Rodents in my wall...

[NateDN10]

I've got some sort of critters scurrying around in one of my walls at home. It may be chipmunks, because I've seen them around my yard.

I've tried catching them with snap-traps, using either peanut butter or sunflower seeds as bait. However, ants always devour the peanut butter, leaving the trap completely clean! I think that ants may be taking the sunflower seeds as well. I put the traps outside where I see droppings, and then check them in 12 - 20 hours, and every time the bait is gone, the trap is sprung, and no critters have been caught. I've tried about 5 times, with 3 traps in various places each time.

I'm also not entirely sure how they're getting into the walls - there are no holes that I can see.

So I'm wondering if any of you have had good results with things like repellent sprays that are applied to the foundation, or sonic deterrents, or different style traps, like the adhesive or Havahart traps.

Thanks!

 

[Boomer]

Chipmunks aree best caught in live traps with internal bait. But they come right back if you release them. SO you have to haul them a LONG way away or kill them. They can be very destructive. If you see them and can do it without getting the neigbors upset, get a Taurus Judge and put in some .410 shells with 4,5 or 6 shot and give them a dose.

 

[TallPaul]

While I would rather not kill a critter, drowning is a quick and quiet way to do it. Leave them under for at least 10 minutes even though they stop breathing after a minute. However, you can drive them many miles away and release them. Be sure there is some habitat and they will have the shock of finding a new home, potentially with competition from other critters, especially other chipmunks, but it's a better way to go than death. I transported the pine squirrels about 5 miles twice after they were getting into the basement of my motorhome.

 

[JTK]

Yeah we had tons of problems in our last home. All brick, vinyl sofits with no visible ways to get in/out that I could ever find. You basically can't feed the birds anymore if you do. Even neighbors bird-feeders nearby can be a problem. Plastic T-Rex traps work well or get a few have-a-hart traps and take them miles away if your wife and kids freak out.

We even had them burrowing under the concrete slab of our breezeway/sunroom. Ugh..

Joel

 

[OldSparks]

I had mice getting into the wall and up into the attic through one of the weep holes in the bottom of the brickwork.

I sealed the offending hole up with foam and RTV, although I think I will change it out with a specially made 'weep hole cover', so the brickwork can 'breathe'

 

[jkhawaii]

poison works for rats, but they sure leave a stink!

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Get rid of your bird feeders if you have any. Got rid of My chipmunk, squirrel, porcupine and cat "problem".

\Killing? Heartless human pestilence.

 

[NateDN10]

No bird feeders.

I don't mind killing them, and neither does my wife at this point. I just think I'm not catching them because ants are stealing the bait and the traps are going off unprovoked.

 

[cjcride]

Try another brand of trap.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: cjcride
Try another brand of trap.


Exactly.

Google T-Rex traps. Home Depot, BLowes or Valu Home Centers carry the same style that work just as well. I've got the Valu ones. They've never gotten un-baited w/out catching the critter.

Joel

 

[NateDN10]

Caught one of the buggers this weekend with a Hav-a-hart trap. Transported him to the ice cream stand a couple miles down the road.

The second one, however, seems to have outsmarted the trap and stolen the bait! I'll have to make sure it's set properly and try again.

 

[Drew99GT]

Try peanut butter on the trigger.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

Worse thing in the world?

Enjoying bird feeders, and bam your neighbors think its fun to feed racoons, squirrels, rats, mice etc.

They then take the fun right out of it, cause if they dont feed em one day? They got your bird feeder.

One of those pet peeves, along with being on a dock fishing and either old people or children either feed the birds, or the fish...


Remember that last time I was on the dock 2 old people feeding the fish

me talking to my cousin "Well looks like these idiots are feeding out dinner so they wont bite our hooks, looks like the kids are gonna starve tonight"

then had some old man offer to give me 30 bucks for my trouble messing up my fishing, I denied it, but told him next time go to the other end 60 ft away!

 

[Whitewolf]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
While I would rather not kill a critter, drowning is a quick and quiet way to do it. Leave them under for at least 10 minutes even though they stop breathing after a minute.


I could not do that.

 

[PandaBear]

My "solution" of bird feeder attracting rodents problem would be to leave a catch at the neighbor (anonymously) with a printed notes that said it is a by catch of their bird feeder.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: NateDN10
Caught one of the buggers this weekend with a Hav-a-hart trap. Transported him to the ice cream stand a couple miles down the road.

The second one, however, seems to have outsmarted the trap and stolen the bait! I'll have to make sure it's set properly and try again.


Yes, the Have-A-Hart cage style traps can be a little finicky. I've had them escape if the door stops don't drop down and catch just right. Basically why I resorted to the heartless T-Rex style:

Joel

 

[mechtech2]

Tall Paul -
While I would rather not kill a critter, drowning is a quick and quiet way to do it. Leave them under for at least 10 minutes even though they stop breathing after a minute.

Not quite...
During the Great Depession, my grandmother had to drown the puppies from their German Shepard, Queenie. Then, the sack they were in was thrown in the trashcan in the alley [in Chicago].
Queenie jumped the almost 6 foot gate, got them out one by one, made it back over the fence, and somehow made them alive again!
After that, homes were somehow found for them!

 

[NateDN10]

Caught a second one last night. It turns out that there's some amount of adjustment you can do in how the trigger contacts the door levers. The way I had it, you'd need the weight of a small cat to set off the trap. A little adjustment and I caught the second one in less than an hour.

 

[ueberooo]

mice likely.

having cats can sometimes help either as deterrent or by mousing them.

 

[JHZR2]

Get a falcon. We have one in the neighborhood, took care of the squirrel problem. Kind of nasty when he eats the squirrels in the trees, but it does take care of it. I hope the falcon stays.