Cincinnati is one of the worst cities for rats, mice

CINCINNATI (WKRC ) - A new survey ranks Cincinnati as the seventh most- infested city in the country for rats and mice.

The national ranking appeared in Bloomberg, it’s based on online responses to the federal government's "American housing survey." Rodent control experts say it doesn’t surprise them but there’s not been a recent spike.

Eric with Scherzinger Pest Control showed Local 12 News the spots around a Hyde Park home that were vulnerable to infestation. He pointed out vines and brush close to the exterior. There was even a large gap at the bottom of the garage door.

"It's like an open highway for them," said Eric.

Rats burrow and chew their way in looking for food and shelter, "Your house is nice and warm, they don't mind coming right in and finding a warm spot. Plenty of food to eat."

By the time people have seen one rat, there's probably a whole family living in the home. They can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter.

Rick Steinau with Ace Exterminating said the trap has to be set up properly, "It has to be perpendicular to the wall. So that when they run they get trapped either way and it has to be touching the wall."

Steinau said shredded paper or droppings were a sign people have a rodent problem. He added that rats were smart and people have to trick them to catch them. He suggests first setting up 6 to 8 traps then put the same food they were eating onto the trap.

"But you don't set the trap, it's called pre-baiting. You allow the rat to get use to coming around the trap. Then take the bait off of it, you'll see bait is gone. Do the same thing the next night and on the 3rd night you can set the trap and you will have a rat in the morning," said Steinau.

Cincinnati’s health department said in 2016 it investigated 259 rat complaints; less than one percent of the homes in the city.

[beverlynelsin]

ppl we have rats becàuse of festvels on the Streets in cin Ohio will never stop having rats unless u block the river so they wnt come out the river but to keep them out ur home break up Glass mix it with dirt and put it in all the holes and places out side ur buildings

[Timbrock]

I caught a rat under a bucket once.  slipped a piece of cardboard under the top (it was upside down), carried it outside and onto a bridge spanning the South Platte river, and dumped him into the drink. Did it drown or manage to swim out? Don't know.  But in any case,   Bye-bye rat!

[beverlynelsin]

I know cin Ohio have rats and I know how to get them out and stop them from coming in the city see me and my Grandma had to kill them all the time but my grandma said this is it first of all they came from the River downtown up into the city because cin Ohio has so many festvels like taste cin Ohio they never cleaned up after the festvels until next morn by next morning rats had done Fed from the food on grounds not to mention ppl would throw food in Alley's on the street then once they got up in the otr alot if buildings that out of town own most buildings was closed and they didn't pay taxes so they just set ther with rats in them closed so if u open a building to make a bissness the rat place next store will end up taking over ur building next to stop rats u got to stop it from the source first go around the buildings looking for open Holes grab some bottles break them intto Peace's and mix it with dirt then push it into the Holes around ur buildings the rats will dig ther way in a die from the glass then do it to.any closed down building's but u can catch a rat with a huge sticky tray put it ware it's dark stick some food on it like a orange put the juice on it they always get stuck on sticky tray's like roaches u can put lil sticky tray's under dark cabnetts or stove u will catch rats but nice come from the fields and if u tare down the trees everything including nice come to ur home DNT tare down trees or build a fake trees