How To Get Rid Of Rats In The Roof This Winter
Our latest blog offers tips on how to get rid of rats in your house fast this winter, and how Rentokil can assist with controlling a rat or mouse problem.
Its winter, which means that like many of us rodents are looking for somewhere warm and cosy to spend their days. For homeowners, this means an increased likelihood of rodents trying to make their way inside your property to set up home, and an increased likelihood that you might be hearing noises in the roof . Our Rentokil contact centre has seen an increase in customers contacting us regarding rodents at home.
So how do your make sure that your home stays rat-free this winter? Do any of those D-I-Y home remedies or natural rodent repellents such as mothballs actually work?
Let’s take a quick look at some of the most common home remedies suggested for rodents:
1. Mothballs
Do they keep rodents away? To put it simply no. Mothballs were considered by some to be an effective rodent control method because they contain naphthalene a pungent smelling white, solid substance. When inhaled or consumed it can cause blood cells to lose their oxygen-carrying properties.
2. Peppermint oil
It makes your home smell nice and it gets rid of rats and mice. Surely this must be the perfect rodent repellent, right?
3. Ultrasonic rodent repellent devices
Get Help With Rat Control From Catseye Pest Control
If you suspect a rat infestation, dont try to handle the situation on your own.
These rodents quickly reproduce, and the population can quickly explode, creating more damage and chances of possible health issues. At the first signs of roof rats, contact Catseye for efficient, effective removal and control, starting with a free, detailed inspection.
What Not To Do
These are some common solutions that people recommend, none of which have proved to work effectively:
- Mothballsmothballs contain a chemical called naphthalene which deters rats. However, mothballs dont contain enough of the chemical to be effective.
- Strong scentssome people suggest using items with strong scents to deter rats, like ammonia, peppermint oil, or chilli flakes. Unfortunately, theres no evidence to suggest that these products work. The rats probably just get used to the smell.
- Catscats are great at catching mice, but not so good at catching rats.
- Sound devicesyou can buy products that emit high-frequency sounds that rats dislike. However, they arent proven to have a lasting effectas with strong smells, the rats get used to them.
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If You Have Roof Rats In Your Attic Space
While the recommended technique for getting rid of rats in your roof space is similar to that used to catch mice, there are still differences between the two species.
For example, the difference in size and strength between rats and mice justifies the use of larger traps. Also, unlike mice, which are curious creatures, rats flee new objects in their environment. Thats why its best to scatter traps in the attic for a week before you start baiting and engaging them.
If you notice that the traps are disappearing , securely attach the traps to the floor of your attic.
How Do You Know If You Have Roof Rats
One surefire sign of roof rats is seeing one, either dead or alive. However, these animals are nocturnal like most other rodents, so you might not see them at all. Instead, its possible to notice other common signs of roof rats, such as:
- Droppings: Roof rat droppings are approximately 1/2 inch long with pointed ends.
- Gnaw marks: Roof rats often chew on household goods, packages of food, and wooden structures.
- Sounds: Rats often make clawing or screeching sounds at night, particularly in the attic or walls.
- Rub marks: Tracks of dark, greasy marks from the rats moving along walls, rafters, and fixtures become noticeable.
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How To Get Rid Of Pack Rats
does have some benefits over baiting. It supplies an option for those who do not wish to place rodenticides. If the rat population is little enough, trapping can yield quick outcomes when done correctly. Lastly, trapping ensures that you can deal with the dead rats prior to their odor becomes a problem in an inaccessible location getting rid of pack rats.
For protection against accidental poisoning, use tamper-resistant bait stations that hold the baits in location and keep kids and animals out. It is a national law and guideline to utilize tamper-resistant bait stations in locations where kids or pets can access. We carry single feed bait Rat Baits are available in pellets, meal, and block kinds.
After you have actually followed the sanitation measures outlined above you can start the rat elimination process. There are several techniques offered for both indoor and outdoor rat control and you should select the technique that best fits your needs and preferences. Products required: selected trap, bait for trap Trapping is the favored approach of indoor control.
Trapping does not need using rat toxins inside. Trapping does permit you to know if a rat has actually been trapped so that you can be sure your efforts are working. And last, trapping allows you to remove the carcass to prevent bad smells and secondary insect infestations from rotting carcasses.
Keep Your Garden Clean
Rats dislike open spaces, so keep your lawn and garden trimmed, clean, and clutter-free this is the best way to discourage them from setting up shop. Trim your grass often, remove piles of wood or leaves, close and lock all storage sheds and patch any holes in the siding and seal exterior garbage bins. Finally, make sure rats dont have access to food outside your home. Clean up fallen fruits, vegetables in the garden, or pet and bird food.
These simple tips will go a long way toward reducing rat populations.
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How To Get Rid Of Rats In The Yard
Even if theres no access point for rats to enter your home, rats in your yard can still be dangerous nuisances. While living in the shrubs and trash around your home isnt as ideal for the rat as staying in your cozy attic, it presents problems for you. The rat itself is likely to tear up flower beds and might eat or damage fruits, vegetables, or herbs that you plant. Furthermore, its almost inevitable that outdoor rats and your pets will run into each other at some point.
Cats and dogs have strong rat-hunting instincts, and this can lead to fights that theres no winning. While only smaller cats and dogs are likely to suffer a fatal rat attack, getting bitten by a rat or eating a dead rat can cause serious bacterial infections. A curious pet licking the feces that a rat will drop all over your yard could also come down with a serious illness.
When you start trapping rats in the outdoors, its necessary to take greater precautions compared to setting traps in the garage or basement. Even if you hide a trap in thick shrubbery, its still likely to attract and injure animals that you didnt intend to hurt, especially neighborhood pets. One workaround is using a milk crate with heavy objects on top of it to use the contortionist skills of a rat against it.
What Do Roof Rats Do
Smaller in size and with longer tails than Norway rats, roof rats are well adapted for climbing vines, wires and narrow ledges. Skittish, smooth-furred and not well adapted to cooler temperatures, roof rats are often mistaken for house mice.
Though they may be cute, these critters can cause major damage by chewing on housing materials and eating stored foods. In late fall, roof rats seek out warm nesting sites like the upper levels of your home or garage. Becoming sexually mature in a matter of months, roof rats typically have five to eight pups per litter and four to six litters per year.
Though they will eat meat and grain, these adorable beasties love to feed on fresh fruit, plant materials, nuts, seeds, vegetables, tree bark and even bird feed.
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Use Natural Deterrent Methods
When it comes to getting rid of rats, a few simple, natural ingredients can go a long way.
Try these natural options:
- Spread peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, or cloves around the homes exterior to prevent the rats from entering the house in the first place. Apply your substance of choice generously along the line between your foundation and the ground.
- Sprinkle crushed pepper near rat openings and holes. This will irritate the rats noses and airways and discourage them from reentering your home.
Roof Rat Control: How To Get Rid Of Roof Rats
This page is a general Roof Rat control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you will get control of Roof Rats. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of Roof Rats.
Roof Rats infestations can happen to homes and businesses.
Roof Rats have a slender body and weight about 11 to 14 ounces. Their fur is generally grayish in color. They have pointed noses, as opposed to Norway Rats which have blunted noses. They have large eyes and large ears.
Roof Rats are often above in high places, like tree lines, and in fence rows. They can occupy both rural and suburban areas, as usually find shelter high up in structures in second stories or in attics.
Roof Rats enter structures in search of food and shelter. In some instances, they may harbor and nest in one property, and feed or look for food sources in another one. The winter and the cold months might drive them indoors to escape the weather.
Roof Rats like all rodents are capable of transmitting a number of diseases including murine typhus, salmonellosis, plague, among others. They also carry fleas and ticks which can be transferred to human and pets, and with their chewing habits can wreak havoc on wiring, which could lead to house fires.
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What Are Roof Rats And How Do You Get Rid Of Them
Have you been hearing rustling in your attic lately? Well, it could be roof rats. So, what exactly are roof rats and how do you get rid of them? Many of our customers have experienced roof rats in their attic. While forcing roof rats to leave is best handled by a pest control company we wanted to help by sharing what exactly roof rats are, signs you have roof rats and how to get rid of them.
How Long Do Rats Live
How long do rats live? It depends on circumstance, species, and luck. Pet rats have lived as long as four years with optimal care, nutrition, and a suitable environment. However, these are luxuries that wild rats cant count on, and it shows in the relative shortness of their lifespan. Rats suffer fairly high rates of mortality early in life, and less than half will make it to one year of age in the more long-lived species. Some common rat species live to around a year, while others can make it two years fairly often. Even in these species, though, its extremely rare to see a rat live to three years old in the wild.
In short, the answer to how long does a rat live is not very long. That said, whether a rat lives for as little as a year or three, it will be able to reproduce many times over. The fast pace of their life cycle means that even with high rates of juvenile mortality, the average rat will have dozens or hundreds of offspring that make it to sexual maturity.
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The Complete Guide To Getting Rid Of Pack Rats
The most typical rats in the U.S.A. are Norway Rats and Roof Rats. But, getting rid of pack rats is also a major concern. A quick look at the routines of these rats will help you understand how to examine and control the rat population. Norway rats are bigger than the smaller, and sleeker Roofing Rats. Roof rats have bigger ears and a longer tail than the Norway rat.
Roofing Rats occupy attics, upper stories, and exterior vegetation. Norway rats occupy lower portions of the building and the ground. Roof Rats are predominate in coastal locations. Usually, Roofing system rats remain within 100 miles inland. Roofing system rats are discovered in more temperate climates, given that they do not do well in cooler temperature levels.
Are Roof Rats Dangerous
The urine and droppings from roof rats can pass diseases. Saliva from roof rats can also pass bacteria via touching places where they have gnawed. Fleas that bite rats can also transmit diseases like bubonic plague.
Roof rats can also chew electrical wire in your home or in your car, which can cause fires or short circuits.
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How To Get Rid Of Roof Rats In Your Aiken Sc Attic
None of the pest species found in the Aiken area are quite as dangerous as the humble roof rat. These pests measure up to a foot long in some cases, dragging around large, scaly tails and a pair of sharp teeth. Unlike mice, roof rats are very aggressive and have been known to attack people and pets when threatened.
Some of the most common roof rat characteristics include:
- Grey, brown, or black color patterns
- Shortened whiskers
Roof rats are hazardous pests to find around Aiken homes and businesses. Learn all about how these pests operate and the many ways to prevent their intrusion in the sections below.
What Damage Do Roof Rats Cause
Besides leaving droppings and urine that create a health hazard, roof rats can also cause damage to your home. Roof rats chew holes in your soffit and eaves to gain access to the attic. Once inside, they can cause all sorts of damage by:
- Chewing on wires and causing electrical and fire hazards
- Gnawing on wood beams in the attic
- Chewing on pipes and causing water damage
- Trampling down insulation, decreasing its usefulness
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Signs Of An Infestation Of Roof Rats
You wont always see roof rats because they are nocturnal and forage for food at night. However, you need to know the signs of infestation that can alert you to their presence. Once found, you can take the proper control measures.
One of the most obvious signs of an infestation is roof rat droppings. Roof rat droppings are smaller than those of Norway rats. The droppings are about 0.5 in long with pointed ends. Other signs of a roof rat infestation include:
- Gnawing or scratching noises in the attic or walls
- Gnaw marks around the homes roof or eaves
- Spotting them running on tree limbs, power lines, roofs, patios, and in fruit trees
- Hollowed-out fruit if you have fruit trees
- Gnawing damage to electrical wires in the home
- Pets showing signs of stress and agitation
- Grease trails and marks as they travel regular routes through the home
- Nests found in the insulation of your home
Once inside, the roof rat population can grow rapidly. A female can have a litter of five to eight babies. In warm, tropical regions, roof rats breed year-round, and females can have up to three litters a year.
How Do You Get Rid Of Roof Rats
To get rid of roof rats, you must do the following:
- Figure out how they get inside your house. Seal any cracks, gaps, spaces, or holes, and make sure that your vents and windows are screened.
- Trim down shrubs and trees.
- Clean up any potential food sources such as fruits fallen from trees.
- Keep your home clean, particularly in nesting sites such as under the fridge, cupboards, and the stove.
- Eliminate any piles of wood or debris.
- Keep your garbage tightly covered.
- Store dry food and pet food in sealed containers.
- Avoid leaving pet food outside.
- Remove any outdoor sources of water, including birdbaths, leaky sprinkler heads, etc.
- Use snap traps, electronic devices, or a mixture of bait and poison in getting rid of roof rats.
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Most Common Types Of Rats In North America
When it comes to rat infestations in America, there are three species that are the most common. The two most common species are Old World rats that came to America as stowaways on ships. Roof Rats have largely stayed near the places where they arrived and are most common in seaports, coastal cities, and the American South, where they spread with cargo boats traveling the river network.
Norway Rats are the most common species throughout the United States and are particularly widespread in urban areas. You can find them just about anywhere, and the wide footprint of this species means that infestations overlap with other Old World rats as well as new world species.
The third major rat species in America is the Pack Rat, a New World species that adapted to life in the deserts of the Southwest. While they dont follow human settlement in the way Old World rats do, expanding urbanization in Nevada, Arizona, and other states in this area has made Pack Rat infestations more common.
Norway Rats
Rattus Norvegicus have brown fur and a long tail. While the scientific name of this species calls back to their common name, they actually arent from Norway. Where did Norway rats come from, then? Its likely that Norway rats actually originated in China, home of some of the oldest large cities in civilization. After flourishing in these cities, they spread to the corners of the earth.
Roof Rats
Pack Rats
