Doing Rat Removal The Right Way

The presence of rats in your home can be the worst nightmare. These unwelcome visitors carry diseases and can pose a serious health hazard to your family. Also, they can be incredibly destructive and contaminate food when they come in contact with it.

It is, therefore, necessary to eradicate them from your place instantly. Unfortunately, you may not be aware of the rat problem in your premises until it’s already out of control. Don’t worry, as some options are still available to get rid of rats in the safest and most effective ways.

Rats And Disease

Rats are popular for carrying bacterial infections and a variety of dangerous diseases. The increasing rat population can ultimately put the lives of your loved ones at risk. Studies have shown that rats can also carry Hepatitis E and infect people with the strain.

With a gestational period of less than a month, it is easy to imagine how rats reproduce so quickly. The female rats can give birth to up to 2000 rat babies in one year – 22 young in a single litter. You can easily understand from these statistics how rapidly the situation of rat infestation gets out of control.

What Attracts Rats To Your Home?

Rat control can be challenging since they live everywhere. All they need is shelter and food to thrive. If your home provides the following things to rats, they will be your visitors.

Shelter

Rats are always in search of a good secure place to live in. In the wild, rats get shelter from grass, weeds, and other plants while they take refuge behind walls, under furniture, and in the dark corners of houses.

Rats typically enter a house through cracks or holes and prefer to stay in shadows. Once they have settled, they reproduce quickly and increase in number.

Food

Being an omnivore, a rat can eat almost anything available to them. These creatures constantly look for something to eat and are famous for scavenging through the trash.

They can survive on leftovers from food and also kill birds and lizards. Once rats find and obtain these sources, they’ll be your permanent visitors.

Water

Rats can consume enough water from their food and survive for months without drinking. However, they can easily find water in pipes and drains when required.

Signs Of A Rat Infestation

Several tell-tale signs can indicate the presence of rats in your home.

Sound And Smell

Rats can often be very noisy. They make scratching, squeaking, and rustling noises as they move around. On top of this, rats give off a characteristic ammonia smell, which can strongly indicate its presence in your home.

Droppings

Rat excretions are left behind as they move around your place. The droppings can be dark, small, and pellet-like. These can be especially found at entry points and around human or pet food.

Footprints

Rats leave smears and smudges along the walls as they move through your home. If you wonder if you have a rat infestation, look into the dark and dusty corners of your house. You will find footprints and tail marks of these unwanted visitors.

You can also sprinkle a fine layer of flour or baking soda on the floor and check for fresh footprints the next morning.

Damage

Not to forget, rats can wreak havoc in their wake. They can chew through electrical cables and gnaw on fruits, furniture, and paper, causing many problems. Additionally, the droppings and urine from rats can increase the risk of exposure to several diseases.

How To Get Rid Of Rat Infestation

Sanitation

Poor sanitation and leftover food give an invite to rats. Good hygiene and sanitation can prove helpful in limiting the number of rats around your place. Remove potential food and water sources from areas that attract rats and eliminate their hiding places.

Clean up the clutter and keep all the trash and food in closed bins. This way, rats won’t have access to any of them, and your house will remain free of these pests.

Rodenticides

Rodenticides, also known as “toxic baits,” are generally recommended for areas with large rat populations. The baits are formulated with a rodenticide and an attractant to control rats and rodents. It is better to call a professional like a rat exterminator trained to use rodenticides effectively and safely.

Traps

Consider trapping if you are not in favor of harsh poisons for eliminating rat infestation. This method is the safest and most humane rat removal way of controlling rats in your home and garages. However, placing the traps requires more skill, and you must place them in high-activity areas.

Snap traps are inexpensive and easily available in most hardware stores. They can be used multiple times and require bait to attract the rat.

An alternative to a snap trap is a glue board that catches and holds the rat attempting to cross it. Place the glue boards in the established runways and where rats travel. However, glue boards lose their effectiveness in dusty places and have only one-time use.

Natural Deterrent Methods

A couple of natural ingredients can come in handy in getting rid of rats. You can try spreading peppermint oil, black pepper, cayenne pepper, or cloves around your home’s exterior to limit the entry of rats. Also, sprinkling crushed pepper can irritate rats’ olfactory senses, thereby discouraging them from being your visitors.

Call For A Professional

You should contact a pest management company if you have an uncontrolled rat infestation. They can help you eliminate rats by identifying the entry points, locating their shelter, and getting them out of sneaky holes.

Conclusion

Rat control can be challenging, but it is still possible with several effective methods. These creatures are disease carriers and cause huge damage to your home. You can try any of the remedies mentioned above to control rat infestation. Contact SWAT Wildlife today to learn more about how we can solve your rat infestation! Don’t wait any longer.