
So you’ve awakened from your nightly slumber in your Polk County home. Walked down the hall to make it to the all-important coffee maker so you can get the necessary caffeine fix to start your day. However, your morning process comes to an abrupt halt as you reach the kitchen to find a loaf of bread torn into. Maybe a bag of potato chips has been chewed open. Perhaps even some small black pellets on the counter tops and in the floor. Clearly, we have a problem! As alarming and frustrating as this is, there is no need to panic!
On average, rats in the home in Polk County, generally consist of 1-2 rats at a time. However, there CAN certainly be more! Of course, you always have the option of calling Nature-Tech Wildlife Solutions LLC immediately to get an inspection scheduled. However, we realize that times are tough and some folks may not necessarily have the means or resources to hire a company. As such, we’d like to offer some DIY advice for trapping rats yourself.
First thing you’ll need is some actual rat traps. Now, our advice would be to simply pick up the original Victor brand rat trap. They are the cheapest (cost generally around $3-4 each), and still very reliable. They can be acquired from Lowes or Home Depot in most cases, as well as Tractor Supply Company. Then you’re going to need some bait. There are a great number of baits that can be used, but one of our favorites is slim jims, the meat stick. They are packed with grease and spices which are highly attractive to rats of all species. You must keep in mind, no matter the species of rat, they are ALL highly opportunistic. However, starburst candies, marshmallows, potato chips, graham crackers, chewing gum and many other things can technically be used.

The next thing you’ll want to do is locate their likely pathways that they’re following to make their way into your kitchen. Most likely, they have come down the wall from the attic. Unless you happen to have a home with a crawl space underneath it (such a mobile home or manufactured home), then you can have them gaining access from either direction. More than likely, there is either a hole in the wall behind the cabinets, or underneath them in the floor itself. Best location for the traps are in the pathways they would have to follow such as in between the cabinets and refrigerator or the oven/stove. Alternatively, if you believe they are coming down from the attic, it may be advisable to place the traps in the attic itself.
You may hit them the very first night, or it may take a couple of days. It’s highly advisable during the trapping process, that you remove any and all potential items on the counter tops, tables, shelves, etc. that are accessible. This includes in the pantry, especially if the door to the pantry has a sizeable gap underneath it. Often, once rats have garnered a specific taste for something, or have a trusted food source that they were successful with before, they may bypass other options in order to go back to that food source.

Ultimately, the only way to truly eradicate a rat problem in the home is to ensure that any entry point that they have within the home, is sealed up to prevent further entry. However, as a mattery of a first step to help get control of the problem, we hope that this information on rat trapping in Polk County is both educational and beneficial to you!
If you are still in need of rat trapping services in Polk County, Florida, look no further than Nature-Tech Wildlife Solutions LLC!
Call us today at 863.345.2547 for a FREE inspection.
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