how can I prevent rats coming into the attic underneath the eaves?

Question

they are coming in between the gutter and the roof slates

Answer 1

To attempt to stop themyou could install a trimming that goes under the tile to prevent them gaining access. Not cheap but effective

The people that install Facias and guttering will cost it for you

Once the criters are in then I can only suggest "Racumin" as a poison. Used by farmers and trust me it works. Dont let any odomestic pets hear it and don't let any pets near the dead animals. Or kids come to think of it

Good luck

Answer 2

I'm afraid I don't know much about handyman-type stuff, but if you need ideas for humanely relocating rats once they are actually in your house, this page has some good suggestions:

http://www.helpinganimals.com/wildlife_livingWithMice.asp

I've had very good success live trapping and releasing mice in my home, and I'm sure you could easily do the same with rats. If you do live trap the rats, please be sure to check the traps several times a day and release the rats promptly, approximately a mile away from your home. It is much more cruel to allow a rat in a live trap to slowly starve to death than to kill it quickly with a snap trap. When you release the rats, do it in an area with some sheltering bushes or plants.

The absolute cruelest traps are glue traps. Rats have been known to gnaw off their own limbs and tear off their skin in an effort to escape, as they starve or dehydrate to death or suffocate in the glue. Poison isn't any better, as the rats die slowly and painfully from internal bleeding. It can take up to a week for them to die, and then they smell as they rot behind your walls. .

It doesn't take much extra effort to be kind. You will feel better and so will the rats! Good luck!

Answer 3

See that the P.C brigade are out in force bad rating. I'm sure you would not trap or poison them if it was in your attic! Yeh, Genetically modify rats so they cannot breed... Vivasection rules in this case.
Or you could smear your roof slates with vaseline so they slide off, but don't forget to have a safety net underneath so they do not get hurt, and can try again!!!

Answer 4

I would purchase some stainless steel window screen,it is sold on a roll or by the foot in some stores.It will not rust and rats cannot chew through it.Fasten it to the eve and push it in under the slates.It worked for me on the corners of my roof/eve area and its been in place for 4 years with complete success.

Answer 5

Seal the cracks up.

For the smaller gaps you can use caulking (available at the local hardware store. For larger gaps you can cover the gap (from the inside if possible) with hardware cloth.

There are some pest control companies that will do this for you. Being professionals, they generally do a better job than a first time do it yourselfer. However, they do charge for the service.

Answer 6

Real doggone easy.

Go to a hardware store and purchase some fox urine. It smells awful, but it's known to keep squirrels and rats at bay.

Good luck!

010507 2:08

Answer 7

Place cats in the attic. It'll be Tom and Jerry all night long.

Actually - placing a plastic owl on your roof should do the trick!

Answer 8

Do like I do. I throw poison up there. They can come through a very small hole. I purchase poisen bars for mice. Use them all the time. They are very effective.

Answer 9

we have an electric rat repellant. Basically you plug it into an outlet and the device makes a sound that only rats can hear.

Answer 10

You could put rat poison in the eaves troughs.