Rats are one of the most dangerous pests that can enter our homes. Rat infestations not only endanger the health of our families, but they can also cause incredible destruction inside our houses. The rats found in our area are commensal rodents, which means they are very comfortable living around people and associate us with food, water, and shelter.
As the weather gets cold, rats will find their way into our homes. Rats are a well-known pest for Marlborough pest control companies. Knowing the signs of rats to look out for on your property can help you stop a problem before it becomes severe. You can just read on to find out how to get rid of rats and keep them outside where they belong.
How To Tell If It’s Rats On Your Property
The following are some signs of rats that you can be on the lookout for:
- One of the first signs most people notice is rat droppings in their homes. You may find droppings along runways, in feeding areas, and near their nests.
- Rats are primarily nocturnal; you may hear scratching sounds at night from rats inside walls and ceilings.
- A common sign of a rat problem is seeing gnaw marks in your home.
- The most unmistakable sign is seeing an actual rat, dead or alive. Please be careful to avoid a potentially dangerous rat bite or when touching a dead rat because of the many diseases rats carry.
Finding any of the above evidence implies a rat infestation.
The Damage And Dangers Rats Can Create
If you have a rat problem in your home, it can cause havoc. Rats gnaw on anything available. Some rats are capable of chewing through plastic and lead pipes. Rats inside walls will gnaw on wires and spark electrical fires.
Perhaps even scarier than the damage they can cause are the number of diseases rats carry. Some rats in our area are known to spread jaundice, rat-bite fever, and cowpox virus.
They also bring other unwanted house guests like mites, lice, fleas, and ticks, who all carry their own diseases. Rat droppings can spread diseases like salmonella; rats contaminate every surface they touch.
Why It’s So Hard To Get Rid Of Rats On Your Own
Here are just a few of the reasons home rat control techniques fail:
- Rats breed incredibly quickly, so two rats in your home will soon multiply, sometimes even before you have seen a single sign of them.
- Rat control products sold in stores, like ultrasonic and electromagnetic devices, fail because rats are capable of becoming used to them and ignoring them.
- Rats have an excellent sense of taste and an incredible memory. They can identify something like rat poison from just a tiny taste of it.
- If you search the internet for “how to get rid of rats,” you will find ideas for rat prevention, such as peppermint oil and mothballs; unfortunately, neither is very effective.
- Over-the-counter products are often ineffective and can endanger pets and children if you misuse them.
Eliminating rats from your home on your own is not the safest or most effective method.
The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Rats On Your Property
So now you must be wondering how to get rid of rats. The most effective and safest way to eliminate rats from your home is to team up with a local company like Bug Bully Pest Control. Our technicians will work with you to remove rats from your property and can help you find the best rat prevention techniques for your home. You can contact us today for your free estimate to help you solve your rat problem.
