How To Get Rid Of Rats
Where there are people, there will be rats. Rats dwell where humans settle because they have learned through the ages that people can provide them resources – whether they are welcomed or not.
Food and shelter are essential for survival and rats find them for free living in the house with unwilling human owners.
No matter how we keep our homes clean, if there are rodents lurking in the shadows, home is not just that clean anymore. In fact, we have invented some ingenious ways of trapping and getting rid of rats.
Rats are large rodents than their near cousin the little mice.
They grow between 8-16 inches long and about ten ounces in weight. They usually hide in the attic, between the walls, or up the ceiling. They are nocturnal critters that eat almost everything edible to their taste.
Rats can also reproduce fast from six to twelve offspring in less than a month. In just four to five months, these young rats can produce another set of offspring.
Getting rid of rats can also prevent you and your family to catch diseases carried by these large rodents. Diseases like the bubonic plague, leptospirosis, rat-bite fever, and other harmful illnesses are carried by rats and usually are left behind by their saliva, urine, and stool.
They have also caused fire and other accidents due to their mindless gnawing and chewing cables, wires, and other damages to property. If neglected, rats can become the number one annoying pests in your home.
Here are some helpful tips in eliminating rats:
1. Clean up crumbs and keep food safely stored away
You do not want your food to get contaminated with rats’ waste so store them properly. Rats gnaw at food containers so find suitable durable containers to store food. Keep your place free from food crumbs to prevent attracting rats.
2. Block the rat’s possible passageways
Check your place for any holes or passageways that rats can use to get into your house. You can block these entry points with steel wool or caulking for the time being.
Get rid of unnecessary clutter or storage in attics and closets to discourage rats to hide in them.
3. Use suitable methods in getting rid of rats
Observe first by getting a rat trap. But, if they persist, it’s time to call the pest control for rodent removal.
4. Use proper gear in handling dead rats
After killing some rats, expect to have a dead carcass around your house. Locate them immediately and use proper plastic gloves and other protective gear in disposing of dead rats. Their dead bodies can still transmit diseases.
5. Rat repellants
There are electronic rat repellants available. Choose one that is effective and safe to use.
For natural repellants place mint plants in access doors and windows or soak peppermint oil on cotton balls to deter rats. Rats have a strong aversion to the scent of these.
Rats can be put under control with the right methods you do. For severe rat infestation, schedule a consultation with your pest control company.
