# Rats Under Low-Level Deck



## Alexz2525 (Aug 28, 2018)

Rats keep finding a way to burrow under my free-standing low-level deck. Since the joists effectively sit on the ground, there is no easy to way to dig under to place a bait box and given the presence of a dog, I'm reluctant to start tossing bait between the boards. Does anyone have any clever ideas for trap or poison the critters and keep them out for good?


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## LawnGuyLandSparky (Nov 18, 2007)

This guy will show you everything you need to know about eradicating rodents.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

Can you see physically see any burrows going into the ground on the sides of the deck?


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

With the wood touching the ground, you will have more problems later on with rotted wood, but that's not the point, I know. But your problem is another reason we don't build decks on the ground.
@PestGuy may not agree, but I don't use poisons. Anything that will cause second generation poisoning. Poison a rat, a hawk catches it before it dies, they both die. Same thing with your pets.

I have been using RatX, sold at big orange, for some time now, and it is effective. It is basically a corn meal product with no poison that disrupts the rat's intake of moisture. They die of dehydration and nothing else dies. I also encourage my friendly rat snakes to take up residence in my shop to help keep them at bay.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

I prefer to use snap traps whenever I can. They work much better and quicker than any rodenticide. However sometimes some tracking powder just needs to get into the burrows to take care of the problem. They do make tamper proof bait boxes that fit snap traps in them, so only rodents can go inside and that way you won't be trapping anything bigger.


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