Outdoor Pest Control - Rat Problem Under a Small Basement Window

I have a very small area under a small basement window (maybe 2 x 1 foot) in my front yard that may have been used for planting flowers. However, right now it is just dirt and I have not plant anything there. Last year, I started seeing small holes in that area and I suspected that they are rat holes (I could see the drops). I called the city … someone came and added some poise into the holes and covered the holes. This process was repeated two or tree times and I stopped seeing the evidence of rats (droppings) but the holes came back. This time, I added some rat poison into the holes and covered the holes few times myself. After a while the holes came back but now I do not see any evidence of rat themselves – that is no dropping). Now I am just wondering if the holes are coming back since I truly never filled the holes and just lightly over them. Am I being naive to think that maybe I do not have rat problems anymore and if I fill the holes with dirt completely, I should be OK? Once I know I do not have a problem, I am planning on covering that area with cement or small stones. (by the way I do not feel bad about using rat poison because the area in question is out of the way and it is in a corner. I hope I am right about that). Thanks for any suggetions.

The only way to know for sure that the rats are gone is that there are no more signs of them. Covering the holes with dirt will tell you that they are still exiting and/or entering. If you see no signs, then the rats are gone.

Using poison outdoors can be harmful to pets, desirable wildlife, and children. If the poison was placed in the holes, then poison was inaccessible except to the rats.

An issue that comes to mind is the area beneath the basement window in regard to drainage and moisture issues. If you could post a picture at www.photobucket.com (http://www.photobucket.com) of this area, then we can take a look at it and provide more input.

Most basement windows tend to be little windows with window wells which, if not properly filled and drained, can cause water in the basement when they fill up with rain and melting snow. Since you describe the window as being approximately 2x1, it sounds as if you need a window well installed along with a French drain and the well filled with gravel. The drain needs to slope in order to carry the water away from the foundation. It is tied in to another drain, a drainage ditch, or a dry well to collect the water.

Covering the area with cement or stones does not sound appealing as far as perimeter landscaping and poses the potential for drainage problems.

The least expensive are metal window wells which have been around for a long time. Improvements over the years, however, have made window wells more attractive. Example:
http://www.mar-flex.com/residential/images/bwwa/WWSample1.jpg
Photo Credit: Mar Flex

Because window wells have a boring view of the inside of the well. Window well decorators have come up with pictures of scenery for lining the window well and providing a view.
http://www.scenicwindowwells.com/Assets/new_design_10.3.gif
Photo Credit: scenicwindowwells

Because basement bedrooms now require an egress window, window wells are being dug deeper and larger windows installed to meet building codes. Window well materials have also become more sophisticated, such as those that look like natural stone.
http://myhomeredux.typepad.com/blog/images/window_well.jpg (http://myhomeredux.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/window_well.jpg)

Photo Credit: My Home Redux

There are also window well covers to keep out snow and leaves. Grills available for security.

Here's a good read on the basics of window wells: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20268-2004May12.html

Hi Sbglobe,

Some really great advice from Twelvepole. To be certain that there is no longer a pest, sprinkle the area with flour. Inspect in the morning to see if there are any tracks. Look for snake tracks as well. Here's what the different tracks of critters look like.

Snakes:
http://www.bear-tracker.com/snake.html
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=snake+tracks&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Lizards:
http://www.bear-tracker.com/lizard.html

Deer mouse:
http://www.bear-tracker.com/deermous.html

Chipmunk:
http://www.bear-tracker.com/chipmunk.html
http://dirttime.ws/Notebook/Chipmunk.htm

Woodrat:
http://dirttime.ws/Notebook/Woodrat.htm

Groundsquirrel:
http://dirttime.ws/Notebook/GroundSquirrel.htm

Vole:
http://dirttime.ws/Notebook/Vole.htm

Assorted, but click on 'White-footed mouse' here to enlarge:
http://www.cityofmelrose.org/departments/Conservation/files/tracks/tracks.jpg

Newt

THANK YOU so very much for your respond Twelvepole. Sorry for delay in my respond – it took me a while to take the pictures. In any case, that was my objective – to completely fill the holes with dirt and see if they will come back. Thank you again for confirming my steps.

The poison I used was added directly onto the holes and no where else. Thank you for confirming that process too!

Actually, there is drainage there. The downspout goes under the dirt and there is a hole at the bottom of the wall for drainage (Pictures # 3). The small window is new and pretty tide (I think) since I have not noticed any water in the basement since I owned the house (last two + years). Here are the pictures:

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll275/sbglobe/pic001.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll275/sbglobe/pic002.jpg
http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll275/sbglobe/pic003.jpg

Newt thank you for your suggestions too – just because I do not see any drops may not be enough to assume the rats are gone. To do your suggestions, I have to wait a bit – it has been raining here non-stop since Sunday and will continue to rain tomorrow too :-(. So, I have to wait for sun

THANK YOU AGAIN!

Newt thank you for your suggestions too – just because I do not see any drops may not be enough to assume the rats are gone. To do your suggestions, I have to wait a bit – it has been raining here non-stop since Sunday and will continue to rain tomorrow too :-(. So, I have to wait for sun

THANK YOU AGAIN!

You are very welcome! Here's wishing you sunshine. :)

Newt

What you have appears to be more like a raised bed instead of a window well. I'd cover the the affected area with metal mesh hardware cloth to prevent future intrusion in that area by rodents or snakes. Let the ivy bed extend in that area. A big pot of flowers to add a splash of color would also look good sitting in that area.

Let the ivy bed extend in that area.

If you do let the ivy grow there, be very very diligent to keep it off your house.

Newt

There's a downpipe thrust into the soil. You say it's been raining nonstop and the holes have reappeared. Of course surface soil will collapse as "holes" when the subsoil washes out from under it.

I'd dig out the end of the downpipe just to make sure it doesn't connect to anything. Assuming it doesn't, better have the discharge land on a flat stone. Better yet, send it out of that confined space.