Think back to those old Tom and Jerry (cat and mouse) cartoons if you can. Do you remember the few episodes where the homeowner (a woman) would catch a quick glimpse of Jerry, and the next scene would be a shot of her shoes standing in a chair? When watching that as a cartoon, it’s funny; in real life, it can be pretty terrifying! Though Jerry was a mouse, can you imagine experiencing a rat in your home?
Unfortunately, here in Greensboro, rats are just one problem you must learn to manage. The good news (if you can even imagine that possible when referring to rats) is that we only have two types of rats: the Norway rat and the roof rat.
Norway rats will create burrows in your yard searching for food and will likely find access to your home through foraging. As its name suggests, the roof rat will invade your home from your roof or roofline (they’re excellent climbers but cause more structural damage to your home).
Now, just because we only deal with two species of rats doesn’t mean that you are okay with living in perfect harmony with them in your Greensboro home. If you’re like most people, the moment you see a single rat or even have the suspicion you may have a rat problem, you will immediately want them out of your home.
As your Greensboro pest control professionals, rats will be the least of your concern. At Go-Forth Pest Control, we have over 60 years of pest control experience and are here to safeguard your home from destructive pests.
Identifying a Rat Problem In Your Home
Have you noticed any little, dark brown droppings or heard scratching noises? If this is the case, you might have a rat infestation, but don't panic; Go-Forth Pest Control is here to help. Since rats spend most of their time awake at night, it is typically much simpler to identify the telltale indications of a rat infestation than to locate the vermin themselves. Some signs could point to a potential rat problem. If you notice any of the signs outlined below, you can schedule an inspection to stop any possible infestation from spreading to other areas of your property.
- You discover rat droppings: One of the most apparent indications that you have a rat infestation in your home is rat droppings. If the droppings are grayish, they have likely been there for a while. Rats are still in your home if the droppings are more recent and darker.
- You Find Gnawed Wood in and Around Your Home: Interesting fact; a rat's front teeth lengthen annually, and this is another way to tell if they've come inside your house. Rats frequently chew on wires, food packaging, and even wood; this helps rats shave down their teeth but can seriously harm your home. Rats are present in your home if there are more significant chew marks there and nearby. Rats will also chew holes straight through walls to move around, increasing the number of rats in your home. One way to eliminate the infestation is by blocking these entry points.
- You notice an odd musty smell: If you notice a new, distinct odor in your home that does not seem to go away no matter how much you clean, you may have rat problems. If a rat perishes inside your house, you will know immediately. Due to the strong smell of decay, you should hire a professional pest control service to remove the dead rat.
- Your pets are behaving strangely: Pets often find rats in the home. You might have rats if your cat or dog is scratching in a specific spot or barking in a particular direction. You may have rats or rodents in your home if you notice your pets sniffing the same area repeatedly. Dogs, in particular, will be drawn to the new musty smell that a rat brings.
- Grease marks are left behind: Rats can endure the winter because of their greasy fur. The lard rubbed off their fur is more evident as they run along the same path. You can be confident that rats are living in a particular area of your home if you find an unidentified grease mark.
- Triggered allergies: You might have rats in your home if your allergies are acting up more frequently than usual. Your allergy symptoms will improve if you eliminate them.
You hear strange sounds: When you have rats in the attic, you can hear them moving back and forth and making noises in the walls and ceiling by scratching and chewing.
A rat infestation jeopardizes your home's hygiene and exposes you to various health risks. We employ expert rodent treatment techniques at Go-Forth Pest Control to combat challenging infestations and provide long-lasting protection from rats. Call our staff today to make an appointment.
It's Very Dangerous To Have Rats In Your Home
Rats and their parasites can transmit numerous diseases, some of which can be fatal to humans, including hantavirus, listeria, rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, and even bubonic plague. Although most of these diseases are more prevalent in other parts of the world than in North Carolina, this should help you understand why humans and wild rodents should not live in the same space.
Rats in Greensboro can also play a significant role in the development of dangerous allergies. A national study detected allergen-inducing levels of rat urine in 35% of homes. In 82% of the houses, they discovered trace amounts or higher. A known cause of asthma in children and adults is exposure to rat allergens.
To top it all off, rats consume nearly any and everything, including household items. These pests have teeth strong enough to chew through drywall, cardboard, and even wood. Some are particularly fond of electrical wiring, which can be highly hazardous. Twenty-five percent of house fires in the United States have occurred by rats chewing on exposed wires.
Four Practical Rat Exclusion Tips For Around Your Home
Rats don't have a preference as to where they live. They are in clean, well-kept homes and ones with cluttered interiors and yards overgrown with vegetation. Rats will invade if they can access food, water, and shelter.
Finding evidence of rodent activity and promptly addressing it are essential to preventing a rat infestation. Here are four ways to give rats no reason to come around your Greensboro home:
- Eliminate potential sources of food and water: Store your food, such as cereal and rice, in airtight containers. To lessen the availability of rodent food, do not leave pet food out overnight. Fixing your pipes is an excellent step for rodent control because leaky pipes give the rodents access to a water source.
- Avoid using rodenticides: Rats are fatally affected by rodenticides. Other pets and even people are also at risk. Animals that consume a poisoned rat risk becoming poisoned themselves.
- Avoid growing ivy: Rodents love ivy because it gives them a place to live and obtain food. Rodents use the ivy that grows on walls to climb up your home, navigate your attics, and pass through windows. If you have ivy growing and adore its aesthetics, seal potential entryways to your home.
- Look for possible entrances: Rats can enter small spaces, and if their heads can squeeze through, their bodies will soon follow. The best way to deal with such entry points would be to fix the holes and cover them with metal mesh to prevent rats and other rodents and pests from using them as entrances.
In many cases, we don’t realize that we are the very cause of our rat problem. The good news is that the four exclusion tips above effectively keep these sneaky pests away. However, if you already have a rat problem in your Greensboro home, you will need a professional rat exterminator to eliminate the entire rat population first. Call Go-Forth Pest Control to get your inspection today.
How Do You Get Rid Of Rats?
Rats are common pests that find their way into our homes quite often. It would be best if you made every effort to eliminate them as soon as you spot them. They will eat your food, chew through electrical cords and walls, and cause mess everywhere. You can use store-bought products, but they're only temporary solutions. When you feel the store solutions no longer work, call Go-Forth Pest Control for permanent rat control services in Greensboro.
