5 Signs of a Rat Infestation
5 Signs of a Rat Infestation
If there’s one type of pest that makes even the manliest of men squeamish, it’s rats. Having mice is one thing but rats take it to a whole new level – from cute to just well, gross. Count on us, a rat control Perth company, to bring your home back to a rat-free state.
There are a few tell-tale signs that you have rats in your house. Small dark brown droppings are one. We’re going to take you through another few, so you know what to look out for.
Rats are the night owls of pests.
Rats come out at night, so it’s not always easy to spot a rodent. Instead, focus on observing the signs. Here’s what to keep in mind if you think there could be a potential rat infestation.
1. Rat droppings
Just like mice, rats will leave little ‘presents’ around the house, in the form of droppings. For rats, they look dark brown, usually in a tapered, rice-like shape. You’ll usually find rat droppings in the kitchen where food is located.
2. Rub marks
Rats aren’t clean, so as they move around your house, they leave an oily residue on the surface. Yep, like we said, gross. Because they usually enter your house via skirting boards and walls, they pick up a lot of grime. Look out for any type of odd mark like this.
3. Scratching noises
This is possibly the easiest way to tell if you have rats – by hearing them! Rats are great climbers, so if you hear a scratching noise at night, call us as soon as you get up in the morning.
4. Holes & nests
Brown rats are notorious for burrowing out areas of your house for shelter, nesting, and food storage. They have a special talent for shredding materials such as insulation or cardboard to create nests. Inspect solid structures, as they usually build burrows next to them for support.
5. Footprints
Spot those little footprints and tail marks in dusty, less-frequented areas of your house. Search behind appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers, and dryers. If there’s any gaps where pipework or cables travel into your property from the outside, check here. And, all those little out of sight spots such as cavity walls. You’ll be surprised how small a crevice a rat can fit into. Rats chew through wire, walls, and floor joists, so not only is it a health risk but also a safety issue.
Leave the rat race to us!
If you have children or pets, keeping your house rat-free is critical, as they carry diseases. We have a range of treatments available, such as ‘sticky boards’, baits or live catch traps.
If you suspect a rat infestation, give us a call and we’ll find them (hopefully there’s just one, but you never know!). Take a full-house treatment plan, instead of just adding a few traps.
For more details on rats head over to our information page or contact us today.