When thinking about rats, your opinions and feelings might differ from others around you depending on your experience with these rodents. Some people love rats and think of them as adorable pets, while others find them scary and disgusting. While pet rats can be great, the truth is that pest rats in Downingtown are a huge problem and very dangerous to have around. Learn more about rats in Pennsylvania and how to prevent them by reading on.
What Do Rats In The Area Look Like?
Rats are sometimes mistaken for mice, but there are some key differences between them. You can identify rats by their blunt muzzles, black eyes, and short, scaly tails. They can range in color from brownish-grey to black, depending on the species. Norway rats are known for their swimming ability, while roof rats are great climbers.
Why Are Rats So Common?
Rats are some of the most prevalent pests because they have become dependent on humans for their own survival. They use our buildings for shelter and places to create their nests. They’ve also grown accustomed to the easy access to food and water that our homes provide.
Why Are Rats Such A Problem?
Rats are also some of the most dangerous and destructive pests in Downingtown. First of all, they can do a lot of damage to property and personal belongings. They must constantly gnaw in order to keep their teeth from getting too long. This chewing can destroy wires, pipes, drywall, wood, clothing, furniture, and much more. If left to their own devices, rats will destroy both your personal belongings as well as structural elements around your property, such as electrical wires and plumbing.
Then, there are the health risks that rats pose, including:
- Being carriers of many different illnesses such as salmonella and rat-bite fever
- Causing respiratory problems such as hantavirus
- Leading to allergic reactions and asthma attacks from the build-up of their urine, fur, and droppings
What Are Effective Rat Control Steps?
Rodent control isn’t easy, but it’s much easier to prevent rats than it is to remove them once they’re inside. Overall, the best way to deter rats is to remove the factors that attract them and seal up the home against them. Here is what you can do:
- Clean up around kitchens on a regular basis and wipe up crumbs and spills right away.
- Get tight-fitted lids for trash cans and clean up trash and debris from around the property.
- Reduce moisture problems by fixing leaky plumbing and ensuring good ventilation throughout the building.
- Rats can fit through holes the size of a quarter, so seal up small cracks and crevices around the exterior walls and foundation using materials that rats can’t chew through.
- Use metal coverings over vents and chimneys to keep rats out.
- Seek out residential and commercial pest control experts.
What Is The Simple Way To Protect Your Home From Rats?
In order to easily and effectively prevent and remove rats from your property, contact the pest control experts at Budget Exterminating. Rats are able to reproduce quickly and spread throughout your home, and removing them using DIY methods is difficult. Luckily, our trained technicians can eradicate these rodents and keep them from coming back.
Just give us a call today to learn more about rodent control or to request a quote.