Common Challenges to Trapping Rats
You’ve noticed rat droppings on your floors or in your cupboards. Or maybe you have heard skittering noises at night. You may even have seen a large rat inside your home. Like most people, you probably set out rat traps around your home, knowing you need to get the problem under control quickly before the rat infestation can get worse.
But what if the traps are not working? Either your traps remain empty or you have caught a few rats and yet the problem seems to be getting worse. Rats are a resourceful animal and a challenging one for DIY rodent control. Here are some of the most common challenges to watch out for and how to solve them.
What Makes DIY Rat Control in NYC Challenging
Unfortunately, catching a rat is not as simple as putting a piece of cheese on a trap and waiting for it to snap the rat. If you want to trap rats effectively and quickly, understanding how rats think and behave can help you fix common mistakes in rat trapping:
- Neophobia – Rats treat anything new in their environment with caution. When a trap suddenly appears in their space, they may take a few days to work up to approaching it. Pre-feeding, or placing food at the trap site without setting the trap, may help the rats get comfortable.
- Wrong Trap Placement – When they move around your house, rats use set pathways and rarely stray from them. They also stay under cover as much as possible, moving inside walls, under furniture, or near walls. If your trap is not in one of those areas, the rat might never go near it.
- Incorrect Bait – While rats will eat anything in the right conditions, using their preferred bait for your trap will increase your success. Norway rats like fatty and sugary foods like peanut butter or gum drops. Roof rats more often choose plant-based foods like nuts and berries.
- Alternative Food Source – If rats are feasting in your pantry or have easy access to your dog or cat’s food bowl, they likely are not looking for additional food. Make sure you remove any other food sources the rats may be eating.
- Not Checking Traps – Crafty rats can often steal food off the trap without it snapping. Additionally, a trap with a rat in it cannot help you catch more. Check your traps daily and reset them when necessary.
- Leaving Rat Entrances Open – If rats can easily go in and out, they have no reason to try to capture the food in the trap and are unlikely to risk it. And while trapping rats is important, but you also need to keep more rats from getting in by finding their entrances and sealing them off.
With all of these different factors, it can be hard to get the conditions correct to completely get rid of a rat infestation. That is why calling NY and NJ Animal Control is the most effective way to exterminate rodents. We are experts in the local rat species in NYC and experienced with the most effective trapping methods. Because we can get the right solution for your property fast, we can remove a rodent problem before it gets worse. Call us today to get started.
Animal Removal Specialists in NYC and NJ
If you have live or even dead animals in or around your home or business that you need removed then we can help! We are Animal Control Wildlife Trapping Services- Rodent and Wildlife Removal in NYC and NJ, we specialize in the trapping and removal of all types of wild animals that may have invaded your territory. We offer 24 hour a day service to NYC, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bronx, Queens, Long Island City & New Jersey and are just a call away at 646-741-4333!
Our Animal Control Team
The team at Animal Control NYC / NJ is experienced in trapping and removing wild animals and can help you get rid of any wildlife that may be a nuisance to you in your home, office or commercial property. In additional to removing any current animals that may have invaded your home, the Animal Control NYC / NJ experts will be able to provide you with repair and prevention options to keep your home critter free all year around.
Animal Control NYC Can Help You With:
Animal Control NYC / NJ can help you with trapping and removing wild animals from your property!
Animal Control NYC / NJ offers Humane Animal Control as well as removal of any animals that may have died on your property. Because of the risks of disease, never handle a dead animal on your own, always call a trained professional, it is not worth the risk.
Animal Control NYC & NJ Google Reviews
JM DaVirro
21:18 17 Aug 22
Frank and team were the absolute best. They removed a bird nest from outside our apartment window and provided top notch service with tons of check ins and follow ups after the job was done. Hoping I won't have to call them ever again but if I do I will do it with plenty peace of mind!!!!
Mark Berkowitz
23:56 26 Jul 22
Absolutely excellent service by these guys! Quick, good communication, were able to come down same day for an emergency squirrel problem and solve it, and gave a full inspection and estimate of what needs to be done in and around the house to prevent another furry friend from entering, but did not at all push us to use his service for the rest of the work, which many other people might do. These guys are quick, professional, honest, and friendly and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I also especially liked that they use humane traps. I hope I never need their services again, but if I do, I'm definitely going back to them.
MARIA GELETEI
02:05 26 Jul 22
I can’t thank Frank enough for saving a bird from my furnace chimney. He had the bird safely removed and the furnace back together within an hour’s time. I’m very grateful for his compassion for animals and the service he performs. I highly recommend Animal Control NYC.
Angelika Shenkerman
02:45 02 Jul 22
Frank, the company owner himself, helped us get rid of a raccoon we found in our bedroom. Frank was able to come right away on the same day we called him and took a very professional approach to help us remove the animal. He did a comprehensive examination of an area and even was able to climb on the roof which helped him understand the problem. This he did in a 90 degree heat! He has professional equipment and really knows his trade. He even installed cameras on the roof to help monitor the issue so that no wrong decisions were made and the situation was precisely evaluated. We were extremely impressed with his services and would recommend him to anyone needing to remove raccoons or any other wildlife from their environment.
JS
13:00 25 Jun 22
Had a raccoon on the roof deck of an apartment and called Frank who quickly sent Jermell by to remove the raccoon. After they handled the raccoon, they cleaned the roof deck to ensure it would not feel comfortable coming back. They were both so professional, helpful, and efficient. Nothing but positive things to say - would highly recommend them!
Eric Hellman
04:54 17 Jun 22
I can’t believe I’m writing a review about a animal control service, but here i am writing a review about a animal control service. Frank is incredible. He is so diligent and careful. I had a family of 6 raccoons living in my ceiling and he got all 6 out within 12 hours safely and with no issue. He also saw i had young children and made sure to not alarm anyone and freak anyone out. He works quietly and with care. He is incredible and if you live in an area that he services you would be a fool not to use him. I am finally able to sleep peacefully thanks to him and his incredible work.
Grace Triolo
02:50 26 May 22
Frank and his team were so professional and were humane in handling our raccoon issue. Talk about service, Frank and team were able to remove the mother raccoon and her baby safely without injury in less than 10 hours. These guys never sleep! Frank and Team came back not even 2 hours later (11pm) when I called him to say the mother came back. Sneaky little baby that was left behind within the attic and even after 3 men looked through the entire attic for any that may be left! She was so good at hiding herself! At that point Frank and his team added the necessary traps and sure enough after 1 hour that baby was caught. The team worked hard on closing the entry points. As of now I have not heard anything and no momma! Relief is setting in. The stress of the noise they made and knowing that you had a den in your attic is hard enough especially after thinking that they were squirrels and finding out that they were raccoons! So glad we called Frank! I cannot tell you how wonderful they were and answered all our questions. Thanks again Frank and team for all your hard work and a job well done!Now getting ready for the cleanup/repair part of this job. Stay tuned for another review on how Frank and his team will take care of the cleanup/repair!
Brunette ALcy
20:15 22 May 22
Overall, 4.5 rating. They are professional, knowledgeable, personable, and reliable. Frank takes pride in his work. He is detailed oriented/thoroughly explains the process. They come on time and work is neatly done. I appreciate that they took their time to clean up. My only issue is they are out of my budget. However, I will recommend this company to anyone.
Justin Gilles Joseph Morin-Carpentier
03:46 08 May 22
I never thought I'd review an exterminator; but here we are. The experience was seamless, quick, and thorough. Jermell was polite and, talked me through the situation. Helped getting the little mouse out humanely, and fixing all the potential entry points. They're an all in one service, couldn't recommend them more. Would definitely use them again (though of course, I hope the problem doesn't happen again!)
Dana Mckeon
00:54 04 May 22
If you have a rodent issue, look no further. I reached out to Frank on a Saturday night, and within hours he was at my house setting up a plan. He explained step by step how he would proceed, and I was so grateful that he was able to remove and release a mother raccoon and her 5 babies without harming them. Not only did they remove the raccoons but secured the openings in my crawl space so they could not return. A stellar job in less than stellar work space! Thank you for giving me back peace of mind!
Sage Cheren
03:13 01 May 22
I was just hanging out on a Saturday night and realized that a little squirrel was in the corner of my bathroom. So I decided to call Animal control trappers, Frank showed up in no time and was professional about the whole situation. He was very soft and comforting to the squirrel while taking it out of my house. I highly recommended them.
Lisa Ng Tran
04:09 29 Apr 22
Frank was very helpful, quick to resolve my bird issues. I didn't realize how much damage these small birds did to the house. He removed the empty nest and covered all the holes in the yip of the roof corners with metal nettings so they won't return. He's very professional and completed the job in just a few hours. He was patient in answering all our questions. I was pleased with the results. No more waking up to the sound of chirping. I highly recommend him for any rodent control.
Mohammad A. Saleem
18:05 27 Apr 22
Frank and his team are professionals and humane. We had a serious raccoon problem in our attic where a family had built a den/nest and Frank was able to remove the mother raccoon and her babies safely without injury in less than 24 hours. Our family greatly appreciates his service and professionalism. He also secured our roof/attic so that no future problem would arise and made sure no damage to our roof/attic took place. The final thing I will add is that Frank and his team are humane - that matters when dealing with wildlife because it’s not necessary to harm/kill any wildlife if they come into your house.
Minh Hoang
22:12 23 Apr 22
Frank's and his Team are amazing! Professional, good experience, handled animals humanely.
Sara Grajeda
22:03 23 Apr 22
I highly recommend the services of Animal Control Trappers NY & NJ. Mr Frank Fierro personally took care of the problem very fast. I found a dead possum in my garage and I started calling for help to remove carcass. Unfortunately I couldn’t get any answers, just messages saying they work Monday to Friday and covering other areas but not Hudson County. Thank you so very much Mr Frank Fierro and Technician. I’m so happy I found you!
Stella Luke
21:53 11 Apr 22
We had a raccoon in our attic for over a week. After having bad service from another company, we reached out to Frank . Frank answered his phone late Saturday night after my frantic call. He responded to our home and fixed the problem . He set up in the dark on my roof. He did an exceptional job . He also set up a camera on the roof to give me peace of mind when the raccoon escaped from my attic. The raccoon finally went thru the trap. Frank also went into the soffit to retrieve the babies .I would highly recommend Frank for an amazing job he did. I was finally able to sleep in peace. He truly is my hero.
Keith Rudolph
15:57 01 Apr 22
I would absolutely recommend Animal Control. Professional, courteous, the job was done quick and with expertise
Rena Kravitz
01:15 06 Feb 22
Frank was excellent. He came as promised (on the weekend) . He got the job done. And he even came back for follow up.I recommend him highly.
Brianne Dolan
20:46 29 Jan 22
Frank and his crew did a very diligent job of stopping squirrels from entering my home. I’ve contacted many other companies before trying this company but frank was the only one to be able to get the job done. He’s a very trustworthy and reliable source and would recommend him to everyone!
sharon johnson
23:33 19 Aug 21
Very respectful, professional, and helpful technicians. Willing to answer questions and discuss any concerns pertaining to animal control and removal. Highly recommended. Would also like to give a shout out to the technician Jermell Stevens. Very pleasant and helpful. He was a blessing to our church.
Mary Watterson
01:50 07 Jul 21
I had a mama raccoon move into my attic with her 4 babies. Frank and his team responded immediately. Since mama wasn't there when Frank found the babies, he put them in a 5 gallon bucket, anchored it on the roof next to the entrance mama was using and mounted a camera on the roof. Then they permanently closed up the entry point. Sure enough, mama raccoon came back, tried to get back into the house and couldn't, and then proceeded to take the babies away, one at a time. And we got to see the whole thing with the camera! I was so happy that Frank and his helper were able to solve my problem while still treating the raccoons in a humane manner. I have and will recommend them to everyone! Thanks Frank!
Boris Sholomyansky
12:03 28 Jun 21
We installed solar panels on the roof of our townhouse. Couple days after installation pigeons built a nest under the panels. I contacted the panel installer but they said they don't have accessories needed to pigeon proof the installation. I did web search and found ACT. When I called Frank he responded quickly and very professionally. He came to my house the following day after my call, removed the nest and installed protection around all 10 panels. Thank you Frank. Great job!
Helen Pena
16:52 02 Jun 21
They did a perfect job and was also very quick. They got my cat and put him in the cage so we can take him. They were respectful also very gentle as possible with him
Jonathan Man
20:05 01 Jun 21
I found Animal Control online, and I'm so glad that I found them! Frank was the ultimate professional. He is extremely knowledgeable, and was quickly able to assess and resolve my raccoon issue. He was also very creative and mindful in his solution so there was no intrusion on my house. He also had the camera technology to ensure that the live raccoons left unharmed. Frank is very responsive, and came back promptly to finish his work once the raccoons left. I highly recommend Animal Control! Thank you again Frank!
David Dutch
19:33 23 May 21
From the moment I contacted Frank of ACT, I knew he was the right choice. Frank and his team successfully installed squirrel traps efficiently, tidy at cleanup, and follow up to assure my satisfaction. I haven't had any issues in my house since and will highly recommend Animal Control Trappers to all of my neighbors and those who need expert pest removal quickly and humanely. THANKS FRANK!
Ramesh Dharan
21:10 14 May 21
Frank and his team did an excellent job dealing with a very complicated birds nest infestation in our fifth floor walk up. He succeeded where two previous vendors failed, and working with him was a pleasure. We were so grateful he was able to take care of our problem and we have our apartment back to normal! Though we hope to not have need for him again we would happily recommend his services.
G Barreto
12:32 25 Apr 21
Great service, great communication and very professional. I'm finally able sleep at night without being woken up by raccoons destroying my attic. Thanks to Frank!!
Donald Phillips
15:19 12 Apr 21
Recently had a large Raccoon in our attic. The team from NY/NJ Animal Control Trapper’s , Responed Quickly, and very efficient and and to our complete satisfaction! Frank and team very professional and friendly and got the job done! Highly recommendDon Phillips
Jim Simpson
01:53 08 Apr 21
Animal Control NY/NJ are knowledgeable and courteous, and answered all the questions I had about my animal problem. Once I decided to go ahead with the work I was able to get an appointment quickly. They arrived on time for the scheduled appointment. They came with all the supplies necessary to complete the work, and finished the job in one day. The finished work looks neat and professional. They picked up any debris around the work area and left it clean. They provided photos of my roof to inspect the animal proofing they installed. They followed up a week later to confirm that I had no further animal problems. They are skilled, prompt and highly recommended.
Sadia Ali
18:44 05 Apr 21
Frank and his team were very helpful. Frank was the only person that answered the phone on Easter Day. We had a bird stuck in the vent above the stove, Frank got it out safely and set it free. He cleaned up the whole area and than sealed all the vent opening with the wire mesh. Highly recommended, very professional and good people skills.
Claudia OHara Sacco
00:53 03 Apr 21
This afternoon we discovered that a skunk had died in our yard. While we were sad for the animal, we knew we had to dispose of it. We reached out to Frank and his team for help. They were courteous, professional and knew just what to do. And it was a holiday weekend! All my questions were answered and the job was done within no time. I recommend Animal Control NYC and NJ. You can trust them and will be glad you called them for service.
Joshua Olin
04:15 14 Mar 21
We had a bat in the house very late on a Saturday night. Frank was there in less than an hour from our initial phone call. He caught and removed the bat in less than 10 minutes and checked the interior for any others. I highly recommend!! Having him return for further inspection and control measures. Professional, courteous and a pleasure to deal with under less than optimal circumstances.
J Wi
22:18 05 Mar 21
CALL THEM IF YOU NEED THEIR SERVICES. I had a raccoon that broke into my attic. The gentlemen who took care of the problem, Frank, is TOP NOTCH. Very courteous, professional, and most importantly, trustworthy! I never write reviews for anything but these guys deserve it. Would give 6 stars if I could.
Daniel Wenzel
00:47 17 Jan 21
Frank and his team came out within 1 hour on a Saturday night and resolved the issue immediately. It was such a relief because we called three other people before stumbling on Frank’s number and they all brushed us off and told us we needed to make an appointment for the next day or two. Frank was a great guy- Very nice and excellent customer service and responsiveness.
Sharukh Khan
01:20 12 Jan 21
My experience working with Animal Control Trappers has been great! We had two raccoons living under our sunroom, and when I called Animal Control Trappers and spoke with Frank, he was able to make it out to our house to set up cages & bait the same day. Frank made sure to follow up with me via text on a daily basis to see if we caught the raccoons and even came to our house late at night to make sure the cages were working well and that they were set up properly. Although it took 3 tries to catch the raccoons, we finally did and Frank promptly came and took them. He then did a phenomenal job with his worker at building a wall beneath our sunroom, making sure it was completely sealed so that new raccoons won’t be able to come in the future. He also sprayed an odor neutralizer and lined the bottom of our fence with a high grade metal mesh so no animals could ever enter. I highly recommend this company to anyone needing help with animal control or exterior animal-proofing!
Natasha Montalvo
22:06 07 Dec 20
Pervy squirrel tried to get through my bathroom ceiling while my son was in the shower. Called Frank and he was here in a few hours at the end of the day to do a quick patch. He scheduled an estimate and allowed me to mull it over and get other estimates. Once I decided on his company, he was able to reinforce my whole house for pest control within 2 days. Wonderful, I love this company. I don’t hear squirrels anymore.
Gemma Coccioli
13:27 16 Nov 20
I had a problem with squirrels in my attic. Frank came and crawled into the eaves of my attic to see 1st hand the extent of the damage. He also discovered that I had damage from birds. My roof is fairly new and I was questioning whether Frank would be able to do the repair to my satisfaction. Frank explained exactly what he would do and I felt very confident that he'd be the right choice. My schedule is hectic so he accommodated it by even working on Sundays. He and his helper were punctual neat and experts at what they do. I would highly recommend Animal Control Trappers.
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24 Hour Animal Control in NYC, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Long Island City & New Jersey, call 646-741-4333 today!
Humane Animal Control · Squirrel Removal · Raccoon Removal · Bird Removal · Dead Wildlife · Mice and Rat Control
From trapping to prevention options, the Animal Control NYC experts can help you keep your home critter free!
We use high quality traps and equipment to make sure the job is done right the first time. You can count on US 24 hours a day, 365 day a year.
Now serving both NYC and Central NJ including Freehold, Farmington, Wall Township, or Marlboro Township as well as Shore Towns including but not limited to: Belmar, Deal, Long Branch, Sea Bright, Ocean Grove and Spring Lake
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Need emergency animal control? We can come to your home or office 24 hours a day to remove any critters that may be invading you.
Just give us a call or fill out this form and we will contact you shortly to discuss your animal control needs.
Animal Control NYC
431 E 102nd New York, NY 10029
info@animalcontrol.nyc
Direct: (646) 741-4333
Fax: (646) 661-2531
Animal Control NJ
62 E Main St Freehold, NJ 07728
info@animalcontrol.nyc
Direct: (732) 387-4135
Fax: (646) 661-2531
Our experienced technicians will do a through inspection of your home or office and after the animal removal will usually offer ways to prevent future invasions.
