Signs Of Rats In Your Reno Home
Rats are rodents that can get to be about a foot in length, including their tails. They are usually brownish-grey or dark brown, and they have four legs and rounded ears. They have black, beady eyes and blunt muzzles.
However, there are other ways to identify rats besides actually seeing them. Some of the best ways to identify rats are to know the signs they leave behind:
- Rod-shaped droppings around attics, baseboards, or other rooms
- The sound of scurrying or squeaking coming from inside of walls
- The smell of ammonia that comes from the build-up of urine
- Bite marks or chewed holes around the property
- Pawprints in dirt or other materials
- Rub marks that look dirty and greasy along walls, baseboards, or other areas where rats consistently walk while it’s dark
Can Rats In Your Reno House Make You Sick?
One of the main reasons why getting rat control is so important is that rats are potentially dangerous. They do carry many pathogens, and they can spread illnesses to people. Some of the diseases they carry include Salmonella and rat-bite fever. Their urine, droppings, and fur can also cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks as well as spread an aerosolized disease called hantavirus.
The Safest Way To Get Rid Of Rats In Your Reno Home
You might be tempted to try and remove rats on your own, but this isn’t the best idea. Rats reproduce quickly, and they have adapted over hundreds of years to be dependent on humans for shelter and access to resources; this makes them rather sneaky and difficult to identify and control. While you might be able to remove some rats using over-the-counter baits and traps, the simplest and safest way to eradicate them is with residential pest control from Natura Pest Control.
Tips To Keep Rats Away From Your Reno Home
Rats are difficult to prevent as they can chew their way through many materials and fit through holes the size of a quarter, but you can take some steps to prevent rats, such as:
- Covering the chimney with caps and getting wire mesh covers for vents.
- Cleaning up kitchens often and wiping up food and drink spills right away.
- Addressing underlying moisture problems around the yard by removing standing water. Then removing humidity issues inside by fixing leaky plumbing.
- Getting lids for all trash cans and regularly cleaning out garbage cans to keep them clean.
- Sealing up holes in the exterior of the building with strong materials like steel wool.
Get more tips on how to prevent rats and find out more about residential pest control by giving Natura Pest Control a call today.