When you see a picture of a rat, you may not think they are too threatening. They have cute little noses and whiskers that make them look more like family pets than pests. But don’t let their looks fool you. Rats can be bad news.
At EcoArmor Pest Defense, we offer high-quality pest control in Anna and do everything we can to keep your home rat-free. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for you.
Understanding Rat Behavior: Insights For Effective Rat Control
To effectively control rats on your property, it’s crucial to understand their behavior. Rats are highly adaptable and resourceful creatures that are active primarily at night.
Rats are nocturnal, which means they’re most active while you’re asleep. This behavior can make it challenging to spot them during the day. They are omnivores and will eat nearly anything, including grains, seeds, fruits, and even small animals. This wide-ranging diet makes them exceptionally resilient. Rats build nests in hidden, sheltered locations close to food sources. They can nest in wall voids, attics, crawlspaces, and even burrows in the ground.
Rats also reproduce rapidly. A single pair of rats can produce hundreds of offspring in a year, which means a small infestation can quickly become a significant problem.
Rat-Borne Diseases: Common Illnesses Transmitted By Rats
Rats are more than just a nuisance that can startle you at night; they can pose significant health risks to humans. They can carry and transmit various diseases through their urine, feces, and bites.
Some common diseases rats carry include:
- Leptospirosis: This bacterial infection can cause flu-like symptoms and, in severe cases, kidney or liver failure.
- Hantavirus: Hantavirus is a potentially fatal disease that affects the respiratory system.
- Salmonellosis: Rats can carry Salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning when they contaminate food or food preparation surfaces.
- Rat-Bite Fever: As the name suggests, people can contract this illness through rat bites or by handling rodents. It causes fever, joint pain, and rashes.
These diseases spread by rats show the importance of prompt and effective rat control to protect your family’s health.
Rat Prevention: Simple Measures To Keep Rats Out
With all the issues that rats can cause around your home, you want to do everything you can to keep them out of your house. Here are some tips to help keep rats out of your Anna property:
- Inspect your home for gaps, cracks, and holes, and seal them with rat-proof materials like steel wool or caulk.
- Store food in airtight containers, including pet food.
- Keep your property clean, and dispose of garbage promptly.
- Trim back trees and shrubs near your home.
- Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your home.
- Eliminate clutter and debris in your yard. Rats often hide in piles of wood, debris, or tall grass.
Following these rat prevention tips can help keep these pests away from your home.
Professional Rat Control: The Most Effective Elimination Solution
If rats do make it into your home, don’t waste your time with DIY solutions that are largely ineffective. The best option for getting rats out of your home is professional pest control.
Our trained experts will quickly and safely remove the rats in your home. Then, we will help you develop a rat control plan to keep them from returning. This includes identifying and repairing possible entry points and pointing out other factors around your home that may attract rats so you can change them.
Don’t let rats damage your home and threaten the health and safety of your family. Contact us today for professional rat control you can count on, and let us keep your home safe and rodent-free.
