Lori from Rural - Near Lincoln, Ne writes
On rare occasion (1-2 times a year) I hear some scratching sounds in the ceiling. The real telltale is that there are droppings, like 1/4-3/8" that fall down out of the vents in our bathrooms. Like 1-2 a day fall out. I don't think it's a huge infestation, but I'm a major rodent phobe, so I want them out! I've never dealt with any rodents besides mice, and these droppings do seem larger than mice. I've had mice in the house before, oh and I know the signs! I'm pretty confident there aren't any rodents in our living area at the moment. We're all clear down here. The deal is I don't have any access to the attic/crawlspace whatever it is, nothing no door opening in the ceiling, nothing. It's a modular home, and there just is no intended way to access the ceiling space. So, my concern is that I want to nip this in the bud and rid our home of whatever few may be up there before they do start multiplying their disgusting selves and become a larger problem. Is there any type of spray that I can spray up through the vents that would allow me to get them? I'm very hesitant to remove the bathroom vent because I'm not that handy, so I'm not sure I could get it re-secured, and I sure don't want to create any type of opening between the two areas, which are now quite happily separated. I don't know how they'd get up there, I guess they have some access point crawling up through the walls? There are no trees around our home that would get them up to roof height...just as an FYI. Any advice would be appreciated.
There is no spray that can be used to get rid of rats or other rodents in your attic area. The rats must be coming out to eat and drink and if as you suggest they are not invading your home, then they are leaving to go outside to forage. If this is indeed the case you may be able to use a rodenticide bait in tamper resistant bait stations around the exterior of your home. As the rodents leave to forage they will happen upon the bait and hopefully consume it. With this option you do run the risk of having the rodents re-enter your home and die in an inaccessible area which of course could cause an odor issue for a short time period (and perhaps even an insect issue). You could also use the Protecta Rat Bait Station with a T-Rex snap trap in place of the rodenticide bait. This would eliminate the possibility of the rodents dying in an inaccessible area.
Answer last updated on: 02/07/2012
