It is always better to prevent a problem before it occurs, rather than having to solve it later. This is especially true when it comes to pest control. When I called in a local pest control company to deal with an infestation of termites, I asked them to give me all of their best advice about how to prevent pest problems. The contractors gave me lots of useful info about the steps I can take to deter a range of different pests from setting up home in my property. I hope you find the articles I have published here useful.
Have you noticed signs of rats in your house? Do you often hear scratching and shuffling in the walls or ceilings of your house at night? Then it is possible that a family of rats has made themselves at home in your house. If this is the case, you need to locate and get of them as quickly as you can.
Rats are not only filthy, but they carry diseases that are harmful to humans. Brown rats, for instance, can spread heart-damaging bacteria to humans. If you suspect that rats are living alongside you in your home, then use the following information to help you locate their nest.
Rats Nest Near Food and Water Sources
If your home didn't have a steady supply of food and water, rats wouldn't build a nest in it. Water, especially, is crucial to rats' survival, and they need about one ounce per day in order to survive. But where will they be getting it? Are your taps leaking? Are any of the water pipes, such as the one under your sink, leaking? Check around your home for potential water supplies.
Regarding food, rats will make do with crumbs and food debris on messy floors, behind fridges, in the bottoms of cupboards etc. They will also eat other pests, like cockroaches, that inhabit your home.
Rats Nest Near Nesting Materials
Since rats need warmth, they will generally gravitate to the areas of your home where nesting materials are abundant. Nesting materials come in many forms, such as:
- Insulation material
- Piles of old clothes
- Old newspapers
- Cardboard boxes
- Old stuffed toys
- Discarded appliances or electronics
You can usually find these types of items in your loft, basement, storage room or garage. These areas are also close enough for rats to get to food and water sources available in your home. However, don't forget your kitchen appliances, like your refrigerator and dishwasher. These appliances provide warmth, shelter and water to nesting rats!
Act Quickly if You Discover a Nest
Did you know that a female rat could give birth to as many as 72 pups or baby rats per year? As a result, in just one year, a single female rat could cause a huge rat infestation in your house. If you discover evidence of rats, don't waste any time. Call a professional rat control service to locate and eradicate the nest before your rodent residents can breed and multiply.