Hey everyone!
After rats turned my garage into a breeding ground, I wasted $1,200 on failed DIY fixes before cracking the code. Here’s the raw truth:
- Bucket traps: Drowned 8 rats but my dog fell in chasing a squirrel
- Steel wool + duct tape: Rats shredded it into nesting confetti in 48hrs
- Ultrasonic gadgets: Rats used the wires as chew toys
The winning combo? Snap traps baited with + 1/4" galvanized mesh + weekly ammonia mopping. Now rat-free, but was the trauma worth 300 in DIY costsvs.1,500 for pros?
Bucket traps violate Animal Welfare Act if left unsupervised. Use locking electronic traps ($80) instead. Bait with beef jerky, rats yank harder than peanut butter!
Peppermint oil + cayenne spray failed until I added cinnamon oil. Rats hate the triple threat! Safe for pets but stains concrete.
Built a dry ice CO2 chamber from a cooler + PVC pipes. Killed 12 rats humanely. EPA fined me $2k for ‘unlicensed fumigation.’ Still cheaper than pros!
Homemade CO2 systems = felony in 6 states under pesticide laws. Rent certified euthanasia boxes ($50/day) or risk 5 years in prison. Not worth it!
Soy sauce + plaster of Paris = DIY dehydrating bait. Works but dying rats chewed through my truck’s brake lines. $4k repair lesson: Kill fast, not slow.
Rat nests = hantavirus bombs. Sanitize with 1:10 bleach spray BUT wear P100 masks. My ER bill for untreated exposure: $12k. DIY safely or die trying!
Essential oils attract pregnant rats! They love spicy smells for nesting. Switch to camphor oil, induces nausea.
Steel wool + silicone failed? You used the wrong grade! Stainless steel + fire-block foam stops even roof rats.
Can’t afford mesh? Broken glass + concrete mix in gaps. Rats won’t chew sharp edges. Childproof with PVC pipe covers. Ugly but $0 cost!
@LegalEagle Jail > rat infestation! My neighbor’s ‘pro’ used banned brodifacoum. His kid almost died. My dry ice saved lives. Fight the system!