Pest Control Learning Center

What’s Buggin’ you?

RATS – YUK!

I have yet to find anyone who doesn’t get squeamish at the site and sound of these rodents. The mere sound of them scratching away in your attic as you lie awake at night is enough to bring some people to tears! And that initial fear is there for a reason. Rats can hurt you in a myriad of ways. But take heart, with good information and some due diligence, you can get these scurrying varmints under control. Yes, a good nights sleep is just around the corner!

First, let’s look at the threat these rodents pose to the human populace. As most of us are aware, rats are the vehicle by which many diseases are spread. An extreme example of this is the ‘Bubonic Plague’ which swept through Europe in the mid 1300’s causing the deaths of one third of the population. Not only do rats spread disease by carrying insects (such as fleas in the case of the plague), but they are also known to carry transmittable diseases such as Rat Bite Fever, Typhus, Salmonellosis, and Trichinosis. These diseases are spread by the rat excrement which is referred to as ‘droppings’. Rat droppings are usually soft, shiny and dark when fresh. After a few days the feces can be recognized as dry and hard, and when even older they become dull and grayish and crumble when pressed with a stick. Rat droppings can range in size and are usually up to ½ inch long, spindle shaped and can be curved or blunt (depending on the species of rat). Although disgusting, it is important to be able to identify the droppings in order to exercise caution in disposing and cleaning since bacteria which causes disease is commonly spread by direct contact.

Rats by nature are not predatory or aggressive animals, so it’s not likely that they will seek you out and eat you piece by piece or bite you as you sleep (even though this is a common fear). Rats are looking for many of the same things humans are; warmth, water, food and shelter from the elements. Foods such as grains, meats, fish, nuts, fruits, snails, slugs, avocados and citrus fruits are especially appealing to some varieties of rats. And where do they hang out? To make up for their poor eyesight rats are known to follow “odor trails”. Rats can commonly be found under piles of garbage and waste, rubbish and behind or under boxes, boards and thick vegetation. Rats also possess a keen sense of touch which is detected by the specialized hairs along their body and whiskers. They prefer continual body contact with at least one vertical surface (a fence or wall) as they travel. Tree branches which meet the rooflines of homes and other structures provide a feasible ‘highway’ to rats seeking to gain entry, however they are also known to climb, jump or swim through sewers entering through toilets or broken drains.

Keeping the health of the occupants of your home or structure as the first priority, we employ the use of rodent feeding stations among other methods of eradication. Because rats are especially sensitive to new objects placed into a familiar environment they are able to quickly detect and avoid traps for several days. Feeding stations placed in attics, subareas, and wherever droppings are found can be left in place and refilled with baits as necessary.

Rats are an unwelcome sight. Not only do they present a health hazard to humans but they can also be unnerving, disrupting your peaceful home or building. It is for this reason that we suggest quick and decisive action when signs of rats are noticed. The earlier the problem is addressed, the more effective the treatment will be.