Mice are both necessary and useful in our ecosystem. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean we want to share living space with them. Seeing a rat in your house can be unnerving – especially when you stop to consider that for every one rat you see, there are probably five lurking that you don’t see. But there is a right and a wrong way to catch a rat. So, don’t simply Google “rodent control near me” and choose. Try these tips to eliminate your rat issue.
1. Look for Signs of Mice
One of the biggest telltale signs (besides actually seeing a rat) is seeing mice droppings. If you have mice in your home, they’ll leave you signs of their presence – you just have to look for them. rat droppings are typically found where they live and eat, so look at places that are warm, dark, and have available food. If you see mice droppings, you know where to start.
2. Search for Signs of Mice Damage
Another thing that signals you have a rodent problem is food items being only partially eaten or wood being nibbled on. They can also be destructive and increase the risk of a fire in your home if they start to chew electrical wires. Taking care of a rodent infestation is important – not only because they carry disease, but also because they can do a lot of structural and electrical damage in your home if you allow their presence to go unaddressed.
3. Common Entry Points
Even if you are successful at taking care of the rat problem you currently have, you need to eliminate the potential of others making their way in. It is a good idea to walk around your house, inside and out, and look for things like broken vents, missing attic screens, or even overlapping in the roof that can allow them an entrance into your home. Once you spot a potentially vulnerable place, take steps to caulk or close the cracks and crevices where they are getting in.
4. Traps or Poison?
When it comes to actually eliminating a rat, it is best to try humane methods first. If you simply put out poison, remember that both your pets and your children can get into it. And once the mice eat the poison, they go back where they came from. If they are trapped in your walls, it is going to take a very long time for them to decompose, and while they do, your home is going to smell awful. Traps are a more humane and better way to eradicate the problem than extermination.
5. Call a Rodent Control Company
Although most people attempt to handle a rodent problem on their own, if you are not having any success, then it might be time to contact a rodent control company like Lowcountry Pest Specialists. We have the industry tools, resources, and knowledge to make your rodent infestation a thing of the past. We can restore your home to the haven it was before the rodents got in, and we have many methods at our disposal.
Spotting a rodent, or seeing signs that they have been inside your home, can be very unnerving. Catching a rat might start as a great do-it-yourself project, but you may soon find that a professional can probably take care of the problem faster and with longer-lasting results. Don’t just Google “rodent control near me” and choose, though. Call Lowcountry Pest Specialists today and let us take the guesswork out of kicking your unwanted houseguest to the curb! Schedule your appointment today!
