Rats are never a fun sight to see, especially when it is on your property. They are incredibly annoying, destructive, and downright dangerous. Even whenever you think your Cedar Hill property may be safe, these rodents can get in and quickly create rats’ nests before you even know it. They are not the kind of roommates you would want, so learn how to spot signs of rats and prevent them from coming in the future.
Identifying Rats
There are many different species of rats that you can find, but all of them share many of the same identifying characters, so it can be easy to determine if what you are seeing is a rat. They are typically brown and black, with some having white coloring, and they are generally about a foot long with a tail that is a little shorter than their bodies.
In Texas, you can find:
- Roof rats in trees and attics
- White-throated woodrats which can be found as packs in the woods
- Cotton rat, which are often found in tall grass and fields
They are different, but the reason they are coming to your property is the same: food, water, and shelter. Rats have a dependent relationship with humans, relying on your home to give them everything they need. They are not the best neighbors, causing way more harm than any benefits they could provide.
Rat Danger
Rats are constant chewers, gnawing through almost anything and causing significant property damage along the way. Just a few of the things that big rats like to chew on are:
- Wires
- Cables
- Pipes
- Floors
- Walls
- Clothing
- Furniture
And this is just one rat. Most of the time, there are whole families of rats that invade your property and reproduce, bringing in new generations of dangerous rodents. They cause a lot of destruction, and at the same time, they also bring great destruction and disease into your home.
Rats are great carriers, bringing pests like lice, fleas, and ticks into the home. They will also carry human pathogens and spread diseases like hantavirus, dysentery, and salmonellosis. They spread this through feces, urine, and saliva, which can contaminate your food.
Preventing Rats
Some of the best ways to prevent rats are the simplest. Regular inspections around the home can help identify any rats’ nests, signs of entry, or just any signs that rats are in your property. Chew marks, droppings, and dirt or dust next to gaps or holes in the walls should be investigated further. Rats can get through a hole the size of a dime, so you can never be too careful.
Rats will also not be stopped by anything in their way. Rats in the walls will quickly chew through any insulation, wiring, or wood in their ways to get where they have comfortable shelter and easy access to your food.
Other preventative measures that you can take are sealing openings, storing food in airtight containers, clearing clutter from your yard, and keeping lids on trashcans. Together, all of these will help protect your property from rats, but the only way to effectively eliminate rats already on your property is through professional help.
Contact The Professionals
Rat infestations are incredibly dangerous, and dealing with them is not safe, so it is best to call professionals like ProActive Pest Services. We have been operating since 1999 and have well-rounded service plans that can fit every family’s individual pest control needs.
We will help you protect what’s important and through a variety of methods such as electric monitoring, UV tracking powder, and infrared camera tech, we can eliminate rodents and give you peace of mind.
