How long does it take a rodent carcass to decompose to the point that it doesn't smell anymore?

Question

Something, I'm assuming a rat or mouse, has apparently died in the insulation under my house. I think its on top of the heating ducts, stuck under the floor in the insulation. I can't locate it and the smell is really bad. Fortunately it's not affecting the entire house. Very unfortunately, the room affected is my bedroom! We have incense and glade plug ins all over the place but I'm wondering how long we're going to have to wait it out before its not so funky in there anymore.

Answer 1

Several years ago I has a boss who put out poison to get rid of critters in the attic. Unfortunately what ever it was (possum?) died just above my office. It was either keep working or lose the job so I managed through it, but a couple of those weeks were really horrid, several others were bad but tolerable and I don't think the smell ever went away.

Since then I have found that the product called Fabreeze seems to work pretty good especially if you can get the spray in the general area of the source. I fortunately have not had a dead critter to use it on, like before, but it has done wonders in lesser situations.

Answer 2

Ohhhhhh...I know exactly how you feel. We had the same problem. A rat had obviously taken a bait and died somewhere in the ceiling cavity and you could only smell it in my son's bedroom.
Its an absolutely disgusting stench of a smell.
After a week of searching above the ceiling, drilling a hole in the wall and floor to try and sniff out it's location and burning incense non stop and my son threatening to move out (not a bad idea...lol)...we finally found it up above the ceiling.
As soon as we removed it, the smell subsided again by the next day.

Now, with you...it will depend on the temperature and how long the rat takes to decompose (and if the flies get to it).
If its warm to hot and maggots are in it, it won't take very long at all, but it could take several long weeks in a cool to cold temperature.

Other than wearing a hazmat suit and breathing aparatus and buying a ton of incense sticks...I am sorry but if you can't find it, you will have to live with it till the stench goes away...And just really hope that it's not a BIG rat.

One thing we have learnt is not to use rait baits and now we only use traps, because at least we can locate it easily if it dies.

Good luck

Answer 3

Ugh I know the feeling, I'm going through this right now, I don't know what to do, I can't find the dead rat. Luckily for me it's outside that stinks, but I can't use my deck.
We saw two rats and decided to use traps, instead of baits so this wouldn't happen, well one of them we caught on the trap, the other set the trap off, bled all over and disappeared before dying. We've looked everywhere, still no body, but I started smelling it yesterday, it's Florida so it's really hot out, I hope it goes away quickly

Answer 4

Well even after it decomposes likely that smell will be there for awhile i would keep looking and pray its only a very small animal like a mouse if its a possum or larger animal it may be a very long ride

Answer 5

it's going to take a lengthy time period for it to evidently end, even if you locate the mouse and eliminate it, you need to thoroughly tear out the wall and replace it, or locate some somewhat good scent reducers to positioned the position the rat replaced into, it will be complicated to locate, and fasten, yet i'd particularly restore it then scent it for a 12 months or so

Answer 6

It should only be a few days to a week.
It depends on how large it is, how warm it is where it is, and if any flies or beetles can get to it in order to eat it.
(You'd be surprised- I've found maggots on carcasses in the middle of winter, when you wouldn't think there would be any fly activity at all)