RATS!!! in Coral Springs

[jhlcomp]

We had a similar problem. Call Critter Control - they are effective and will locate where the rats are entering your home and will offer solutions and can remedy the problem. Rats are quite common so do not get freaked out.

[granitelady]

Originally Posted by dedemoving

Did your exterminator use poison or heparin maybe? Years ago with mice we had an exterminator use it & the idea is to make the rodent crave water so it leaves the house and dies outside. If you are finding them dead, the job is getting done - it will just take time.
The size of a cat- really like 7 lbs? yikes that is kind of disturbing to read right before bed!!
Good luck.

yes..the size of a cat!!!! and I think he is giving them something that makes them crave water, the only problem is that I have a POOL! So they go to the pool and die there! YUCK!

[granitelady]

Originally Posted by jhlcomp

We had a similar problem. Call Critter Control - they are effective and will locate where the rats are entering your home and will offer solutions and can remedy the problem. Rats are quite common so do not get freaked out.

thanks for the advice, I'll be calling critter control tomorrow morning!
I think the exterminator is doing a descent job getting the ones that are already there, but my concern is to keep them from coming around.
I have a small dog and I would be worried about any poison around the property or anything else that could hurt her when she goes outside.
Plus...those rats are almost as big as she is!

[Norm Barnes]

Have the species tested -- especially if it was the size of a house cat. There is an ongoing problem in Key West of a troublesome kind of rodent that if you have an isolated case in Coral Springs they may gladly rid them for you. In any event it is better to be sure and calling your health department is a way to that certainty.

[Magnolia Bloom]

Like AliciaMarie, we would see them running across the powerlines when sitting out by the pool at dusk. My DH said that BC we lived in LHP, we couldn't call them rats, so we referred to them as Lighthouse Point Chipmunks!

I had a problem with them in the ceiling of several units at a condo that I managed and was told that they can get in through a hole the size of a quarter and they tend to travel along the perimeter/wall of a home. You can actually see a grease trail along the side of a wall where they frequently travel. That's why you see those enclosed bait stations along the outer walls of some buildings.

If you have sealed off their points of entry, you should be okay. It's impossible down here to eliminate their outdoor food source,but I think that finding them in your pool will be rare. We've always had a cat and have never had a problem with them in our home. I don't know this for sure, but I've always thought that just the smell of a cat freaks out rats. We have one as a pet and I see her get up on her haunches and sniff the air when the cat comes around.

[enrique.frank]

If nothing else works, you might have to consider adopting a BIG cat

[Norm Barnes]

A really, really, really big cat. If its a Gambian Rat they are breeders so you might try a couple of really, really, really big cats. Like maybe from a Zoo. Kidding! Hope your problem goes away and you check out the type of rodent.

[granitelady]

I always thought that this thing about cats keeping rodents away was a myth...I guess it isn't!
I just moved into the house and so far have not seen any rats but I have to admit that it's constantly in my mind, I keep expecting to see one at any moment. I did call critter control and they put some traps out to see if they catch one to find out what kind it is, but nothing yet. Maybe they were here because the house was vacant and as I was cleaning I found loads of packaged food in the closets.
But I did talk to some other residents in the area and they've told me that rats are a big problem around here mainly in the winter.
I just can't believe that the health department is not activelly doing something about it! And the City....Coral Springs is known for having one of the highest fees for permitting on remodels and charging you for everything but the air you breath, but they totally ignore a problem like this? Amazing!