Rat Extermination and Control are Critical to Health and Home Integrity
Rodent infestations are dangerous to your family’s health, the integrity of your house, and the local environment. Rats are nocturnal, timid creatures. If you see them, especially during the day, you likely have an infestation.
Nobody wants to share their home with rodents.
Why Is Rat Extermination Necessary?
Rats love to chew. Over time they damage wood, metal, pipes, wires, and possessions.
Rats that cannot get into the home will invade the garage. As they love to chew wires they can damage your vehicle and increase the risk of fire.
Rats spread disease by contact with them, fleas, urine, and feces. They also contaminate food. The diseases they spread range from salmonella to hantavirus.
While these illnesses vary in severity, all are concerning. Children, the elderly, the ill, and pregnant women are most at risk from contamination.
Signs of Rodent Infestation
Some of the most common signs of rat infestation:
Droppings
Rat droppings are one of the first signs of infestation. They can be found singly or in groups. They range in size from ½ to ¾ of an inch. Dark in color, you often find them in corners and along baseboards.
Feces
Small puddles that look like grease along baseboards and the floor. Rats urinate almost constantly. It has a distinctive, musky odor.
Gnawing
Rats chew on everything. Signs of gnawing on wood and plastic are cause for concern.
Sounds
While nocturnal, rats make sounds when moving, playing, and nesting. Scuttering sounds in the walls and under the floor at night may indicate the presence of rats.
Nesting
Rats nest in small, dark, out of the way places. Finding a nest of warm, soft material in a drawer, a box, or a crawlspace reveals a rat control problem. Materials range from paper to insulation.
Rat Trails
Rats compress grass in the yard and leave grease stains along floors and walls. Regular passage keeps grass from returning to its former shape.
Excitable Pets
Pets can smell rodents. If your cat or dog is more nervous than normal, it may be a sign of rodent problems.
Rats
You are more likely to find a corpse than a live rodent. Unless you are lucky enough to see a rat early, their open presence is generally a sign of advanced infestation.
Why Infestations Occur
Sanitation is a primary reason for infestation. While rats love dirty homes, they are attracted to food left out too long. Leaks and wood damage also draw them.
Older buildings attract rats due to the amount of wood used in construction.
Construction in the area causes migration. If someone in your neighborhood is building or remodeling it might send rats your way.
Inclement weather drives rats into homes.
Rat Control
Rat extermination is only the first step in an ongoing process. Contact us today to learn more about our customized pest control service or to schedule a free inspection to determine if you need rat removal.
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Rats in Seattle
Roof Rats
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