Have You Seen This? When your wall is filled with rats, it's time to get a snake

In this video, a man appears to attempt a wild new form of pest control. ( Wild Vids, YouTube)


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THE WALL — At any given time, you're probably within a few inches or feet from insects, vermin and other creatures in your home.

We can pretend that's not true, but it's a fact of life. We will never be void of nature trying to find their homes in the places where we live.

While some of these creatures can be ignored (if you can), others will cause structural damage and major health hazards if you let them be. Plus, no one wants to listen to scratching and skittering in their walls like they're living in a horror movie.

To get rid of unwanted "guests," some people will DIY it with traps and sprays while others will have the exterminator on the phone in three seconds flat. But there's a special group of people that will get a little more creative.

In this video, you'll see one such creative idea in a dwelling that apparently has a rat infestation. Their technique is a simple five-step program.

  1. Cut a small, snake-sized hole into the drywall.
  2. Put a container and a makeshift lid under the hole.
  3. Gently guide a snake into the hole.
  4. As rats try to escape through the hole, remove the lid and use a broom to encourage the rat to drop into the container, then replace the lid.
  5. Repeat as needed until the snake reappears instead of another rat.

It's a fascinating and horrific process to watch.

That being said, this controversial video may also very well be a total set-up and fabrication, which will surely be a relief to some of you. Some say the rats don't look panicked enough, others say the people involved don't have enough stress in their voices, and many are skeptical that a snake would exit the wall instead of staying in a dark cozy environment that snakes love.

I don't have a definitive answer for you, but I can be a devil's advocate about each point. First, how do panicked rats look different from nonpanicked rats when exiting a hole? Second, if someone has used this process before, why would they sound stressed? It's just another day on the job. Lastly, although snakes can't really be trained, certain behaviors can be encouraged, so why not this behavior?

In conclusion, it is likely a set-up, but it's also not impossible. So you and your nightmares get to decide for yourselves.

Have You Seen This?

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Martha Ostergar

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