Steel wool and angry rats
#1
11-25-19, 12:33 AM
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Steel wool and angry rats
I thought Steel wool was supposed to stop rats. I just went into a bathroom I am remodeling, and a rat had not only pushed through the steel wool plug like this I had in the toilet hole, but shredded the steel wool angrily over the bathroom. Or maybe it was joyfully. But the steel wool did not seem to bother him at all. It looked like an explosion of wool and toilet bowl wax.
This was 00 wool; maybe i need rougher stuff? If he pushes aside the stainless dog bowl and 25 pound weight then I'm moving.
This was 00 wool; maybe i need rougher stuff? If he pushes aside the stainless dog bowl and 25 pound weight then I'm moving.
#2
11-25-19, 06:04 AM
Assuming it is a rat, they like most animals are survivors. If it believed that it had to get through the steel wool plug to survive or avoid potential drowning, then it will do what it needs to do. Any barrier against rats needs to be installed tight enough so that pushing it through isn't possible.
Is someone assessing the rat/rodent situation?
Is someone assessing the rat/rodent situation?
#3
11-25-19, 04:02 PM
Steel wool works because mice and rats don't like to chew on it. I assume it hurts their mouth. But, they don't have any trouble pushing on it. It's especially worse when plugging an existing hole as the animal knows they should be able to go through that spot. Next time you can pack the hole with steel wool and staple it in place so it can't be pushed out. You can also make a patch out of any scrap metal like a soda or soup can. Just make sure you screw or nail the patch in place so it can't be pushed out of the way.
PAbugman voted this post useful.
#4
11-25-19, 04:30 PM
This is what I and many in the professional pest control industry use. It can be cut with a scissors, balled up and stuffed in a hole or stretched thin and twisted to jam into a crack with a screwdriver tip. When you cut it, hold it over a bucket as copper splinters will fall off. Stuff-it will not rust but it will tarnish as copper does with age.
https://www.domyown.com/stuffit-copp...tml?sub_id=229
https://www.domyown.com/stuffit-copp...tml?sub_id=229
