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Find out how we find and remove rats from your property.
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Rats
There's nothing fun about finding rats around your home or property. Rats have been plaguing humans for centuries, famous for their continuously-growing sharp teeth, their desire for human food, their tendency to get into homes and buildings and create nests and their health problems - rats are the essence of a pest.
Western Exterminator is the expert in rat removal and rat control services and we have the latest methods for finding where rats are getting in and preventing them from returning.
If you think that you might have rats on your property or inside your home then call for a Western Exterminator rat control expert at 800-937-8398 or contact us online to set up an appointment.
Rat behavior
Rat populations can be found in rural, suburban and urban areas, especially if there’s a water source nearby. Rats need a water source in order to survive even though they don’t drink much water per day.
Rats are also social creatures, which means a hierarchy develops in rat populations. This typically consists of one dominant rat and several subordinates. Although this is typically found in male rats, female rats display hierarchies as well.
Rat biology
Male rats begin to secrete testosterone after puberty, which encourages reproductive behavior. On the other hand, female rats experience an ovarian cycle that is divided into several phases: proestrus, ovulation, estrus and diestrus. This cycle repeats itself once diestrus is complete.
Pregnant female rats will pick a nesting site and build a nest before her young are born. In order for the young to survive, the mother must lick her young clean, nurse them and return the young back to the nest if they stray away.
At this stage, a mother rat may display signs of maternal aggression to protect her young and attack animals who threaten the nest.
Rat diet
Rats will pretty much eat whatever is placed in front of them. A more technical term for this is “opportunistic omnivores”. From fruit to animal carcasses, don’t be surprised if you find rat eating these items or anything in between:
- Grains
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Seeds
- Nuts
Sometimes rats will hunt for bugs or small animals. Rats that live or are near cities can be found in garbage cans or landfills.
Rat bites
Did you know rats are able to chew through wood, cinder blocks and electrical wires? Rats have large front teeth that give them a powerful bite which can easily pierce skin and even cut through bone.
Rats typically bite when they feel threatened but they have also been known for biting people, especially children and babies, on hands, feet, fingers, toes and even the face. Symptoms of rat bites include:
- Swelling and redness at the bite site
- Fever
- Nausea
- Headache
- Sore muscles
- Rashes
If you or someone you know has experienced a rat bite, seek medical attention immediately. Diseases from rat bites can usually be treated with antibiotics but can be deadly if side effects lead to meningitis or pneumonia.
Diseases from rats
There are numerous health problems associated with a rat infestation. These include:
- Hantavirus - a potentially lethal virus if humans come in contact with rat urine or feces.
- Rat bite fever - from the saliva of a rat, it comes from rats biting humans.
- Bubonic plague - the famous disease that nearly wiped out humanity during the Middle Ages was eventually traced back to parasites like fleas carried by rats.
- Rickettsial diseases - various forms of Typhus fall into this category and can also be carried by rat-borne parasites.
- Leptospirosis - a disease transmitted from contact with rat urine that is serious enough to cause humans to bleed in the lungs.
Signs of rats
How do you know if you have rats? Here are a few of the common signs:
- Droppings - you might find these in places like cupboards, cabinets and other areas around the home where rats like to hide
- Scratching sounds - if you hear gnawing and the sounds of scampering in the walls or around the house you might have rats.
- Damage - a rat's teeth are constantly growing and that means they have to chew on hard things like wood to trim them back. You might find holes in walls and wood.
- Rub marks - rats get coated with dirt and they like to rub against the walls to find their way around a room’s perimeter, since they can't see so well. You can often find smudges as an indication of rats, but they can often stay on walls for a long time, so it might be from an old infestation.
- Rats themselves - if you see one rat, there's a good chance there are a bunch more hiding in nests or burrows that you can't see.
- Nests and burrows - check behind shelves, boxes, behind the fridge, anywhere that a rat might like to use as a hiding space.
How to get rid of rats
If you have noticed signs of rats, we recommend you seek help from rat management experts for a true solution to the issue. A rat professional can locate the places where rats are based and keep them from entering your property again. These are services that Western Exterminator provides and we are equipped to combat your rat problems.
Rat control services
At Western Exterminator we will do a complete inspection of your home and find where the rats are getting in. We seal up the access points and then go about finding the rat burrows and rat nests that might be inside your home. We work with you to find the right solution, such as rat bait stations, that works with your family, your schedule and your home.
Common rat control methods
Here at Western Exterminator, we have thorough expertise in rat control. In dealing with the rats at your property, we make sure to obey applicable laws and regulations:
- Traps - Snap traps will help decrease the rat population. We can put the traps in rat runways (where rats go from nests to find food). We use food bait with the traps.
- Bait stations - Bait stations are locked and located within 50 feet of a structure.
- Fumigation - In certain situations, fumigation can take place but this needs to be carried out by a licensed professional and necessitates specific training.
Remember to let us know whenever you see a rat and do not disturb traps, bait stations, or other control devices we have put in place. Additionally, rats need to drink about ½ ounce to 1 ounce of water each day. Getting rid of sources of water is a good idea.
Western Exterminator makes sure the rats go away!
Get rid of rats from inside your home. We will remove the rats and make sure that no more rats come back. Stop a rat infestation today! Contact us online or call 800-937-8398 today.