Rats are one of the most destructive pests in a home! They eat through anything they encounter and carry harmful diseases that can be a considerable health liability to your household or business. The last thing any homeowner would want is a house sprawling with rats. So, what can you do to avoid this? Here are valuable tips you can use to keep rats at bay and when it would be best to call your local rat exterminator.
What do rats need to survive?
Rats need water, food, and shelter like most living beings to thrive. If you can keep these three resources from a rat’s reach, you have drastically minimized the chances of having them around your home, especially when it’s hot outside.
What do rats eat?
Rats will feed on almost anything that they can get their hands on. Usually, brown rats are opportunistic feeders and will eat whatever is available to them when they get the urge. Take a look around your house for possible food sources, including pet food left out in the open, compost piles with fruit scraps or meat products exposed, uncovered garbage cans outside your home, and even dirty dishes in the sink.
Where do rats live?
Rats like to make their homes within easy access to food, water, and shelter. They may use your attic as a place for nesting or take up residence under your house or porch if it has an opening leading into these places, such as vents, pipes, cracks, and crevices.
What are signs you have rats in your house?
Rats are nocturnal creatures and will avoid human contact at all costs. But if you find droppings, gnaw marks or dirty footprints around your home, that might indicate rats having taken up residence in these parts. Also, look out for the following signs:
– Urine trails on floors
– Rat holes to mark their territories
-Dead rats
– Rat tracks with their four feet imprints
-Small and black pellet-like droppings
How do you keep rats away?
Now that you know what to look for when trying to identify possible rats nests or food sources, here are some precautions that might help with keeping them away:
Seal holes and cracks
The first thing you want to do to rat-proof your home is to seal any holes or cracks that may allow rodents to enter your home. Rats can squeeze themselves into tiny spaces, making it relatively easy for them to gain access through openings and gaps in the foundation of your house. Any opening larger than ¼ inch should be sealed using durable materials such as metal mesh, sheet metal, or caulk. Use steel wool to fill the gaps around electrical outlets, floorboards and ventilation systems.
Make sure you don’t leave dishes in the sink overnight
Rats also tend to look for food scraps, and they will readily feed on leftover foods such as bread, meat, fruit peels, or vegetable trimmings left at night in sinks or just outside. Keep all pet food scraps securely inside airtight containers and always wash dishes thoroughly before leaving them overnight.
Maintain a clean yard
Rats may also reside under fruit trees or wooded areas, but they may come out to look for food scraps if your property is not well-maintained. Make it a priority to keep the grass cut short, remove any piles of leaves or branches and make sure there are no piles of trash on your property.
Take out and seal the trash
An unkempt and unsanitary yard can also attract roof rats. Make sure your garbage cans are well-sealed not only to avoid attracting rats but other pests as well, such as mice, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. Use trash bags with a tightly secured knot at the top or place them inside sturdy metal bins with tight-fitting lids.
Trap rats
Although trapping may sometimes seem like an efficient method to reduce rat populations, you should know that it is only a temporary solution. It will solve the rat problem in your property but won’t help with other areas where rats can enter once they are out. If the rat populations continue to increase, then it could result in them multiplying even more than before.
Use repellents and rat poison
There are many commercial repellents that you can use to keep rats away from your home.
Call a pest control company
Although there are some DIY options you can try, they won’t guarantee a lasting solution to your problem. An exterminator has the proper training and equipment to handle pests such as rats. Many pest management companies offering pest control services will be able to assess where these rodents may have invaded your property or burrowed through its foundation to determine what needs to be done for the effective eradication of rats. A pest control professional is a sure way of preventing a rat infestation in any part of your property.
Are rats dangerous?
Rats can be dangerous to humans and can still cause severe damage to your property. The droppings, urine, and hair these rodents leave behind may pose numerous health risks to you or people living in the house. If you have rat infestations within the house’s exterior walls, you may also experience the unpleasant smell of these rodents.
Contact Pest Control Now!
If you are wary of an imminent rat infestation on your property, the best thing to do is contact an exterminator. At Anteater Pest Control, we have the resources and methods to kick these pesky pests out of your living space for good. We use both chemical and natural pest management techniques and tailor our services to your preferences. Call us today!