Rats are the unwelcome visitors you never want to see scurrying about your house. These filthy creatures wreak havoc and spread disease wherever they go. To keep them from establishing a nest in your home, make sure there’s nothing in the house that could attract them.
Important Factors That Attract Rats to Your Residence
1. Coziness and warmth
Rats enter homes for the same reasons every other animal does: food, water, and shelter, according to Cox. “As warm-blooded animals, rats and other rodents have a natural desire to seek out a warm area to nest.”
And in their search for a nice place to lay their weary tails, these rodents can cause quite a bit of havoc.
“Rats can construct nests and acquire food inside your home by gnawing through wood, insulation, and wiring,” Cox explains. “They can also short out your appliances, and they’re a common cause of house fires.”
2. Food—every kind of food
What draws rats in? The answer is simple: food! Rats aren’t fussy when it comes to food. Milk, meat, vegetables, soap, leather, and fur are all acceptable to them. This is why, according to Robert Benanti, broker and owner of 365 Realty in Orlando, FL, “the first thing that attracts rats to a property is waste bins, if they are not well-covered with lids.”
Rats will sniff for any unsecured food in your home, such as sacks of pet food, birdseed, or even grass seed.
3. Composting and pet waste
On the subject of food, if rats are drawn to all sorts of food, they are also drawn to digested food. To them, your compost pile or a yard filled with dog excrement is a Vegas buffet.
4. Pipes that drip
A thirsty rat is a busy rat, after all.
“Rats require a regular source of water, and if they can’t find it outside, they will seek it out within,” explains Orkin entomologist Chelle Hartzer.
Do you have a minor leak in a pipe? Or drippy sprinkler heads, outside pet water containers, or even a birdbath? When rats see a watering hole, they will stay for the easy hydration.
5. Convenient access
Rats don’t knock on the door and ask to be let in. (I’m assuming you’re thinking of vampires.) A rat can squeeze through a hole or crack in your home that is larger than a half-inch in diameter.
“They can climb trees,” Cox adds, “so this is a frequent way for them to gain access to your attic.” Rats can also enter your home through soffits and vents on the roof.
6. Houseplants
“Rats are attracted to indoor fruit plants and nut trees, especially roof rats, who will seek out fruit,” Hartzer explains. Furthermore, “rats frequently use huge, potted plants as a safe haven indoors.”
What attracts rats and how may they be kept at bay?
Ask any rodent expert, and they’ll tell you the same thing: “Getting rodents to go on their own is extremely tough and not certain to work,” adds Cox. “We preach that preventing infestations is easier than removing them.”
To do so, follow these steps:
Look for any possible leaks. Make it a habit to do this on a regular basis. If you locate any, seal or repair them as soon as possible.
All food should be kept in plastic containers. Cox points out that rats can chew through cardboard.
Put a tight-fitting lid on your trash can. Rather from leaving food out both day and night, Cox recommends feeding your pets on a schedule.
Consider yourself a rat. Look around the outside of your house for easy entrance points.
Roof Rats: Are They Dangerous?
When they are threatened, all rats can become aggressive. You may be bitten or chased by them. A roof rat bite can transmit disease, including rat-bite fever, which is transmitted to humans via a bite or scratch. Rat-bite fever symptoms appear within a few days to a few weeks. Because the bite or scratch may have already healed by the time symptoms appear, it’s crucial to know what they are:
Rash, Vomiting, Fever, and Muscle and Joint Pain
Be warned that some rodent-borne diseases can be lethal to people if not treated properly. Finding a rat control near me in Raleigh can be difficult, let us help!
What Are the Consequences of Roof Rats?
Roof rats can do damage to your home in addition to contaminating it with their droppings and urine. To get access to your attic, roof rats eat holes in your soffit and eaves. Once inside, they can inflict a wide range of harm by:
Chewing on wires and posing a fire and electrical danger
In the attic, gnawing on wood beams
Pipes are being chewed on, resulting in water damage.
Insulation is being trampled on, reducing its usefulness.
The Importance of Hygiene
Roof rats will not return to your home unless you maintain proper sanitation. Here are some helpful hints on sanitation:
Make certain that all garbage cans have tight-fitting lids.
Collect trash and rubbish debris on a regular basis.
Give your pet no more food than he or she can consume in a single day. Store pet and animal foods in metal containers with lids.
Cereals and other dry goods should be stored in airtight containers.
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