Rats in the house!!

[MrsSchrute]

A few weeks ago we had a rat in the house. I was sitting on the sofa and it ran out from underneath and across the room, big hairy bugger it was!
We have since had a really good pest control guy in, who thinks it was just a one off, but I'm really freaked out! I keep imagining I can here them every time there is a noise.
Has anyone else had rats in their house? What happened? Did they go for good or come back?

I'm just really regretting reading this thread. You're all very brave. To the poster who thinks we shouldn't be too inhumane - I know what you mean in theory but rats are completely destructive in a home. They can't stay!

Oh bit of a zombie thread, but in the heatwave I kept back door wedged open every night to let a little air waft through.
However... at 2:am heard a noise like something rustling in the waste bin upstairs-
Went to investigate and saw nothing.
But then to utter horror found cherry stones cached under the sofa- gnawed - I played sonic anti rat noises in you tube, and left back door open for it to get out- but next day found WHEAT scattered by the sitting room door-
It had been ripped from a stupid National Trust door stop that was stuffed with wheat 😱🐀.
Wheat cached under the sofa.
I bought a second generation bait and laid it in bait boxes.
Bait cached under sofa😱.

Checked this morning- less cached bait moved - I hoover it up- and poo I remove with disposable gloves and cardboard.

Will the blighter die?
I am freaked, outside of house has no obvious entreports so I think he walked in through door.

Don’t want him to die indoors and stink the place up🤢.

Anyone knowledgeable about them?
He also took chocolate wrapper from bin and hid it under sofa.
Don’t leave food out now as he nicked an Apple-
He favours the sitting room- I searched it inc the wood basket but can’t find him😳

@oakleffey! Eek!!
I'd recommend getting a professional in. It's not super cheap, but the guy we had really quickly found where they were getting in and sorted it (hopefully!).
Best to get it sorted quickly, so they don't get too comfy and start breeding!!

@oakleffy even!! Sorry Oakleffey!!

I have an electronic zapper, it's very instant.
I leave the intact (no sign of death trauma or blood) mouse or rat outside in an open area for the local red kite/owl population to collect and dispose of.

I see it as feeding the birds.

@MrsSchrute
It is horrible!... I looked on Council page, and they charge £90!..plus no idea when they can come.

Years ago we had mice, and the Council came for free then, -long time ago- and he went all around the outside of the house saying ''Put wire over this vent hole/cover this up''... which we did..I am sure mr Rat got in via back door and all windows being open for nights on end...
My neighbour's Cat got in and terrified the life out of me, so when I heard the rustling, I thought it was him- {He got in twice when I had back door open}

Re professionals- I agree that they are a good idea normally- but I researched the toxin they use, {one rats and mice yet haven't resistance to} and that kills in about 5 days maximum.

Mr Rat clearly has been taking it.

I put the sofa up on blocks of wood to leave a tall gap underneath- that is where he seems to cache his food.....

I researched Rats vs mice when I found the cherry pits, and was horrified to see big poo.
Mice are just ''less threatening'''......Lots of humans have a natural aversion to rats {pet rats are different , as have had generations of taming bred into them}

@Ariela Re electric traps, I see that those give a quick death, but hopefully once this one will be the ''only''......I won't be leaving door open at night again, for sure.

There is a you tube channel called 'Mouse Trap Monday' who traps rats and mice humanely, and puts them outside for other wildlife to take.

Many thanks for replies... I'll know in a couple of days if Mr Rat has died or not..

So we live in a mid terrace row of houses and a few weeks back I was walking downstairs one evening and rat ran in front of my feet and behind the fridge. I freaked! I ordered a humane trap and caught it first time, removed it from the house and drove it eight miles into the wilderness. Naively I thought it must be a one off.

Roll forward to this Monday just gone and around 03:00 i was awoken by a noise behind my head and there was a rat on/ near my pillow and it scampered off the bed and saw it run out of my bedroom door. I woke up and was in shock, sat motionless for 30mims before checking every corner of my bedroom. I then looked on rightmove , desperate to move house that second whilst the corner of my eye was trained at the doorway. My landlord has since brought in pest control, my neighbour is an elderly lady who tends not to be in her house a lot as she stays with her daughter so we think the rats may have set up home her side and coming to ours for food.

It's actually been the straw that broke the proverbial and I'm looking to move now but I can hear the scuttling around in the attic as I type this. Rat pillow gate has left me with some level of ratty PTSD

@LoLo2020 that is absolutely horrendous. No wonder you've got rat fear after that, just reading it gives me the fear!
Really really hoping that your landlord can get this sorted asap and that you are able to move soon.
Also that you manage to sleep tonight.

Can you borrow a terrier? Honestly, a few days with a terrier running loose around your house and you won't have a rat problem. You can borrow mine. In fact, keep her... she'll kill anything that can't get away fast enough, rabbits, rats, cats, husbands...

Thanks @MrsSchrute I'm on edge all the time at the moment, certainly because it's not clear how they're getting into the living area of the house. I've got a child here too and she was very excited initially but now is realising that rats aren't that cute after all, I'm trying to keep a brave face but it's hard! As it gets dark I gingerly walk between rooms in the house, half expecting one to run past me. It definitely feeds into a primordial fear and tonight will be another uneasy one as I hear them running around and no doubt shagging above my head

@Zaphodsotherhead ha ha where do you live? Someone else said to get a terrier and I'm starting to think it's not a bad idea. It's just finding someone to borrow one from