Attic pest solution

monks · Dec 17, 2025

I had a terrible rodent problem for a few years until I got cats. I don't like cats per se, but I have one black cat who I call
Murder death kill, or mdk for short that's growing on me. He sleeps all day and then works the night shift outside. It's been a night and day difference and I find the evidence lying around from time to time. We live in between fields and now I know why everyone rural keeps cats around.

joken · Dec 17, 2025

We had rats in the attic of a duplex. I hired an exterminator because I wanted the tenants to know they were not being ignored. The exterminator said that I wouldn't find any signs of the rats because they tunnel under the insulation. We had a stump ground in the back yard, and rats were living in the ground below the stump,

Lazyfaire · Dec 17, 2025

1775usmc said:
Hand grenades are the correct answer.

suppressed .22 cal pistol practice. (Send the family to the mall first)

Lazyfaire · Dec 17, 2025

Unless you've seen them it could be a family of squirrels

Nick Burkhardt · Dec 17, 2025

.

quneur · Dec 17, 2025

A pellet gun is cheaper to shoot than using colibri ammo.

I would buy a ferret rather than a cat. They can get into places cats can't.

monks · Dec 18, 2025

quneur said:
I would buy a ferret rather than a cat. They can get into places cats can't.

Plus they're not allowed in California which puts them in the same category as a lot of cool things!

Mikej · Dec 18, 2025

monks said:
Plus they're not allowed in California which puts them in the same category as a lot of cool things!

Seriously?

P7M13 · Dec 18, 2025

I was very successful using traps in my yard, but still had a lot of rodents. Brought in two kittens, and they have turned into murderous felines. Not sure they would explore the attic, though.
Re: snakes - A friend had a horrible time with mice and rats in her garden, but hates cats. She got a rubber boa (look them up). No more rats or mice. However, snakes smell bad. Really bad.

monks · Dec 18, 2025

Mikej said:
Seriously?

They ask about it at the border checks or did the last time I went that way. I think down there they call them assault ferrets!

Mikej · Dec 18, 2025

monks said:
They ask about it at the border checks or did the last time I went that way. I think down there they call them assault ferrets!

Hell, I didn't even know they STIL HAD check stations. They ought to put up a wall too, to keep the rest of them there!
I had, still have a couple cousins down there in the LA area and San Diego. I think.

Dirty Cary · Dec 18, 2025

View: https://youtu.be/ShoKotoE8Og?si=uewWEpD2PXrwKyl8

monks · Dec 18, 2025

Mikej said:
Hell, I didn't even know they STIL HAD check stations. They ought to put up a wall too, to keep the rest of them there!
I had, still have a couple cousins down there in the LA area and San Diego. I think.

I agree. I thought they should at least have a check station on our side to ask if there are any fruits or nuts in the car but it's too late now, we've been invaded!

abbadon · Jan 21, 2026

I'm thinking, I would like to hire a progun exterminator, who likewise only hires trusted people. bonus if they we will consider guns or ammo towards services. In fact I have a number of projects, from handyman to siding to roofer , think general discussion would be the right place to start?

Andy54Hawken · Jan 21, 2026

Something to consider when offering firearms or ammo in payment....
Now the party providing the service , trusted or not....knows you have firearms.
Which might be alright....however if that service party has a work crew....now they all know...
As well as everyone in their families....
Which might not be alright.

I would stick with paying with cash or card.
Andy

Edit to add...
Plus...in order to legally transfer a firearm , via private party....you need to use a FFL.
Which can easily turn into a time consuming , expensive , PITA hassle.

gmerkt · Jan 28, 2026

If you decide to shoot inside the attic space, use .22 rat shot, that's what it's for. It won't go through siding or structural lumber. The .22 CB caps would work, have potential to penetrate siding, take greater care in delivering the bullet than rat shot.

I've used .22 rat shot to clear flickers off the side of my house. You can't see where the overshot went. You can go to the grocery store and by the time you get back, a flicker will have made a hole in your cedar siding.

Mikej · Jan 28, 2026

gmerkt said:
If you decide to shoot inside the attic space, use .22 rat shot, that's what it's for. It won't go through siding or structural lumber. The .22 CB caps would work, have potential to penetrate siding, take greater care in delivering the bullet than rat shot.

I've used .22 rat shot to clear flickers off the side of my house. You can't see where the overshot went. You can go to the grocery store and by the time you get back, a flicker will have made a hole in your cedar siding.

Reminds me of some friends of mine that had an Old-Portland 3 story home in Alameda that a flicker took to liking the siding on. These folks were collectors of "Stuff". A lot of it cool stuff. They happened to have a life-size color, totally natural looking, cardboard cut-out of John Wayne in full cowboy pose. They put that in the window on that side of the house, second story, and the bird left and never came back! The close neighbor on that side got used to having "John" looking down into their family room.