then spread some dry cat food around, but I''m worried that a) I won''t catch it or b) I will! M is going out of town tonight for business so it''s up to me and though I know I CAN handle it, it''s still a little freaky! I''ve got big plans for the snow shovel and the force-flex trash bags. And meanwhile the cats are locked in the bedroom to keep them out of the glue traps.

So I''m also trying to figure out how it got in, and if there''s more than one. I didn''t see any dropings anywhere, though they could be in the hole. We''re in a rowhouse and the house next to us is vacant but we know it has rats in it because we recently called the cops thinking it was people banging out around in there! M thinks they chewed through the 2 layers of brick and drywall to get in, and maybe they did, but I''m hoping there''s a simpler explanation that doesn''t involve holes in brick.

Any ideas?

 

[Kaleigh]

Yikes, how awful.

I''d call an exterminator asap!!! Good luck!!!

 

[Ellen]

Ew. I feel for ya, especially having to deal with it by yourself.

I just asked hubby if a rat could chew through brick, he didn''t think so, I didn''t either. But definitely through drywall.

We had a rat problem in a rental house too. Where we found out ours was coming in was through a drain hole in the floor. They can also come up through toilets, seriously.

Hubby suggested besides the paper, to get a rat trap, just like mouse traps only bigger.

 

[Ellen]

OK, hubby came back with more info/questions.

Do you rent, or own? If you rent, make the lanlord deal with it. If you own, call the city and find out what dept. you'd call to deal with this, but contact whoever owns the place next door first and tell them to fix it or you'll have to call the city on them.

HTH

 

[sumbride]

We own, which of course makes it more fun! I had a mouse in an apt. once and the landlord dealt with it asap. alas... this is one of the "joys" of homeownership.

The only reasons I haven''t called the exterminator yet is 1) I don''t want to pay Sunday rates, and 2) I''m worried they''ll rip up the cabinets. I guess I''ll need to call tomorrow.

We''ve called the city on the owner of the house next to us several times... they have an injunction against him right now for the vacant property and he has 4 months to start working on it, which of course, isn''t helping at the moment. M wants to call him right now but he''s not particularly responsive to our calls, even though we called him the night we called the police on the giant rats (as the police described them). I guess if the exterminator determines they definitely came from next door, we have a case, but the guy is a real slime-ball property attorney and well known to the housing board. We do have two layers of brick between houses, so if they can''t get through brick, they must be coming in another way.

I''m going to go check the basement now!

 

[Ellen]

Where does the hole go that it ran into?

 

[sumbride]

It''s between the wall and the cabinets. More of a gap from cabinet install that isn''t completely covered by the facing trim. I had to get a mirror out to see it as I didn''t know it was there until my cat stuck his paw in. There may be hole at the end of it that the rat created too. So many questions! Our house was a complete gut rehab of an old brick shell, so the construction is new, but that doesn''t mean anything, really...

 

[sumbride]

Ok, I''ve checked the basement and don''t see any holes or droppings. Maybe it slipped in through an open door? that''s what I''m hoping, anyway, though we don''t leave our doors open for long, since we have the cats.

M just left for the airport and reiterated how sorry he was to leave me with this situation, but the trip is for work so I understand. I don''t usually play the "damsel in distress" card anyway, but I may just have to knock on a neighbor''s door when this thing is stuck. The glue traps are huge so I hope they''re big enough!

 

[ellaila]

Oh gosh, Sum! Eeek!

My hubby says he saw a rat near our building trash bins the other night, and I''ve been freaked out ever since, so I kinda sorta understand where you''re coming from - though obviously seeing one inside is more nervewracking, I''m sure! I have no great advice to give you, but I just wanted to give you an empathetic hug and wish you a fast solution to this problem!!

 

[sumbride]

Thanks Ellaila! I''ve gotten somewhat desensitized to them since we moved here as long as they are outside, because there are just so many! That''s the problem with a city on the water, with ports and such, plus the trash of the city and vacant houses... it''s the perfect cocktail for breeding large Norway rats. There''s been a lot of construction in our neighborhood lately so I have hope that as they pave over more and more dirt backyards, the rats will have fewer places to burrow. Of course, if they are moving inside, that''s worse! I still can''t stand it when they are on our patio, and we had to plant all our plants on window boxes mounted to the fence because the rats ate everything we planted in pots on the ground. Bill literally sits in the window and growls at them in the evenings as they coem toward the house to stay warm. But they''re still scary when they come near, and boy, having on in the kitchen has me completely beside myself. I''ve cancelled all my afternoon errands because I''m hoping it will get hungry and reappear. And get stuck.

 

[dtnyc]

Sumbride-
I used to live in Bmore in Otterbein, in a condo on the 4th floor. I had mice issues- but never rats. thank goodness.
Now I am in NYC and same thing- mice but no rats. As the result of the change in seasons, and some construction across the street from my building I caught 4 mice in one day in my apt. in NYC.

I know that mice can squeeze through the TINIEST of holes- like the size of a dime and I believe the rats can make it through holes the size of a quarter, so I would definitely invest in some of that expanding foam insulation stuff to fill in every nook and cranny you can. I rent so we have an exterminator come once a month and have him put the poison packs behind the fridge, oven, etc. where my dogs can''t get them. I set up the glue traps in areas they can''t get to either- but I am sure cats are more agile and able to get into stuff more than dogs.

Good luck- I feel your pain!

 

[dani13]

OMG, this story sent chills down my spine- so sorry Sum!! Rats are my #1 fear!!!

So true, they can come up through toilets...when I was a little girl I remember vividly sitting on the toilet to go (when we lived in NYC) and looking down and seeing a BIG FAT SEWER RAT sitting in there!! I screamed and shut the lid and ran upstairs. It took me a long time to get over it...ugh!!!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 1/7/2007 8:00:20 PM
Author: Dani
OMG, this story sent chills down my spine- so sorry Sum!! Rats are ,y #1 fear!!!

So true, they can come up through toilets...when I was a little girl I remember vividly sitting on the toilet to do (when we lived in NYC) and looking down and seeing a BIG FAT SEWER RAT sitting in there!! I screamed and shut the lid and ran upstairs. It took me a long time to get over...ugh!!!

OMG YUCK!!!!!! I hope Sum isn''t reading this now!!!!

 

[Skippy123]

oh my goodness. I am sorry. Keep us posted!

 

[sumbride]

Eww Eww EWW!!! Re: the toilet thing... we do keep the lids down because of the cats, but I''ve also heard they can come up through the toilet and it has always kind of freaked me out! Great... now I have more reason to freak!

It still hasn''t reappeared... I''ve put some peanut butter out to further entice the little bugger. I heard it scratching a bit but it hasn''t come out yet. The cats are now in the basement and really bored!

 

[dani13]

Date: 1/7/2007 8:55:16 PM
Author: sumbride
Eww Eww EWW!!! Re: the toilet thing... we do keep the lids down because of the cats, but I''ve also heard they can come up through the toilet and it has always kind of freaked me out! Great... now I have more reason to freak!

It still hasn''t reappeared... I''ve put some peanut butter out to further entice the little bugger. I heard it scratching a bit but it hasn''t come out yet. The cats are now in the basement and really bored!

I''m sorry, Sum...maybe I shouldn''t have shared that!!!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/7/2007 9:43:50 PM
Author: Dani

I''m sorry, Sum...maybe I shouldn''t have shared that!!!

Well, I told her it was possible, just didn''t tell a specific tale about it. The fact is, it IS possible. I''d rather know and be looking than not looking and find out...

 

[sumbride]

He didn''t come out from his hiding place last night. UGH! The cats are back in the basement for the day, after being locked in my bedroom all night. I''m hoping I''ll find my captive tonight. I didn''t sleep a wink last night, between my anxiety and the cats freaking out over being locked up. UGH.

 

[Girlrocks]

style="WIDTH: 99%; HEIGHT: 151px">Date: 1/7/2007 2:04:57 PM
Author: Ellen
Ew. I feel for ya, especially having to deal with it by yourself.

I just asked hubby if a rat could chew through brick, he didn''t think so, I didn''t either. But definitely through drywall.

We had a rat problem in a rental house too. Where we found out ours was coming in was through a drain hole in the floor. They can also come up through toilets, seriously.

Hubby suggested besides the paper, to get a rat trap, just like mouse traps only bigger.

Please tell me this is a joke...I''m going to have nightmares if it''s true!!!!!!

 

[Lorelei]

SB, I would get the exterminators in, I hate to piddle on a parade, but there could well be more where HE came from...

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/8/2007 9:34:47 AM
Author: Girlrocks

style="WIDTH: 99%; HEIGHT: 151px">Date: 1/7/2007 2:04:57 PM
Author: Ellen
Ew. I feel for ya, especially having to deal with it by yourself.

I just asked hubby if a rat could chew through brick, he didn''t think so, I didn''t either. But definitely through drywall.

We had a rat problem in a rental house too. Where we found out ours was coming in was through a drain hole in the floor. They can also come up through toilets, seriously.

Hubby suggested besides the paper, to get a rat trap, just like mouse traps only bigger.

Please tell me this is a joke...I''m going to have nightmares if it''s true!!!!!!

No, it''s true. Dani posted about this very thing earlier.

However, rats tend to be more prevalent around water. We live on the Mississippi River, with a flour mill on it no less, so we are prone to have them. Not all areas are.

And just because they CAN come up this way, I doubt it''s their preferred choice of entry. They seem to seek out other "dryer" ways of getting in. I think showing up in a toilet is probably more of a fluke.

 

[Dee*Jay]

We live on the Chicago River (it was a rat that The Demon was chasing when he fell in!) and I see them by the water''s edge all the time. That being said, if one ever showed up in my TOILET I would MOVE!!!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 1/8/2007 9:48:07 AM
Author: Lorelei
SB, I would get the exterminators in, I hate to piddle on a parade, but there could well be more where HE came from...

I called them this morning! They''re coming on Wednesday when I work from home so I don''t have to take a day off. Wish I could have them come today but work is crazy and I was sick last week. I''m worried there might be more, but I''m hopeful he''s a straggler.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 1/8/2007 11:05:01 AM
Author: Ellen

However, rats tend to be more prevalent around water. We live on the Mississippi River, with a flour mill on it no less, so we are prone to have them. Not all areas are.

And just because they CAN come up this way, I doubt it''s their preferred choice of entry. They seem to seek out other ''dryer'' ways of getting in. I think showing up in a toilet is probably more of a fluke.

Yeah, the water is the hallmark of their territory. We''re about a mile up from the port of Baltimore, with all the container ships and cargo vessels, and giant Norway rats. Any shipping area has plenty because they just can''t control them. Then you add in the slop of inner-city poverty-stricken people who don''t use trash cans or take care of their yards and they multiple by the millions. I used to have to deal with them in Texas when feeding the horses, but I''ve never seen as many as I have in the year and a half I''ve called Baltimore home. And they''re freaking HUGE.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/8/2007 12:01:12 PM
Author: sumbride
Yeah, the water is the hallmark of their territory. We''re about a mile up from the port of Baltimore, with all the container ships and cargo vessels, and giant Norway rats. Any shipping area has plenty because they just can''t control them. Then you add in the slop of inner-city poverty-stricken people who don''t use trash cans or take care of their yards and they multiple by the millions. I used to have to deal with them in Texas when feeding the horses, but I''ve never seen as many as I have in the year and a half I''ve called Baltimore home. And they''re freaking HUGE.

Ugh, I feel for ya, I really do. Even though they''re like a glorified mouse, they''re SO much creepier...


Funny story. The rental house I referred to was one we own, not live in. The gal who lived there called to tell us she had mice, she''d seen one. So hubby went and put out traps. The traps would be found tripped, but no mouse. So, he kept setting them.

A few nights later, her boyfriend was over and the "mouse" went running across the floor. He smacked it with something, don''t remember what, and killed it.

She called to tell us he had killed it, and hubby said he''d just leave the traps in case,

A few days later, hubby ran into the boyfriend, who told him the "mouse" was really a rat. She never knew.

 

[Girlrocks]

Date: 1/8/2007 11:05:01 AM
Author: Ellen

Date: 1/8/2007 9:34:47 AM
Author: Girlrocks

style="WIDTH: 99%; HEIGHT: 151px">Date: 1/7/2007 2:04:57 PM
Author: Ellen
Ew. I feel for ya, especially having to deal with it by yourself.

I just asked hubby if a rat could chew through brick, he didn''t think so, I didn''t either. But definitely through drywall.

We had a rat problem in a rental house too. Where we found out ours was coming in was through a drain hole in the floor. They can also come up through toilets, seriously.

Hubby suggested besides the paper, to get a rat trap, just like mouse traps only bigger.

Please tell me this is a joke...I''m going to have nightmares if it''s true!!!!!!

No, it''s true. Dani posted about this very thing earlier.

However, rats tend to be more prevalent around water. We live on the Mississippi River, with a flour mill on it no less, so we are prone to have them. Not all areas are.

And just because they CAN come up this way, I doubt it''s their preferred choice of entry. They seem to seek out other ''dryer'' ways of getting in. I think showing up in a toilet is probably more of a fluke.

OMG, I''m in trouble, I live on an ISLAND!!!!!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 1/8/2007 12:14:06 PM
Author: Ellen
Ugh, I feel for ya, I really do. Even though they''re like a glorified mouse, they''re SO much creepier...

Funny story. The rental house I referred to was one we own, not live in. The gal who lived there called to tell us she had mice, she''d seen one. So hubby went and put out traps. The traps would be found tripped, but no mouse. So, he kept setting them.

A few nights later, her boyfriend was over and the ''mouse'' went running across the floor. He smacked it with something, don''t remember what, and killed it.

She called to tell us he had killed it, and hubby said he''d just leave the traps in case,

A few days later, hubby ran into the boyfriend, who told him the ''mouse'' was really a rat. She never knew.

LOL, Ellen! That is too funny! Yeah, I''d much prefer it to be a mouse! You say "mouse" and people think cute little tiny thing, plus almost everyone has had a mouse in their house... but a "RAT" equals dirty and creepy and icky in a completely different way! When I called the exterminator they asked "are you sure it was a rat and not a mouse?" and I said "DEFINITELY, I WISH it was a mouse!" Then I gave them my zip code and they said "oh... yeah." I imagine they''ll be bringing traps. I really don''t want to have to deal with a rat in a trap!!!

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/8/2007 12:26:36 PM
Author: Girlrocks

OMG, I''m in trouble, I live on an ISLAND!!!!!

Aww, don''t worry, until there''s something to worry about. In other words, until you see one, or the "things" they leave behind.

Honestly, you may never see one.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 1/8/2007 12:33:33 PM
Author: sumbride

LOL, Ellen! That is too funny! Yeah, I''d much prefer it to be a mouse! You say ''mouse'' and people think cute little tiny thing, plus almost everyone has had a mouse in their house... but a ''RAT'' equals dirty and creepy and icky in a completely different way! When I called the exterminator they asked ''are you sure it was a rat and not a mouse?'' and I said ''DEFINITELY, I WISH it was a mouse!'' Then I gave them my zip code and they said ''oh... yeah.'' I imagine they''ll be bringing traps. I really don''t want to have to deal with a rat in a trap!!!

Exactly.

Do you have a neighbor you can call on, to remove it if necessary??

 

[sumbride]

Date: 1/8/2007 12:41:30 PM
Author: Ellen
Exactly.

Do you have a neighbor you can call on, to remove it if necessary??

I do! Luckily I know lots of people in the neighborhood that I could ask to help. They''d probably be just as creeped out, but the "damsel in distress" has to come into play at some point, right?