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Original poster

There's a moose loose aboot the hoose (with diagram)

37 replies

fourquenelles · 30/08/2021 14:32

It's a rat actually

I don't know whether chat is better than housekeeping for this but here goes. I have lived in my small Victorian mid terrace for nearly 5 years with no rodent issues. However over the last week I have found my dog's kibble bags under the stairs chewed and a small nest made from the plastic and kibble. I have also found a (very) few droppings on the mat outside the cupboard. I don't know if its my imagination going haywire but I can also smell pee in the house (not dog pee). The humane trap I have is too small for the beast as I caught sight of it coming out of my kitchen last night and it is definitely a rat not a mouse.

How it got in (and how many family members it has) is a bit of a mystery but I keep my back door open most of the day for the dogs; next door neighbour 1 is moving so there has been a lot of upheaval with packing; neighbour 2 has been doing some building work in their front room; I live by a main road with lots of food shops. Quite frankly I am surprised that I haven't had rodents before now.

I have contacted a pest control company but as its the Bank Holiday they can't do anything until tomorrow or later in the week.

So lovely MNers any ideas on how I can McGuyver a trap keep my sanity until the pest people come?

My two stupid dogs are worse than useless btw prefering to snooze and then have the occasional yap bark at the understairs cupboard door.

Diagram as I know you lot love them.

There's a moose loose aboot the hoose (with diagram)
OP posts:
Suzi888 · 02/09/2021 02:51

Can the rat get to the dog food?

rooarsome · 02/09/2021 03:40

I'm just here to give you this 🏅 for the incredible diagram

BarbaraofSeville · 02/09/2021 07:17

You need better dogs. The one I walk for a relative would not have rested until that rat was caught. Every time we go out, she spends half the time storming into bushes when we're on the path where there's always rats lurking in them.

But then I can't say anything. Years ago a rat that one of our cats brought in cost us a new fridge (old one was old and crappy but generally worked) as there was a mysterious puddle that kept leaking from underneath it, so we thought it was about to go pop and went out to buy a new one. It was only when we moved the old fridge to make room for the new one that a massive rat shot out from underneath and the pile of poo that gave away it must have been under there for weeks was revealed.

ponygirlcurtis · 02/09/2021 08:44

My cats brought in a live mouse which disappeared under the washing machine and was seen in the cupboard under the sink. Quick Google and I constructed an easy trap - little nut (I used half a cashew), balance a small bowl on top, and a bigger bowl balanced on that. When the mouse takes the nut the bigger bowl drops and traps it. I put the whole lot on a wooden board and once Mousey was caught (less than 5 mins) I carried the whole thing into the garden and lifted the bowls to set it free.

piglet81 · 02/09/2021 08:52

I commend you on your excellent diagram and even more excellent hounds, OP!

Sh05 · 02/09/2021 09:32

Plug any small gaps with scrunched up foil and if the humane traps fail you could always try the sticky traps.

Original poster
fourquenelles · 02/09/2021 10:36

Thank you everyone.
Boredmotherofone that's a tail you smutty thing Grin
Tempnamechangexx I was accused of starving them by a passerby once
LoveMySituation mint and bleach, I have both thanks.
Suzi888 not anymore but I will need to rethink my Brexit/Pandemic future stock piling
rooarsome and piglet81
BarbaraofSeville both have just woken from their snooze to give you "a look"
ponygirlcurtis that's my project for later!
Sh05 have plugged the obvious place that they may be getting in and have sticky traps at the ready if rat company fails.

Like Unforgettablefire I really don't like having to get them destroyed but I also can't afford to have to replace my cables/have the rugs cleaned every day so sorry Mr/Mrs Rattus Sad

OP posts:
IntermittentParps · 02/09/2021 11:54

They're gorgeous dogs but they're the wrong kind, aren't they? Can you borrow a Patterdale/Norwich/West Highland White Terrier?

withinacceptabletolerances · 02/09/2021 12:32

Try getting some peppermint essential oil and sprinkling around the nest and rub on cables. Rats hate it and should discourage them/him/her for now....

ralphi · 02/09/2021 12:43

We keep rats a pets, and they really love brown banana. That is some serious chewing on those cables, are you sure its just one?

ponygirlcurtis · 02/09/2021 17:33

This was the video I watched - the bowl one is No. 5 and is easiest but maybe there are other ideas you could try too.

LoveMySituation · 02/09/2021 20:47

When doing rodent research for my little problem, I found out they eat 15-20 times a day! No wonder they're anybody's for some foodGrin

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