Rats come under the Muridae family, which comes in the Rodentia order. And so they are also called rodents. They live in a burrow and enter the houses through the tinniest holes or gaps. They are quite intelligent. Despite their little body, they have the same ability to think and do things as dogs.
Plus, they are fast climbers and runners, making them tough to catch. They are also easily adapted to any environment. And can live on just an ounce of food and water. Therefore getting rid of rats is not a manageable task. Sometimes it even gets hard to recognize the symptoms of rat infestation. In that case, a community effort is the best option to prevent rats from making their shelter in any building.
Keep reading the article further to know all the guidelines for getting rid of the rats.
Why Is It A Difficult Task To Catch Rats?
Here are a few aspects due to which catching a rat can be considered relatively difficult.
Incredibly Flexible
Did you know rats only need a centimetre gap to enter any of the homes they like. They have an incredibly energetic and flexible body.
Attracted To Our Food
Rats are highly attracted to what humans consume daily. They are omnivores and can eat anything similar to what a human eats. Even if it’s the food preparation items such as grains and cereals. They also tend to make a shelter near or inside these items. So it is essential to properly arrange and keep the food items out of reach.
Skilful
Rats are highly skilful too. They are experts at unreachable. They exactly know when and for how long to hide. And they are beforehand ready with their secretive places. You can find here and contact a good rodent control as the professionals can catch the rats skillfully.
Rapid Reproduction
A female rat can produce 56 babies in a year. Their range of sexual intercourse lies in 8 weeks. And a single female rat goes through 8 reproductions in her life. It is alarming as rats are proven to carry lots of harmful diseases. Even a drop of their urine or saliva gets mixed in the food can cause severe conditions.
How Do They Get In
Before getting to prevention, we should acknowledge the ways that rats use to get inside your home.
- Through any little hole anywhere in the house. It can be in walls, pipes, stairs, and floors.
- By digging in your house garden and then entering through an opening of any door or window.
- Sometimes they might come from your food merchandise.
- Since they are the best climbers they also come through the rooftop if there are any cracks.
- Holes in the pipes and mess in the basement are two customary gateways for rats.
Looking For Rats
Now, let us know some of the tips to use while looking for rats in the above-mentioned places.
- The very thing first thing is to use all your listening skills. Listen for any rat sounds, such as squeaks and chirps. Especially in the basement or the locked room of your house.
- If you hear any sound, then gently start rearranging a few things. You can shift the materials of your basement or packages of a locked room. Also, the pieces of furniture that are stored at the same for a very long become an easy shelter for rats.
- Check for new borrow in your garden. Also, look in the hallways or sidewalks. The broken pipes, holes in the walls, and hollowness in stairs are the area to quickly search.
- Check the area of food supplies in your home. The droppings of food items are the direct calls for such creatures. You can also search for an unusual dropping from their side to locate their shelter in the house.
- You can also check for trails and signs around dusty areas. Or apply the most common trick and put a little amount of food where you suspect rats. Then patiently wait for the pawprints to show.
5 Simple Ways To Get Rid Of Them
Inspect The home
Think of every loophole possible and promptly check for it. Having a thorough check will also help you know what lets these rodents in your place. It is like getting to know your mistake. Research says a house inspection should be done after every six months.
Restrict Entries
After the complete inspection, restrict those entries with utmost care. All of the potential gaps must get eliminated as soon as possible. It is one of the best solutions to get rid of rats for a long. Simply seal the cracks and holes of your home with a permanent tool. As said earlier, even the tiniest gap is enough for the rats to enter with their flexible body.
Home Maintenance
Maintenance is one of the smartest and easiest methods to protect your house. People who possess gardens or a backyard should have a round clean-up in these places. As it is effortless to dig a tunnel without the homeowner being aware of it. Apart from that, the ones who live independently must maintain hygiene in the house frequently. Ensure that there is no mess or clutter stored for a long time.
Set The Right Trap
If you do not want to kill the rats., catch them in the act by setting the right trap. It is one of the most recommended techniques. Place the food or cheese in the trap tool and wait.
Try Home Remedies
Ammonia Liquid can be another simple solution to scare rats and make them leave your home. Also, rats dislike the smell of Onions and Peppermint Oil. You can put these near the potential entries and prevent them from entering. Pepper flakes or chillies also scare rats and can be used to make them stay away instantly.
Conclusion
Rodent problems and rat infestation are of urgent concern. It is best to contact a good rodent control company as it can help in catching the rats present in your space and protect you and your family members from any concern. We hope the tips mentioned above will help you to get off the rats. And do consider consulting a pest control specialist if the situation gets out of control.
