If you’ve been asking yourself: How do I get roof rats out of my house? You have many options. One is to hire a professional pest control company. These professionals will remove the rats and eliminate the infestation for good. They can also perform a variety of preventative maintenance measures to make your attic a rat-free zone. Here are some of the methods they use. Listed below are some of the best.
Snap traps
To kill Roof Rats, you can use snap traps. Place them along rafters or next to boxes stored in the attic. Using snap traps is the most effective way to get rid of Roof Rats. Before setting a trap, ensure that its trigger is facing the wall. Place peanut butter, raisins, or nuts as bait. Snap traps are more effective than glue boards.
While snap traps are an effective and fast way to control rats, bait is a more humane option. Snap traps must be properly set and checked every day. Putting out too few traps is a common mistake. A general rule of thumb is to use three times as many traps as there are rats. Bait should also be fresh and available for a longer period of time.
If you have a rat problem in your attic, the first step to removing it is to seal any entry points. Often overlooked, these areas are ideal places for rats to enter your home. Some of these entry points are gaps around garage doors, venting on the roof, and ground-level gaps under siding. If you have an older home, there are probably countless entry points under the home.
You should also consider hiring a professional pest control company to get rid of the rats from your attic. Rats breed quickly and can cause a lot of damage if left untreated. To get rid of these pesky critters, you can try one of three different methods. Of course, only one of them is effective and you may need to use all three. It is better to hire a pest control company if you have a lot of experience dealing with infestations.
Killing rats
If you have a problem with roof rats, you may be wondering how to kill them. These pests are known for destroying wiring, insulation, nesting material, feces, and spores. Fortunately, there are many methods for eliminating them. Here are some of them. Listed below are some of the best ones:
Snap traps are the most effective tools for catching and killing rats. Don’t try to catch them using mousetraps; these are too small and irritate the rodents. If you can’t find the rats yourself, contact a professional rat exterminator and get rid of the problem for good. They can get rid of all the rats you’ve caught, seal all entrances and holes, and prevent future rats from entering your attic.
Aside from damaging your belongings, rats also destroy the wiring and piping in your attic. Rats can also cause water damage and unsightly damp patches on your ceiling. The water damage can also weaken your home’s foundations and cause your entire floor to collapse. Luckily, there are a few effective methods that can rid you of these pests once and for all. However, there are several things that you should know before you start.
You can also use rat traps to remove them from your attic. However, using poisons is not an ideal solution because rats develop an immunity to them and will simply avoid it for some time. Not to mention that rats will also follow the old rodent trails and will eventually die. So, while poisons can kill rats, they will also kill your home, and in the process, kill your pets as well.
Preventing them from entering your attic
To prevent roof rats from entering your attic, seal up any holes or cracks. Sealing up cracks is not enough – you need to take steps to prevent foundational rats as well. Once you’ve sealed the gaps and holes, a professional can come to your property and recommend a plan of exclusion. Rats are resourceful, and you’ll have to be proactive. Seal up gaps and cracks around windows and doors.
During the winter, rats make their way into your attic by chewing through insulation and creating holes. Rats can enter through tiny holes as large as quarter-sized. In addition to gnawing through insulation, they also chew on electrical wires, wood, and pipe insulation. To prevent the rats from entering your attic, you must seal up the holes around windows and vents, as well as on exterior siding and doors.
Using poison is usually the first method of rat control. Rats also have natural predators, such as owls, snakes, foxes, and coyotes. Although cats are naturally aggressive toward roof rats, poisoning them will kill the rat’s natural predators. This option is not recommended since it puts cats at risk, as well as other animals, which could be poisoned by rat poison.
Another way to prevent roof rats from entering your attic is to clean up debris. Remove garbage, old clothes, and other things that can attract rats. These items should be emptied frequently. Also, make sure trash can lids are secure and sealed, and remove any outdoor shrubs or trees that can provide nesting spots. If you keep firewood outdoors, store it a foot or so off the ground to discourage roof rats. Then, store it in a sealed container, away from your home.
Keeping them out
Infesting your attic is the first step to eradicating roof rats, an annoying pest in many homes. Roof rats are large, nocturnal animals with a long tail and a sharply pointed nose. These rodents will seek a warm, dry place to nest. They will also feed on any food that is left unprotected. This means you must keep your kitchen and dining areas clean to prevent them from nesting in your attic. In addition to rats, pigeons will often nest on your roof. They are easy to spot, with large eyes, pointed nose, and long tail.
The presence of rodents can also lead to water damage and weak spots in your attic, which can attract more animals. Rats are known to spread disease and can cause extensive damage to your personal belongings. Furthermore, these rodents may also harbor a host of mites, fleas, and ticks. Furthermore, they can transmit a variety of illnesses, including Hantavirus.
Roof rats often make use of wires in the attic, which can cause electrical problems. As a result, ceiling lights may not work properly. Likewise, the insulation in your attic may have holes, and the wall insulation may be pulling out. Excess moisture may also signal a roof leak, and you’ll need to remove any items that might be in the way. Moreover, bats are another common pest in attics, and their wings can easily penetrate through a small gap in your roof.
If you can’t afford to pay a professional to do the job, you can try to get rid of the rodents yourself. However, this method isn’t as effective as the latter, so you may want to consult a professional. If you suspect that your attic is infested with rats, take action quickly to eliminate them. Once you’ve identified the signs, you can begin the process of eradicating them.
Getting rid of them
Whether you live in the southern or coastal parts of the U.S., you have probably faced this pest before. Roof rats prefer high places to make their nests, so if you hear the sounds of rat activity in your attic, you might have a rat infestation. These creatures can also be known as fruit rats, ship rats, Alexandrian rats, or roof pigeons.
While you may be tempted to try poison, it’s important to remember that the natural predators of roof rats include owls, snakes, foxes, and coyotes. Poisoning these animals may also kill them. Also, poisoning them can kill the natural predators, including your cat. This could prove fatal, as rats can poison the cats that hunt them.
Once you have identified the type of rodent, you can begin the treatment process. Roof rats produce droppings that are spindle-shaped, small, and about half an inch in size. They contaminate stored food and carry diseases from their droppings. In addition, they chew and destroy solid materials and search for food during the night. While poisoning rats is an option, it is not recommended due to the effort it takes to kill them. This method is also potentially hazardous to children, so you should use rat repellents if you don’t want to poison the rodents.
Aside from droppings, rats also leave chew marks and trailways in the insulation. Additionally, you may also see brown smudges from the grease that rats leave on their fur. These can be seen on pipe insulation, wood, and electrical wires. You may even find chew marks on the pipes. If you’re dealing with rats, you should consider getting a professional to get rid of the infestation.