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Post by fernwood on Dec 14, 2019 7:38:14 GMT -5
Drastic times call for drastic measures.
Critter man came out. Discovered the rodents had chewed the kick plate under some of the cabinets.
He blocked off some of the chewed areas with a 2 x 4.
Then went to work on a custom made trapping system.
Yes, 3 of my cabinet doors cannot be opened.
Yes, there are now holes in my kitchen floor.
The traps are secured to the boards via screws along the side/back. If a rodent is in them, it is easy to slide them out. Then replace the one with a rodent with a new one.
He explained how the system works to me, so I can maintain it as needed,or build my own version if they start chewing through other places.
Block off some areas where rodents are getting in. Leave some areas open. Build an enclosure for the end of traps. Screw mounting boards to floor. Add screws, partially above board, to each side and end.
A couple months ago the lumber I had had old place was delivered. The lumber came in handy for him to use.
Photo does not show the other side of kitchen. There is about 8" between the edge of the boards on floor and lower cabinets.
Posting this photo as an example for others.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 14, 2019 7:39:08 GMT -5
Strange. I had no upload option for original post, but had one when I did a reply.  |
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Post by RocksInNJ on Dec 14, 2019 8:36:29 GMT -5
YouTube is your friend.
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Tommy
Administrator 
Member since January 2013
Posts: 12,936
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Post by Tommy on Dec 14, 2019 12:27:52 GMT -5
Great ... now I'm bingeing on Youtube mouse trap videos ... there goes an hour of my life I wish I had back  |
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Post by fernwood on Dec 14, 2019 12:31:54 GMT -5
Tommy lol. I am just letting the pro handle these. I tried unsuccessfully myself.
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Post by greig on Dec 14, 2019 12:34:32 GMT -5
Wow. Complex solution. Hope you get all the critters.
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Post by RocksInNJ on Dec 14, 2019 13:22:25 GMT -5
Great ... now I'm bingeing on Youtube mouse trap videos ... there goes an hour of my life I wish I had back  Roflmao. To funny! |
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Post by fernwood on Dec 15, 2019 6:57:21 GMT -5
Wow. Complex solution. Hope you get all the critters. Me too. If this does not work, next option is to place sticky traps by the holes in kick plate. Secure a bottomless trap over them. Put a cardboard box over each. Only reason I need cages over the sticky traps is to prevent a cat from getting stuck. |
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Post by fernwood on Dec 15, 2019 7:41:03 GMT -5
Love it. Just received a Facebook PM on my friend who recommended the professional I am using.
She had a similar trap set up installed in her house. Difference was that there were 4 rooms involved. Rodents had invaded her bedroom, closets and living room.
They had chewed through her dog food container.
My friend is scared to death of any rodents, even mice.
She has advanced MS. Utilizes a walker. Can barely talk.
My Daughter and Son in Law visited her often to remove the sprung traps. Kill whatever was in them. Reset the traps.
My Daughter is also a good friend of hers.
My friend told me to hang in there and not give up.
I am not giving up.
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Post by knave on Dec 15, 2019 22:57:24 GMT -5
Good luck Beth
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Post by toiv0 on Dec 17, 2019 8:06:39 GMT -5
Miss Beth, kind of on the edge of my seat to see how the rat saga is going. Do you have any control going in the barn. Might be like aliens and have tunnels from the barn to the house.
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Post by fernwood on Dec 17, 2019 8:52:35 GMT -5
No rats in barn. Kind of strange. I thought they would be there. I put my tenant on alert to help notify me of any signs in barn. Neither of us has seen any rodent signs.
No boxes have been chewed in the storage area you were in. None of the feed/treat bags there have been compromised.
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Post by stardiamond on Dec 17, 2019 10:49:30 GMT -5
I have a critter that I assume is a mouse. I haven't had a rodent here for decades. My son leaves the door open to let his dog out, but nothing has been interested in coming in until I found a lizard in the kitchen that hid under the sink. I turned off the lights, opened the door to give it an opportunity to leave. I don't know if he left but there have been no signs of him.
I noticed that ripe tomatoes were developing soft spots and then one had a significant hole. I moved the tomatoes to cupboard and ordered some mouse traps. A trap was baited with peanut butter and tripped but no mouse caught. The mouse had moved on to eating a potato in a produce bin.
A little every day and leaving everything else alone. I bought some live mouse traps and baited one with peanut butter. The mouse won't take the bait and keeps working on the potato. I think the mouse is very smart or has a strong preference for potatoes.
Next step is to bait another live mouse trap with the potato he's been working on. If that doesn't work I will probably adopt him. A potato should last more than a month and I don't like poison.
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Post by stardiamond on Jan 8, 2020 16:14:06 GMT -5
Live trap got tripped once, plastic kill trap tripped once, nothing caught. Put food in cupboard. Wasn't sure that mouse was mortally wounded or decided to leave. My son left out a chocolate chip cookie and it was untouched for days. This morning it was gone. I didn't think a person ate it and there was a large hole in a pot holder that was left out...the mouse lives. Ordered some conventional traps and new pot holders from Amazon today.
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Post by fernwood on Jan 9, 2020 7:01:32 GMT -5
stardiamond Only advice I can offer is to be aware of what is going on. My problem started with one rat that chewed through a kitchen wall. Place a live trap where the cookie was. I was recently told to purchase some of the hunting masking scent stuff. Apply that to gloves before handling the traps. Also apply to traps. Leave the trap untouched for at least 3 days. If you get a trap with a clear top, it is easy to see if anything was caught. If nothing after three days, then change the bait. Check put my previous posts on types of bait. Wish you well.
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Post by fernwood on Jan 9, 2020 7:09:25 GMT -5
Think that most of the critters have been caught.
Still hearing some in abandoned cold air returns.
Have a huge, persistent rat living in dining room. It has not succumbed to any of the traps there.
This rat is driving my Sabby cat and me nuts. Sabby is now jumping on everything to get a better vantage for observing.
Early this AM, the rat expanded its territory, to include living room. I have a large opening between dining and living rooms. Rat decided to start rummaging in the paper, cardboard and kindling I have in front of fireplace.
I shone a flashlight on the area and the rat retreated back to dining room.
Has been there ever since.
Unfortunately, this happened at 2:00 AM. I have been awake ever since.
Was woke up by Sabby jumping on a living room cabinet that I have been keeping his food (in a sealed container) and a bottle of his water on. The cabinet is located about 6' from fireplace.
Hope that cirtter man can stop by today.
Do not know how much longer I can live like this.
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Post by fernwood on Jan 10, 2020 4:16:24 GMT -5
Critter man was here yesterday. 4 rats in basement taps.
Nothing in garbage can trap, which surprised both of us.
I have caught nothing in living area mouse/rat traps for over a week.
All traps were re-set. Total count of critters caught:
Rats 25
Mice 12
At least the activity in house is less than it was.
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Post by knave on Jan 10, 2020 7:09:55 GMT -5
WOW. That’s a lot of guests.
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Post by fernwood on Jan 10, 2020 7:25:58 GMT -5
Yes, it is.
I was "greeted" in bathroom today by a rat. Thought I had gotten them out of bathroom.
The rat had chewed on a pair of insulated jeans I had there. Ones I wear to do AM farm chores.
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