How Do You Get Rid of Rats in Your Attic?

Rodents, Reptiles & Bats
1

Hey everyone!

After hearing midnight scurrying above my bedroom, I discovered a rat colony nesting in my Texas attic insulation. My DIY failures:

  • ​​Snap traps​​: Caught 3 rats but missed the litter of 12 babies.
  • ​Mothballs​​: Violated EPA rules and triggered migraines.
  • ​Ultrasonic devices​​: Rats partied louder.

A pro finally used ​​thermal imaging​​ (350)to find 38 entrypoints and installed​​ one−way exclusion flaps ​(2k). Now rat-free but broke. How can others avoid my $3k mistake?

2

Never seal entries without ​exclusion devices​​! Trapped rats will chew through wires. Use ​​1-way valves​​ for 7–10 days. DIYers: Infrared cams rent for $50/day at Home Depot.

3

Used ​​live cage traps​​ but babies starved. Now I play ​​distress calls​​ on Bluetooth speakers, rats fled in 2 nights! @AtticPro Does this harm pups?

4

Dry ice in garbage bags​ suffocated 15 rats humanely. EPA fined me $1k for ‘unauthorized fumigation.’ Cheaper to hire pros? Maybe. Ethical? Debatable.

5

Relocating rats = ​​Class B misdemeanor​​ in Texas. Fines up to $2k. Exterminators must euthanize on-site. Film their work, 20% violate protocols!

6

Rats Love fiberglass, it’s nesting heaven! Replaced mine with ​​cellulose spray​ + ​​boric acid​. Rodent-proof and cuts energy bills.

7

Rat dander triggered my son’s asthma. ​​HEPA air scrubbers​​ ($200/week) saved us. Pro tip: ​Seal hvac ducts​​ before disinfecting!

8

Distress calls stress pups to death. Use ​synthetic pheromone diffusers​ ​instead, moms evacuate litters safely. $120 on Amazon. Humane and EPA-approved!

9

Fake owls = waste of 80! Hung​ mylar balloons instead. Reflective Movement Scared rats. 5 fix > $2k pros.

10

Dry ice killed rats but left corpses in walls. ​Maggot infestation​​ cost 4k to remediate. Pros Charge 300 for corpse removal, worth it!