Can You Spot a Rat Infestation?
You wake up around midnight to get a glass of water. As you turn on the kitchen lights, you spot a mouse scurrying across your floor. The little critter moved too fast for you to catch it. You decide to keep the lights on for the rest of the night, but plan to buy a mouse trap the next day. The next day, you set the trap, but days later it’s still empty. You hope the rodent found an exit but you have a nagging feeling that it may still be in the house. What do you do now?
If you ignore the problem, things could get worse. It’s time to call in the professionals for a rat removal in Fort Myers, FL. In the meantime, you’ll want to examine your home for signs of a rat infestation.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS?
If not dealt with quickly, an infestation could be taking place even though you’ve only seen one rat. It won’t take much for that rat to attract others. Just think about it, rats will find every nook and cranny to squeeze into. Signs of a rat infestation include:
- Live or dead rats
- Rat droppings
- Scratching noises at night
- Hidden nesting areas or burrows
- Chew marks, gnawing marks, or holes
- Urine streaks or smudge marks along walls
WHAT ARE THE RISKS?
A rat infestation comes with serious risks including damage to your home and health risks. Rats can destroy home insulation, ductwork, and wood. Their chewing of wire can lead to a fire especially if they have brought in their own nesting material from outside. Rats can also chew through almost anything. If they get into your pantry, their excretions can become a major sanitation issue for your family and pets. Rats also transmit diseases such as salmonella, leptospirosis, and murine typhus through their waste and bites. This is why you should never hesitate to contact a professional for rat removal in Fort Myers, FL.
HOW TO GET RID OF RATS
The first thing people do when they see a rat is to go out and buy traps or some type of poison. These methods may get rid of rats, but you will be left with rotting and unpleasant odors if the rat dies an unknown area of the home. To discourage infestations you should keep the home sanitized, reduce clutter, keep foods and drinks tightly covered, keep dishes clean, and remove trash quickly. We also recommend contacting a professional animal trapper such as A-Team Trappers to get rid of the rats for you through exclusion. Our experience has shown that finding and sealing all entry points is the best way to discourage rodents from re-entering the home.