To Kill A MockingRat

Ok, maybe more than one. Apparently while we were gone a rat family decided to move in. At first we thought they were just regular field mice that we deal with every once in a while, but then we killed the first one and realized why it kept knocking things off of our shelves. It took a while to find a suitable bait. At first we were just fattening it up with things like cheese, apples and peanut butter. I think it was carefully setting off the trap, eating the yummy goodies we had left for it, and then resetting the trap hoping I would catch my fingers in it. This thing was huge. It finally met its match with an almond hershey's kiss.

Thinking we had the rat thing licked we settled into a complacent mindset. My wife walked without fear into the kitchen at night, even doing work with her back to the counters, enjoying a rat-less life. Then the power went off. Then we walked into the kitchen with our flashlights only to be greeted by another equally huge rodent. At least this time we knew how to kill it and it was swiftly dispatched of.

Now another rat lurks. It has been more quiet. There haven't been as many "traces" left around, although they are becoming more numerous. The big thing was that this one tore up one of my wife's curtains that hide the areas under our counters since Guatemalans don't believe in/can't afford cabinets and cupboards. So now I am sitting up and waiting. Waiting for that joyous snap that lets you know another one has bit the dust. It is very similar to the sound of the toaster letting you know your PopTarts are ready.

So on that note, anybody know how to keep rats from coming back? We don't use poison because of the dogs (who have apparently signed some sort of peace agreement with the giant rodents.) We've closed up all the places we think they come in, but our doors have to stay open during the day. Any suggestions would be appreciated.