Peppermint Rats

[shipwreck66]

Well, the peppermint oil seems to work. I put peppermint-oil soaked cottonballs in the cabin and no sign of incursion there. I also placed a mint soaked ball of cotton in the starboard vent line. I noticed today rat droppings in the engine compartment behind the stuffing box, but the varmit apparently couldn't take the scent of peppermint and chewed his way through the port vent line and vacated the premises. At the port vent outside you can see little black footprints coming out the vent hole, and I placed another cotton soaked ball in the port vent. If anybody else is still in there they are very uncomfortable and will find a baited trap awaiting them at the foot of the companionway stairs.

 

[31seahorse]

Tell the crew to watch their step when returning from leave ashore! Also, bait with peanut butter. An exterminator told us that is one food they (the rats) can't resist.

Best Wishes, Phil

 

[stephen Penny]

Based on my experience to eliminate the rats/mice:

1. Remove their food sources, e.g., dog food, etc.
2. Remove and dispose of any of their nesting places, e.g., carpet, clothes.
3. Remove their urine and feces smell with white vinegar.
4. Install sticky mice/rate traps and poison at all potential ingress points.
5. Install rat and mice traps with peanut butter as bait.

 

[finding41]

I've never had any luck with peanut butter. They just lick it off. I use Peperoni or any semi dried meat. The oilier the better! There is a small tab on the baiting part of the trap. I pry that up enough to put part of the meat under it and clamp it down with my fingers.
This results in about 2-3 kills (I've had 6!) with one baiting. The meat is tough and they yank at it. Well, that's the last thing they ever do.
Our house was built in 1865 and there are lots of ways for them to walk right in. I keep one trap baited all year and when I catch one (usually in early fall) I set out the rest of the trap line.
In high school I worked on a mink ranch and we had RATS. Thousands! They would gorge themselves on the mink feed that fell through the cages to the floor. The feed was 98% meat.
Good luck.
Finding

 

[rpwillia]

Rats Love Peanut Butter

Tell the crew to watch their step when returning from leave ashore! Also, bait with peanut butter. An exterminator told us that is one food they (the rats) can't resist. Best Wishes, Phil

Years ago I lived in Rhode Island, and had a fixer upper house and a rat got inside. I thought it was a mouse (due to lack of experience I did not realize a mouse could not make that much noise chewing), so one day I put out those glue traps for mice with some peanut butter on it. Rat nailed the peanut butter and got stuck and started flipping and making a racket trying to get off of it. I made it there just in time so it get off the glue trap and disappear. The next day I flushed it out of the hole with compressed air from my scuba tank and killed it with a piece of 2x4. THEN I called the exterminator who told me to never do that again, as when they are cornered they fight to the death (which he kinda did). Been following this thread and thankful I don't have this problem.

 

[Steve Dion]

I've never had any luck with peanut butter. They just lick it off. I use Peperoni or any semi dried meat. Good luck.
Finding

Maybe an issue with those Canadian rats. Thet should not be able to eat the bait, it is only to attrat them. They should die before they have a chance ro enjoy the Jiff!

 

[Cool Beans]

Poison was mentioned a couple posts up. . .I would stay away from poison on board. More so than not, any dying rat is probably going to bury itself in the darkest, hardest to reach spot between the liner and hull and smell you out of boat for a few weeks as it rots away

I had to deal with that in my garage. Before I found the main nest was under the shed, they also had moved into my fishing boat and garage. My bright idea was. . .poison! And once in awhile the garage would stink up and smell like death for a week all summer while the carcass' decomposed

Just saying

 

[vetch]

I agree with no poison. I had a pick up that mice made a nest in the heater ducts. And I could never get that smell out. In the end I sold the truck. My wife just couldn't stand it.

 

[Dougo]

Tell the crew to watch their step when returning from leave ashore! Also, bait with peanut butter. An exterminator told us that is one food they (the rats) can't resist.

Best Wishes, Phil

I would add rolled oats to the peanut butter. They have to work at it a little harder and it sweetens up the bait a bit. We have a lot of varmints at our camp in the ADKs and that works well.

 

[rpwillia]

Used to have that problem too!

I agree with no poison. I had a pick up that mice made a nest in the heater ducts. And I could never get that smell out. In the end I sold the truck. My wife just couldn't stand it.

Problem ended when a neighbor moved in next door with 2 cats. Now I just smile when I see them taking a walk through my garage and yard. No rats or mice!

Now if we could just get rid of the rats in Washington DC!!!

 

[Ross]

Re: Used to have that problem too!

We just need bigger cats but not fat cats.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Could this be a new use for Altoids??? I keep a box of 'em on the boat all the time, but the metal box is closed. Should I open it? Nice smell from those curiously strong mints!!!

 

[esherman]

take a 5 gal bucket...put about 6 inches of antifreeze in bottom...drill a hole in top side of each sides....take a straitened out coat hanger and put it through a pop can so the can hangs in the middle of the top of the bucket. ( hanger is put through the 2 holes)....put peanut butter on the can....put a board from the ground to the top of the bucket for a ramp the rats can climb.... they will climb up the ramp walk the coat hanger to the can...it will spin when they crawl on it...they will drop into the antifreeze and drown ...the antifreeze will keep them from stinking.

works great

 

[rgranger]

There is a product called "Fresh Cab" that I highly recommend. You can buy it at Tractor Supply. It looks like a large tea bag and it is filled with fragrant "stuff". I personally like the smell and most people who have smelled it also like the smell. It has a pine oil smell mixed with a few other scents.

The claim is that the odor is offensive to mice and rats... and my personal experience seems to bear that out. I keep a bag in my boat... and another in my office at work, (another story) and one in the shed.

2 cents.