It can happen to anyone at any time. As soon as you see one hint of it, your business or home can go from comfy to cringe-worthy. What could have caused such havoc?
Rats.
The small hairy four-legged creatures may cause havoc on any structure and its occupants. Rats not only inflict property damage, but they also pose a health risk to humans and domestic animals by carrying diseases. If you’ve seen one, you’re undoubtedly curious about what kills rats instantly.
What Do Rats Look Like?
Rats are toothy rodents that originated in Asia and Australia and have since spread all over the world. There are more than 60 rat species, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
Rats can be small – about 5 inches long – or enormous – approximately the size of a large housecat and weighing five pounds or more.
Rat Traps are a simple and effective way to catch rats.
Rat traps can be a good way to get rid of rats. There are various sorts to pick from, but it’s best to stay away from any sophisticated or difficult-to-set-up traps. Choosing a trap can be difficult, especially if you are unfamiliar with each variety. An expert in Raleigh rat removal service will be able to identify if rats are in your attic during the winter.
What Are the Necessities of Rats?
The answer is a resounding no.
Rats are challenging pests to control since they live everywhere. As long as humans are around to give rats the following three things, they’ll thrive:
Food
Rats are omnivores, so they’ll eat anything available to them. Although rats are best known for scavenging through trash and eating food that’s left out, some rats will kill small animals like birds and lizards for food.
Water
Rats can survive for a month or more without directly drinking water. This is because they consume enough water in the foods they eat. When they need to drink water, rats can usually find enough in drains, pet dishes, or the condensation in the pipes or walls.
Shelter
In the wild, rats get the shelter they need from weeds, grasses, and other plants. In homes, rats will take refuge under furniture, behind walls, or in dark, seldom-used corners of the house.
They’re also famous for making nests inside of and under appliances.
Rats Reproduce Rapidly
Female rats can mate up to 500 times in just six hours, and brown rats can give birth to up to 2,000 babies in a single year – with up to 22 young in a single litter. Considering rats have a gestational period of less than a month, it’s easy to see how populations quickly get out of control.
As rat populations start to grow in or around your home, you’ll also notice an increase in droppings and damage.
Rats & Disease
Increasing rat populations also puts you at risk of contracting rodent-borne illnesses. Rats are famous for carrying a variety of dangerous diseases. They’ve recently been shown to be carriers of Hepatitis E and infecting people with the strain. Many of them carry the disease typhus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
How To Get Rid Of Rats In The House Fast
Nobody wants to live with rats. Fortunately, these tips can help you figure out how to get rid of rats in your home:
1. Inspect The Home
Before you can get rid of rats, you need to conduct a full home inspection to find out where they’re coming from.
Inspect the outside of the house – pay special attention to damaged drains, cracks in your garage door, gaps around vents, and spaces in the foundation – for obvious access points.
Inside the house, look at the vents, drains, appliance lines, and other potential access points. Once you know where the rats are accessing the house, you can seal the entry points and set traps.
2. Seal The Gaps
Rats don’t need a large entry point to get into your house. In fact, they can squeeze through any hole that you can stick two fingers through. With this in mind, seal any gaps in your interior or exterior walls.
For lasting results, fill these gaps with wire wool, metal kick plates, cement, or caulk. Check them a few times a month to make sure they’re well-maintained.
Tip: If you can’t identify entry points, contact Smith’s Pest Management for an expert analysis of your property. We service homes and businesses in California’s San Francisco Bay Area and Central Coast.
3. Clean Up
Rats love shelter and places to hide. One of the best ways to get rid of rats without poison is to eliminate their hiding places. Clean up the clutter in and around your home and move objects away from the walls.
Keep all trash and food in closed bins, clean up any spills rapidly, and keep your pipes and drains clean.
4. Consider Trapping
As rodenticides and harsh poisons have fallen out of favor or been outlawed (as they were this year in California), trapping has become the most effective way to eliminate rats; it is what kills rats fast and effectively. Trapping is a poison-free method of reducing rat populations.
If you’re going to place your own traps, be sure you use plenty of them and that you position the traps in high-activity areas. Use peanut butter, unsalted seeds, bananas, or apples as bait.
Tip: If you prefer not to set the traps on your own, contact a professional pest management team to do it for you.
5. 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 home’s 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 (or spray pepper spray) near rat openings and holes. This will irritate the rats’ noses and airways and discourage them from reentering your home.
6. Call A Professional Pest Management Company
If you have rats in the walls, contact a professional pest management company in your area to help you eliminate them.
They will help identify the entry points for rats, locate their nesting and food cache areas, and get them out of your walls without causing more damage to your home.
Professionals can also help you identify the root cause of the infestation and keep rats from coming back in the future.\
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