Does anyone have a good recommendation for a rodent exterminator in Santa Barbara? What can I expect to pay, and what will they do? I need one who will crawl around in the attic and under the house.
COMMENT 131595
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2010-12-29 10:59 AM |
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We have used Santa Barbara Pest Control for years and have always known them to be very responsive and very effective in their work.
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COMMENT 131596P
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2010-12-29 11:03 AM |
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Whoa I was just thinking of asking this too, to the Edhatters! We're having rats in our attice, and gophers outside. I was going to start with Lenz because they were recommended in the termites thread.
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COMMENT 131615
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2010-12-29 11:53 AM |
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I've also used Santa Barbara Pest Control in the past. They're quite friendly and very flexible with your schedule.
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COMMENT 131621
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2010-12-29 12:05 PM |
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Try the Mosquito and Vector Control office for SB County. I have worked with a few times regarding rat infestations on the Mesa (Mesa + rats = Mesa Rats) and they have been great and get to the root of the problem. One of the best free services in SB. Phone: 805-969-5050
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COMMENT 131622
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2010-12-29 12:06 PM |
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Keys to good rodent control: 1.Seal up all points of entry. Roof rats are just a little larger than mice and can get into holes slightly larger than a dime.
2.Once everything is sealed use Victor time snap traps.
3.Keep fruit and ornamental berries off the ground and pick fruit when ripe.
4.If you see rats outside you have a problem and they will figure out how to get inside. Consider outside bait stations (environmental people might not like this). I have used Western in the past and they charge me about $60 every other month for pest control including rodent bait stations. Santa Barbara has lush landscapes and the rats love it here. (Except when it rains.)
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COMMENT 131670
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2010-12-29 01:51 PM |
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You could go the organic route and choose adoption (asapcats.org). It's been 100% effective at our house for mice and gophers (and the occasional bird)...
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COMMENT 131699
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2010-12-29 03:52 PM |
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The Vector Management District can advise on how to exclude, or manage, rats, but does not "control" them as that would compete with private business. Be wary of offers for perpetual rat trapping and bait stations rather than exclusion from buildings. Your $9 annual residential benefit assessment at work! www.mvmdistrict.org
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COMMENT 131716P
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2010-12-29 04:31 PM |
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If you use bait, ie poison, make sure you and your neighbors don't have any dogs. Eating a poisoned rat can kill a dog or it make it very, very sick.
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COMMENT 131745
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2010-12-29 06:57 PM |
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Call the "Rat Man" Steve at Eraticators 451-7287
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COMMENT 131748
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2010-12-29 07:11 PM |
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Cats!
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COMMENT 131756P
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2010-12-29 08:23 PM |
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I prefer the tomcat traps to victor. More expensive but easier to set and dispose of the contents for reuse. With victor traps, I throw the trap away with the rat or mouse.
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COMMENT 131771
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2010-12-30 06:03 AM |
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Definitely Rat Man/Eraticators - he's a specialist!
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COMMENT 131794
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2010-12-30 07:50 AM |
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Rat zapper 20 -40 dollars
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COMMENT 131812P
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2010-12-30 08:20 AM |
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Thanks for all the great advice, but I still would like to know if anyone knows what a ballpark cost will be for this...I had the occasion to look up into my attic space and was horrified to see all the rat droppings...ugh. I also discovered the same under the house....again, ugh. We live in a semi-rural area, so no stranger to critters, just don't want them living in MY house, plus, I'm kinda worried about the air ducts. I have looked and cannot find an entry point so I need someone to crawl around under the house and in the attic to find how they are getting in...arrgghh!!
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COMMENT 131815P
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2010-12-30 08:22 AM |
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Thanks for the info. My 2 ASAP cats are worthless against the gophers! ;-)
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COMMENT 131822P
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2010-12-30 08:25 AM |
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622 says Western charges $60 every other month....
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AQUAHOLIC
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2010-12-30 08:50 AM |
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BTW, my neighbors have multiple cats who do a great job of gopher control, but are worthless it seems with rats or skunks...the latter of which they are friends of and play with! The Skunks and the neighbor cats are buddies and play together in the early evening....damn cats!
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COMMENT 131869
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2010-12-30 10:23 AM |
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You need someone to come and plug up everylittle hole...under your house and all around. I used S.B. Pest Control....now they trap and check each month. Nary a rat in sight now. it was worth the initial cost.
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COMMENT 131888
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2010-12-30 11:12 AM |
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You can borrow my cats! They LOVE to kill them some rats and gophers..I can hardly keep them away from the little guys.
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COMMENT 131910
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2010-12-30 12:25 PM |
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Steve at Eraticators is the BEST... he is slso known as The Rat Man.. he also is the most reasonably priced.. i thinj we paid 75 for him to trap the smartest rat EVER who called our garage for too long... this rat even out smarted our 2 cats.... happy 2 report that our garage is now rat free...
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COMMENT 131926P
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2010-12-30 01:22 PM |
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as to cost, I have used Western, and Barricade. Both do a good job, but the Barricade guy actually gets in the house and figures out how they are getting in and plugs the holes and then bait traps outside and traditional traps inside. (You do NOT want to poison rats and then have them die in the walls or attic...its awful smell for weeks and comes back everytime its wet...awful.
Western may do the same thing, btw, I just never asked them. Both excellent. Cost was about $120 for initial inspection-detection-diagnosis and then about $30-50/mth for implementation depending. Cats dont work against serious rat infestations, but ferrets do, or trained jack russell terriers. Both of those are incredible ratters, but not for the faint of heart. Its total carnage for a few days with the terriers and a few hours with the ferrets. Back in Va we used to call a guy with a sackfull of ferrets to come by once a year and "clean house" it was awesome, but my mom had to go away during the show.
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COMMENT 131937
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2010-12-30 02:10 PM |
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131869 - since the OP was asking about cost, can you tell us what the initial cost was, and how much you pay per month now? Thanks!
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COMMENT 132041
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2010-12-30 08:12 PM |
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Steve "ratman" of Eradictors came to my house and located where the rat was hiding and removed him in less than 10 minutes (he was under the stove). I could not believe my eyes and since then have heard similar stories from other clients of his..he is like the Pied Piper of Santa Barbara, and has a huge following of people too. An amazing guy.
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ANIMALLISTNER
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2010-12-30 08:40 PM |
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Adopt a feral kitty from The county, or ASAP. PLEASE avoid using poison at all cost.
For more info. on poison please visit our website,
www.animalrescueteam.net
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COMMENT 132050P
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2010-12-30 09:23 PM |
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OKAY!...Steve the "rat man" it will be....no poisons will be used, but I hope I can be guaranteed a dead rat, or (yikes) two or possibly more. The feral cat idea sounds good, but I fear for it's safety in my rural area where coyotes roam at night. Thank you so much Edhat community!...you are a wonderful resource.
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FROGGY3
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2010-12-30 10:06 PM |
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Lenz did a great job on my house.
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COMMENT 132063
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2010-12-30 11:26 PM |
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Ed at Integrated Pest Management has been a huge help - first with rats, and then with ants! He's on top of it!
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