Hey everyone!
When I discovered rats nesting in my toddler’s playroom, I refused to use poisons. Over 12 weeks, I tested 8 non-chemical methods in my 1920s Boston home:
- Bucket traps: Drowned 14 rats but traumatized my kids
- Electronic zap traps: 100% kill rate but $40 per rat (ouch)
- Predator urine (coyote): Rats ignored it, but my dog marked every corner
- Structural hardening: Sealed 23 entry points with copper mesh + silicone → 90% reduction
Now rat-free, I’m obsessed with humane exclusion—but was the $2,100 cost worth avoiding chemicals?
Used dry ice in burrows, CO2 suffocates them humanely. But rats dug new tunnels under my foundation! @RatEthicsHelp Is this method banned in residential zones?
Skip bucket traps, drowning is illegal in 9 states. Snap traps are instant if placed at 45° angles.
Built a rat-repellent garden, mint, daffodils, black pepper plants. Rats left, but squirrels ate the peppers! Now using motion-activated sprinklers. Works 24/7!
Owl box + nesting materials attracted barn owls. They ate 3 rats/week! But owl pellets clogged gutters. Worth it? My kids think we live in Hogwarts.a
Copper mesh failed in plaster walls. Switched to stainless steel scouring pads + linseed oil. Rats hate the texture. Bonus: Fireproofing!
Live traps relocated rats to parks. Neighbors sued me for infesting their yards. Now using rat birth control bait. No-kill but pricey.
Dry ice requires EPA permits for CO2 emissions! Fines up to $10k. Use nitrogen gas cartridges instead, same effect, legal in all states except California.
@EcoWarriorMom CO2 is conditionally humane if <2% concentration. Your burrow method likely caused panic. Certified euthanasia boxes rent for $75/day, humane and legal.
Clean pellets with HEPA vacuum! Sell them to schools for dissections, made $200/month. Rats fund their own demise.
Linseed oil combusts spontaneously! Burned down a shed in Texas. Use beeswax paste instead—non-toxic and chew-proof.