Rats are the most common pest rodent in U.S. homes and one of the most destructive. The most common rats in Tampa Bay are the Norway rat, the roof rat, and black rat. Adept at hiding, rats can infest your home without your knowledge.
Here’s what you need to know about a rat infestation. Plus, how to get rid of rats.
Rat Pest Control
Rat trapping
A successful rat control strategy focuses on an entire population, not just individual rats. In general, trapping is the most effective solution to a rat infestation. The number of traps set will vary based on the size of the population. Trutech will employ rat control like traps, rodenticides, and bat stations.
Generally, Trutech's rat trapping takes between five to fourteen days.
Rat Exclusion
Rats can squeeze through a 1/4 inch size hole. Seal cracks and openings in building foundations and any openings for water pipes, electric wires, sewer pipes, drain spouts, and vents. Rats cam gnaw away materials like wood, caulk, plastic, and aluminum.
Remediation
Rat droppings can spread numerous diseases. We remove rat feces and apply sanitization agents to the affected area. Ectoparasites like mites, lice, ticks, and fleas are all found on rats. Ectoparasite agents exterminate those pests.
Rats in the House
Rats crave the safety of a shelter. When a rat sees your home, it’s a shining beacon of safety that offers a steady supply of food and water.
Typically, rats make their way into your home through chimneys, exposed utility wire openings, or gaps in your roof tiles. All they need to get inside is a 1-inch hole. If there’s not a convenient opening to squeeze through, they can gnaw at smaller holes until they fit.
Once inside, rats tend to stay out of your daily path. Depending on your home, they might set up shop in the basement, crawl space, attic, walls, or another cozy spot.
Signs of Rat Infestation
The most common type of rat found in Tampa Bay are the Norway rat and roof rat. Woodrats and palm rats are also present but less prevalent as pest animals.
Although rats can quickly create a large presence in your home, they can be difficult to spot. Their natural tendency to avoid humans leads to scampering around your home, just out of sight.
Rat droppings are one of the most obvious signs of a rat problem. You will typically first notice rat droppings in the kitchen along your count, in drawers, cabinets, or pantry.
If you suspect a rat infestation, the signs will likely notice strange noises in your home. Rats can make rustling noises as they move around your home. Additionally, you might hear squeaking, hissing, chattering, or gnawing noises.
After hearing a potential rat on the loose, a careful look around your home could uncover physical clues of a rodent problem. You might find droppings, gnaw marks, tracks, smudge marks on the walls, or even a nest!
Problems with Rats
When you have rats in your home, they can cause damage and bring diseases.
Rats can reproduce quickly. In fact, a female Norway rat can produce 3 to 6 litters per year, with up to 12 young in each litter. So, a small rat problem can spiral out of control quickly. If you have a rat infestation on your hands, don’t hesitate to call in professional help. An experienced expert can help you spot the problem and find a solution for your property.
Rat Damage
In terms of physical damage, rats are known to gnaw at the structure of your home and electrical wires. Chewed electrical wires are estimated to be the cause of up to 20% of undetermined fires in the U.S. every year.
Health Hazards
Beyond damage to your home, rats spread dozens of diseases. A few of the diseases a rat might bring into your home include rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, and leptospirosis.
In many cases, a disease is spread when you ingest contaminated food. Rats and mice eat or contaminate at least 20% of the world’s food supply each year. So, if you suspect that a rodent has been roaming around your kitchen, don’t eat anything that could be contaminated.
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