How to get rid of rats
Rats and Mice invade homes in record numbers in the fall and winter months, looking for food and a more suitable place to spend the cooler months. The question many people ask us is, “How do mice and rats get into our home?”
Rats Can cause electrical fires with their gnawing of electrical wiring.
Rats & Mice have an amazing ability to squeeze through very small holes. A young mouse can easily squeeze through a hole smaller than a dime: a young rat can squeeze through a hole smaller than a quarter. Amazing, Isnt it? And if the opening is too small, they will often make it bigger by gnawing the edges until it becomes large enough to fit through it.
Openings around conduits, like electricity and phone lines, and water pipes, provide easy access indoors. Dryer vents and gaps around window air conditioner units are other common entry points. Rodents can also crawl up through drain pipes not properly capped, as well as under exterior doors that don’t seal well.
Rats reach roof areas easily by “tight-rope walking” along utility lines and tree branches, by climbing up pipes, and even through gutter downspouts. This enables them to enter through roof and chimney vents, cracks, around fireplace flashing, and through any other cracks and openings.
Surprisingly, Rats sometimes are inadvertently brought indoors hidden in bags, boxes, and used appliances or furniture. And they sometime scurry in through an open door or unscreened window.
Rats are persistent, and they find many ways to get indoors.
There is good news and it takes some basic knowledge to make sure these pests don’t intrude your humble abode.
As a Natural Pest Control Company , using poisons and traps is a last resort in removing rats, rodents, and mice. There are much better solutions and a little preperation will offer years of protection.
Seal Rats Out!
Once you have sealed out the rats, now its important to remove all readily available food sources. One of the most readily available food sources for rats is dog, and bird food. Put food down only during feeding time for pets and be sure to pick up the food when animals are not feeding. Free food will almost always make a rat problem worse.
Rats love clutter! Remove excess clutter!
Clutter and undisturbed clutter is an excellent cover for a rat nest and infestation. These areas form well for rats and their babies to survive and thrive. Look for shredded paper and the likes as this could mean a rat nest is close by. Urine smells usually indicate a rodent problem is near by. Fecal matter will almost always be present in these areas as well.
Believe it or not Rats and Mice are very afraid of you and typically would not attack you in any way unless cornered with no way out. Rodents simply live and die for 3 basic needs. Their prime existence revolves around food, water, and making little rodents. They are NOT there to eat you, attack you or sit and watch television with you while you eat your Bon Bons on the couch. The search for food, water and nesting materials/places remains the primary focus.
With this being said, these pests can cause a considerable amount of damage in order to achieve their goals, and must be removed from the home.
Rats and Mice prefer to be in areas where they are safe and hidden from predators, like birds, cats, even humans. Hiding and moving through things like wood piles, construction debris, bushes, garbage, trees, or anything else it can find keeps them hidden and undetected in most situations. Removal of these items, keeping the grass cut low, trimming trees away from the house, and placing dog food in plastic containers can help.
In most cases rats and rodents can be a serious challenge. If you feel you need a professional to take care of the problem for you, give us a call! Were here to help! 🙂