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I opt for option 2.

I've had just about enough experience dealing with norway rats in Rmd area (my parent house garage)....and they are extremely smart.

Let me know if you need any further advice on this.

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(1)what size is their poop? rice? or elongated red bean?
(2)you said something about having holes on the wall? How big is the hole?

If the answer to (1) is rice, then those are mouse/mice...easily dealt with. Get those small victor brand spring traps, + a piece of cheeze block (the hard ones)+ peanut butter on the top. Set the bait side towards a wall or something...within 2 days time....you'll catch something.

if the answer to (1) is elongated red bean size (diameter), then you are dealing with rats. For rats: you shall buy the large size victor brand spring traps. Use a piece of cheep sausage (those packs from supastore or similar) + peanut butter. Set trap with bait side close to the wall...within 3 days time..you should catch something.

Dispose them outside (industrial garbage bin or similar) with care. Also: wash away the blood afterwards.

As for victor brand spring traps: you can get them from crappy tires...

I would not use chemical sprays; old style anti-coagulant rat bait such as warfarin is no longer effective and the mice/rats know. Be extra careful when using chemicals for if you aren't careful, those chemical will get into your body.

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p.s. I know enough to deal with rats in my area....

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Sorry folks, as much as my religion does not allow me to kill, I have no choice but to deal/handle these rodents the "proper" way.

rats/mice carries a lot of parasites and diseases, and if they have fleas, they might even carry the virus similar to black death (I know it's been long gone now since the last outbreak bit the virus still around), and I don't welcome rodents such as these and share the same living area with them.

With that I'd have no choice but to rid of them. So far, there's not such thing called "humane way" to deal with rats/mice simply because they breed so quickly (a pair of brown rats can have 2000litters every year!)

Spring trap is the only way to go (in my case) although you may be able to get those HK style rat traps in Chinatown...my sis did it once with those rat traps and caught one but didn't know how to dispose them of, ended up being a mess.

Anyways: you won't be so "kindhearted" when your living quarters are invaded by rats. Trust me.

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Yup!

You just need to first deal with the "moving" ones that frequently comes in-n-out of the house, rid of them first (using spring traps, I know it's messy but you throw them away one-by-one when they are "filled up")..then after a week of no spring-trap activities, you then proceed to sealing off the hole.

Also: inspect it from the outside to see if there's any holes or crevices big enough for them to get in-n-out. Seal those holes/cracks accordingly.

Yeah, rats are difficult to deal with for they will "memorise" your inside house surroundings and work their way through to seek food and shelter. So you have to give them 3 ~5 days to let themselves off guard if you are to set spring traps.

Remember: for rats: use cut chicken hotdog sausage (slightly cooked) smeared with peanut butter on the spring trap. Guaranteed success!

(*was taught by my former manager whose parents live in the interior in a farm*)

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Also: I would not immediately/casually resort to using poisons or chemicals of any kind...humans get affected by it if not handled properly.

Traps are messy but still get the job done chemical/poison-free way...you just have to learn to become "cold-hearted" when dealing with rodents.

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