There isn’t a single home out there that would willingly welcome a rat with open arms. On the same side of the coin, there isn’t a single home out there that isn’t susceptible to them, unless you have us on your team. Rats are disgusting. They carry diseases, they chew everything and make a mess in whatever unfortunate home they choose to invade. The best way to deal with a rat is to prevent you from ever having to deal with them. If you’ve used Arrow before, you probably don’t need to read this, as you’re home is most likely rat-free! However, if you’re just now hearing about us and are unlucky enough to have one of these small invaders as a guest in your home, here’s how to deal with them.
Identify if you have a rat problem.
There’s a small chance you’ll see a rat out in the open so, just because you don’t see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Just like mice, rats are smart rodents that know how and where to hide to protect themselves. More than likely you’ll notice the presence of a rat rather than the rat itself. Droppings are the best indicator, mainly by food sources and along the same path. They’ll leave greasy marks on your floorboards since they like to travel close to the walls. They also keep their teeth clean by chewing on things, so check inside and outside for any holes or chew marks.
Prepare your home to keep them out.
Rats eat more than mice and will eat just about anything they can get their hands on. An essential step in prevention is cleaning up crumbs and being cognizant of where you store and leave out your food. Don’t leave out things such as dog food, seeds, nuts, etc., and store your food in air-tight containers off the ground. Rats need water to survive, so also look for any leaks within your home around the pipes. Paired with this, search for any holes inside and outside of the house. These holes are how the rat entered and, if one got in, more can too. Plug these gaps with caulk, wire mesh, or steel. They’ll chew through anything else.
Control your current rat problem.
Rats are hesitant about new food so, if you place out bait for them, it will typically take a few days for them to trust the source. So now you’re asking yourself what type of trap you should by and what kind of bait you should pair it with. Well, we have the perfect answer: none. Traps work temporarily, even when paired with bait. Killing or trapping one rat doesn’t mean your problem is solved. A full blow infestation means there could be multiple rats in the walls and attic. How do you know? This question leads us into the most crucial step of getting rid of rats:
Call an expert.
If you kill one rat, great, but there could be more. Also, if one got into your home, more can. Traps, bait, DIY options and solutions only work for a short period and act as a band-aid over the problem. The average person doesn’t have the knowledge or equipment to rid a home of a rodent infestation. You could end up spending more time and money than you would have by just calling an expert. Luckily, we’re pros at getting rid of rodents. We’ve been doing it for more than 50 years and know all the tricks and methods to get rats and other rodents out of your home… FOR GOOD.
If you think you have an infestation or have seen a rat or mouse in your home recently, contact us today to get your free inspection!
