1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

F@#%ING Rodent in the attic!!

Discussion in 'Garage / Workshop' started by kingston73, Dec 21, 2009.

  1. Dec 21, 2009 at 5:40 PM
    #1
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2009
    Member:
    #20845
    Messages:
    3,032
    Gender:
    Male
    North eastern Ohio
    Vehicle:
    09 SR5 4.0L 4x4
    My wife and I just got our first house this past august, and now we've got some sort of rodent up in the attic. Only hear it at night, small feet scratching and chewing. I'm guessing it's a flying squirrel, they seem to be the most common pest up here in MA. I don't want to use poison bait, and set a couple of live traps but they've been set for 4 days and nothing's tripped them yet. Any suggestions on getting rid of this thing? I think it comes and goes through a gap between the house and chimney, and I haven't sealed the gap yet because a few of the things I've read say wait till you catch and remove first.
     
  2. Dec 21, 2009 at 5:42 PM
    #2
    rhodehard09

    rhodehard09 sometimes nonsense is the only sense someone has

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2009
    Member:
    #22964
    Messages:
    3,480
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    tampa, fl
    Vehicle:
    09 TRD Off Road 4x4 doublecab
    3" lift, allpro u-bolt flip kit,285/75/16 km2s, hella hid lights, hid conversions for headlights and foglights, led everything, debadged, 9145 reverse light bulbs, black tail lights, black headlight mod,trail-gear rock sliders, dynomax ultra flo muffler,satoshi with custom woven stainless grill,hella 100watt floods in grill, pioneer 4100 in dash dvd player, pioneer 800watt 4 channel amp, pioneer 4way 6x9s, pioneer 4 way 6.5s, 2 rockford p3 10's,rockford power 500.1 mono amp w/bass knob, 7 pin relocated, highlift and mount in bed, diff breather mod, led bed lights, secondary air filter removed,t-rex eyelids, mefab bumper bar, muddy under carriage
    bowl full of anti freeze works every time.
     
  3. Dec 21, 2009 at 5:48 PM
    #3
    oldtacomaguy

    oldtacomaguy four forty four

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2006
    Member:
    #444
    Messages:
    10,032
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Dave
    SE Conn.
    Vehicle:
    08 SR-5 4WD Impulse Red Pearl
    Alpine deck and amp, Polk speakers front and rear, Kenwood subwoofer, windows tinted to 20%, Sockmonkey decals, TSB, Eibach springs and Bilstein 5100's
    Your probably right, flying squirrel. I had them in the attic a few years ago. They chewed thru the attic vent and the screen behind it. They jump out of the trees and gluide onto the roof. Best way to get them in a live trap is a ritz cracker with some peanut butter on it. I didn't want to kill them, so when I caught one I drove pretty far out and let it go.
     
  4. Dec 21, 2009 at 5:48 PM
    #4
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2009
    Member:
    #20845
    Messages:
    3,032
    Gender:
    Male
    North eastern Ohio
    Vehicle:
    09 SR5 4.0L 4x4
    Yeah, I thought about the poisoning thing, but neither of us wants a dead carcass rotting away in the ceiling above our bedroom. Now, if these traps don't work in another week or so, I might start changing my mind.
     
  5. Dec 21, 2009 at 5:53 PM
    #5
    rhodehard09

    rhodehard09 sometimes nonsense is the only sense someone has

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2009
    Member:
    #22964
    Messages:
    3,480
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    tampa, fl
    Vehicle:
    09 TRD Off Road 4x4 doublecab
    3" lift, allpro u-bolt flip kit,285/75/16 km2s, hella hid lights, hid conversions for headlights and foglights, led everything, debadged, 9145 reverse light bulbs, black tail lights, black headlight mod,trail-gear rock sliders, dynomax ultra flo muffler,satoshi with custom woven stainless grill,hella 100watt floods in grill, pioneer 4100 in dash dvd player, pioneer 800watt 4 channel amp, pioneer 4way 6x9s, pioneer 4 way 6.5s, 2 rockford p3 10's,rockford power 500.1 mono amp w/bass knob, 7 pin relocated, highlift and mount in bed, diff breather mod, led bed lights, secondary air filter removed,t-rex eyelids, mefab bumper bar, muddy under carriage
    traps suck. been there done that! the antifreeze works pretty good cause after they drink a little it makes them want water so they go looking and more than likely will get out of the house. it's not the most humane way but it works.
     
  6. Dec 21, 2009 at 5:58 PM
    #6
    Snipe

    Snipe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2009
    Member:
    #12421
    Messages:
    1,146
    Gender:
    Male
    Pacific NW
    Vehicle:
    08 TRD Off Road
    :smack:
     
  7. Dec 21, 2009 at 6:00 PM
    #7
    Snipe

    Snipe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2009
    Member:
    #12421
    Messages:
    1,146
    Gender:
    Male
    Pacific NW
    Vehicle:
    08 TRD Off Road
    What kind of bait do you have in the trap?
     
  8. Dec 21, 2009 at 6:09 PM
    #8
    Hotdog

    Hotdog My hair is all natural Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2007
    Member:
    #872
    Messages:
    10,245
    First Name:
    Hotdog
    Vehicle:
    2007 PreRunner SR5 Double Cab
    Wet Okole Underwear
    I've heard peanut butter and bacon works well.

    For a trap to work well, you should set it up in one of their normal paths. They normally have a tunnel dug through the insulation and if you can find it, place the trap in line with it.

    Really, you need to seal the attic. You can trap them all day, but more will come in until you seal it.
     
  9. Dec 21, 2009 at 6:11 PM
    #9
    ajohnson

    ajohnson Glamour Shot

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2009
    Member:
    #16145
    Messages:
    8,495
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    07 DCLB TRD Sport Prerunner 4x4
    Things and stuff and such
    If you have a cat, put it up there.
     
  10. Dec 21, 2009 at 6:12 PM
    #10
    rhodehard09

    rhodehard09 sometimes nonsense is the only sense someone has

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2009
    Member:
    #22964
    Messages:
    3,480
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Ryan
    tampa, fl
    Vehicle:
    09 TRD Off Road 4x4 doublecab
    3" lift, allpro u-bolt flip kit,285/75/16 km2s, hella hid lights, hid conversions for headlights and foglights, led everything, debadged, 9145 reverse light bulbs, black tail lights, black headlight mod,trail-gear rock sliders, dynomax ultra flo muffler,satoshi with custom woven stainless grill,hella 100watt floods in grill, pioneer 4100 in dash dvd player, pioneer 800watt 4 channel amp, pioneer 4way 6x9s, pioneer 4 way 6.5s, 2 rockford p3 10's,rockford power 500.1 mono amp w/bass knob, 7 pin relocated, highlift and mount in bed, diff breather mod, led bed lights, secondary air filter removed,t-rex eyelids, mefab bumper bar, muddy under carriage
    just take the bowl of anti freeze out first!!!:D
     
  11. Dec 21, 2009 at 6:17 PM
    #11
    Griztaco

    Griztaco Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 28, 2009
    Member:
    #15270
    Messages:
    297
    Gender:
    Male
    ID
    Vehicle:
    TRD
    I presume you hear it at night... could be a bat. I had a bat and it sounded like that.
     
  12. Dec 21, 2009 at 6:33 PM
    #12
    tacomaman06

    tacomaman06 Carolina Alliance: Enforcer

    Joined:
    May 1, 2007
    Member:
    #1475
    Messages:
    26,212
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Will
    York,South Carolina
    Vehicle:
    '16 Tundra TRD Pro
    getting there....
    any idea where its getting in at? we had squirrels that kept getting in our attic at our old condo....and them bastards would run round at night and make the cats run all over the place...while i was sleepin. i ended up finding where they were getting in at and buying some screen and stapling it up...never had a prob with them again.
     
  13. Dec 21, 2009 at 6:55 PM
    #13
    05 TRD Sport

    05 TRD Sport She's Fat, I'm Drunk, It's On.

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2009
    Member:
    #15232
    Messages:
    970
    Gender:
    Male
    30 minutes south of Atlanta
    Vehicle:
    Red Prerunner AC
    Squirrels chewed their way into my brothers house. Way up in the top of a gable. He climbed up and nailed some wire screen over the hole. A couple days later , the squirrels had chewed another hole right next to the hole he had plugged. Damn squirrels. LOL
     
  14. Dec 21, 2009 at 7:22 PM
    #14
    Slotback

    Slotback Triple Option

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2009
    Member:
    #27615
    Messages:
    157
    Gender:
    Male
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    10 PreRunner

    This.

    Just got through with this problem the other day. Once you get the rodent(s) out, you must find the point of entry and get it sealed off. Check thoroughly from top to bottom. It might be time consuming and a PITA, but do it.
     
  15. Dec 22, 2009 at 10:39 AM
    #15
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2009
    Member:
    #20845
    Messages:
    3,032
    Gender:
    Male
    North eastern Ohio
    Vehicle:
    09 SR5 4.0L 4x4
    I've looked and I think the only opening is next to the chimney, but I haven't sealed it up because all the advice online I've found says remove/kill them first. I'm using peanut butter and peanuts, never thought of using bacon. I've also moved the traps around a little bit trying some different areas. I haven't found any of its/their tunnels, the way our attic is it's the insulation and then over it some foam boards, so I'd need to pull up all the boards to find the tunnels. I know it's not bats, they'd lay up on the ceiling, and it's too cold for them to be active. Even if I wanted to seal the hole up, there's a foot of snow up on the roof now, so I'm gonna have to wait for things to melt before going up there. If I haven't caught anything in the next week I'm going with poison, screw the smell. It'll go away after a while, right?
     
  16. Dec 22, 2009 at 10:50 AM
    #16
    ajohnson

    ajohnson Glamour Shot

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2009
    Member:
    #16145
    Messages:
    8,495
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Andy
    Charlotte, NC
    Vehicle:
    07 DCLB TRD Sport Prerunner 4x4
    Things and stuff and such
    Ahaha, yea good call dude.
     
  17. Dec 22, 2009 at 10:56 AM
    #17
    Afwrestler1986

    Afwrestler1986 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2008
    Member:
    #6768
    Messages:
    3,650
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Matt
    Johnstown, NY
    Vehicle:
    01 trd 4X4 ex cab manual
    Gray wire, Some lights in the bed area, and some character marks throughout.
    The poison makes them thirsty so they go looking for water. Buy some of those big rat traps if you think it is a squirrel.
     
  18. Dec 22, 2009 at 11:01 AM
    #18
    Snipe

    Snipe Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2009
    Member:
    #12421
    Messages:
    1,146
    Gender:
    Male
    Pacific NW
    Vehicle:
    08 TRD Off Road
    Probably was trying to get to it's babies, squirrels will return and chew through just about anything to get to the young ones squeaking to be fed.


    Bacon doesn't work for squirrels unless they are starving but it is one of the best baits for rats.

    If you have a squirrel, use sunflower seeds and a small dab of peanut butter, flying squirrels also love just about any type of fruit like grapes, apples ect.



    If you strike out trying to trap them, contact the local humane society in your area and ask for a list of rehabbers, many will more then happy to help
     
  19. Dec 22, 2009 at 11:13 AM
    #19
    kingston73

    kingston73 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2009
    Member:
    #20845
    Messages:
    3,032
    Gender:
    Male
    North eastern Ohio
    Vehicle:
    09 SR5 4.0L 4x4
    Never thought of that. The local pest control people are wicked expensive!
     
  20. Dec 22, 2009 at 11:29 AM
    #20
    SC4333

    SC4333 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 9, 2008
    Member:
    #11412
    Messages:
    2,887
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Grant
    FL
    Vehicle:
    SOLD - 2016 TRD Off-Road 4x4 DCSB
    Get up there with a flashlight and a air pistol or rifle. OR you could recruit a neighbors cat for a night or two and I can assure you they will take care of the situation.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top