Cockroaches

[oink]

Borid Acid Fact Sheets: http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/boricgen.html , http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/borictech.html#toxbox "Boric acid is low in toxicity if eaten or if it contacts skin."

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[terracore]

What the heck is non-toxic poison? Isn't that an oxymoron?

If the rats aren't going into the bait feeders, rub a thin layer of peanut butter on the bait blocks. Only handle the bait wearing gloves. Some rats avoid "human" smell (others seem attracted to it).

Also remember that rats are the primary vector for spreading rat lungworm. Most people blame the slugs and snails but remember where THEY are getting the parasite from.

On the state rat lungworm video they did not discuss using rat poison but when baiting the snap traps the guy said he mixes fire ant poison in with peanut butter and baits the traps with that. Since the peanut butter attracts the fire ants as well as the rats, it's a two-fer.

I had clever rats that kept stealing the snap trap bait without setting the trap off, so I started baiting the trap with poison bait. Problem solved one way or another.

[Lee M-S]

I read that roaches like to get up high, so putting traps and poison on top of the fridge or cabinets should help, and keep them away from pets.

Those sticky traps can catch big game; I put one out to catch a rat in my carport and found it shredded all over my lawn the next day. My neighbor mentioned her cat was covered with something sticky, and we figured out what happened. Vegetable oil helped get the stickum off the cat.

Boric acid damages bugs' exoskeletons, but isn't terribly toxic for mammals.

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[birdmove]

We have a chicken coop and the rats get in at night. I bought a small red led flashlight from Amazon for about $8.00. I used two small velco straps that came with a guitar cord (for guitar to amp) to strap it onto the barrel of a Crosman Model 66 air rifle. It's a .177 caliber. Verified the 2x7 powered scope to be sure it was zero'd in at 7 yards. Put a lawn chair at a 7 yard distance from the feeder in the chicken coop. The Crosman is a multi pump air rifle, so I loaded it and pumped it to 8 pumps (10 is maximum, and I had verified the guns zero using 8 pumps).Waited till maybe 8:30, when it was dark, and went and sat down in my lawn chair. Turned on the red flashlight. After a while a rat appeared. You can easily see the glowing rat eyes reflected by the red flashlight. It has to be red, as red doesn't spook them. Put one shot in his head. There was no rat suffering. The crosshairs in the scope are a bit hard to see. You have to wait and let your eyes get acclimated, then you can make out the crosshairs and see the rat to aim.

And, yes, a night vision rifle scope would work better. But, I can't afford one. The cheaper ones aren't very good, and the good ones could easily be over $1000. An $8.00 red led flashlight makes night rat hunting very doable. I find that the battery lasted for maybe an hour and a half, and the light got a bit dim. Put in a fresh battery and it right right up again.

I'm not an avid hunter, but I have no remorse for shooting and killing rats. And, the rear 2x6 and plywood of the coop would never allow a pellet to get through. Plus, I am shooting towards the ground, so a miss would go into the wood chips and ground.

A $40 pellet air gun (do not get a "bb" gun), a decent scope (maybe $40-$50) a red led flashlight for $8. Some pellets, and some target shooting to zero the scope, and a lawn chair, and a safe direction to shoot them. Maybe a jar lid with some peanut butter, and you are lessoning your rat population.





Jon in Keaau/HPP

[rainyjim]

My cats used to kill roaches and rats, haven't seen either for years now.

Washing off/rinsing rubbish and recycling before storing for transfer is key. Composting all organic matter is also key to help keep rubbish clean.

A compost pile properly cared for shouldn't attract any critters but if it does it's only a sort of bait station and your cats will quickly recognize the feeding/fun zone.

Cats are a must in Puna but please for the sake of Yahweh get your cats neutered / spayed.

[Guest]

Great points rainyjim. If you feed your cat in the mornings they sleep during the day and hunt at night better too.

[alaskyn66]

Before you kill those cockroaches, chew on this..

http://khon2.com/2014/09/01/chinese-cock...s-on-bugs/

Also this link 89.00 a pound

http://qz.com/118767/chinese-cockroach-f...89-per-lb/

I'm in the wrong business.

[shave_ice]

I agree that they probably just got use to you being gone and you came back to roach party. There is at least one roach that I see in the house at night, and the other night I was chasing it around the house to kill it. It ended up running right under the screen door and escaping. A couple of nights later I see the (same?) roach come inside from underneath the door. It's been a free-for-all this whole time. I hadn't even realized they can squeeze under that tiny of a crack. Now to figure how to block the crack under the door and screen.

[Norm]

Bought a electronic plug in at Longs $14.00 ,works thru all your electric wiring. Seams to work for me.