How to catch rats in your house?

Are rats taking over your home? Once they move in, your home doesn’t feel like your own, especially since these nasty vermin carry diseases and are a health risk. It’s hard to deny when you have an infestation on your hands, as these critters are quite destructive. They will chew through your walls, leave droppings on your kitchen counters and other places they feed, and destroy your electrical wiring.

Thankfully, you can get rid of them safely. Most people turn to trapping, baiting, and poisons to combat their problem, but it helps if you learn the habits of the rats, what they like and don’t like, and how to trap them to do the job right.

Signs Of A Rat Infestation

Many confuse rats and mice, but there’s quite a significant difference between the two. Rats are much larger rodents, and the amount of damage they can do perils compared to the tiny mouse. A mouse is about 3-10 cm long, while a rat is a whopping 16 – 40 cm. Another significant difference is the number of droppings they leave behind.

A mouse typically leaves behind 20-50 droppings per day, while the rat can drop an estimated 40-100. Notating the rodent in your home is imperative for eradicating them, as you use different bait for mice than the rats. Here are the key signs that you have a rat problem.

Droppings

An interesting fact about rats is that they don’t see very well, so they travel along walls in safe areas. You’ll find they defecate as they walk, so you’ll discover the droppings where they frequent. Since they maintain established routes, feces, and fecal smears are often observed. The droppings are small and dark, but they are more significant than that of the mouse.

Weird Smells & Sounds

Unlike mice, rats have a strange smell as they reek of ammonia. Additionally, they’re not the quietest house guest either. You can hear them scurrying about on the floors and making squeaking noises.

Destruction

Rats don’t sit idly by in your home, as they destroy things as they go. You may see gnaw marks on containers, furniture, chewed-up paper, and even electrical cords split in two. The damage they cause can be significantly greater when done by larger rodents.

Getting Rid of the Enemy

Most people think rats come into your home because they’re hungry, but a trap with cheese isn’t nearly as appealing to a rat as it will be to a mouse. Bait stations tend to work better with them as they prefer the cozy environment it provides. Rats have two flaws that will play into your hands. First, they are curious creatures, and second, they’re very cautious.

Rats don’t like new things as they tend to be creatures of habit. They will likely shy away from that trap full of food. The traps you put down to catch them don’t need any food, as they will stumble into them without you doing a thing. Remember, these critters don’t see very well, so they follow familiar paths.

They leave a trail of scent behind that helps them to find their way. Putting something new in their area will cause them to go the other way, as it scares them. Another critical factor is that rats are intelligent. They will do their best to avoid it if they’ve seen several friends and family members get caught in a trap. Here are some tips for eradicating them.

Find the Entry Point

You need to find the entry point to stop them from entering your home. The first place you should look is outside. Look around dryer vents, spaces in the foundation, damage to drains, and where any pipes come into the house. Sealing these entry points is the best way to combat your infestation.

Sealing the Gaps

Entryways can be small, as the rat can make their body quite slim to fit into any space. So, it’s essential to seal the gaps using metal. Rats can chew through caulking, but it’s better than doing nothing. Things like wool or a metal kick plate work best.

Set Traps

Poisons that kill the rat are still widely used, but it’s not the best option. If the rats travel inside your walls and die there, it can leave you with a pungent smell for many days. The aroma will only stop after the decomposing process is complete. Some places have outlawed these poisons while others still find it the best way to combat significant scale problems.

If you decide to put down traps, it’s best to use things like seeds, bananas, or even peanut butter, if anything at all. Please don’t put down cheese, as it’s not going to work.

Getting Help for a Rat Infestation

If you’ve tried everything you know to do and still have an issue with rats, it’s time to call for professional help. The longer the problem persists, the more damage and threat there is to your home and the people you love. A pest control professional can identify the point of entry, find where they’re nesting, and use their expertise to bring your home to a rodent-free state.

We strive to eradicate rats in the most eco-conscious way. If you need help, it’s best to get it sooner than when they destroyed electric wires and drywall. Call us today for immediate assistance.

More comparison articles:

Boxelder bugs VS Stink bugs
Mice and rats: What’s the difference?
House Mice and Deer Mice: What’s the difference?
Termites and flying ants: What’s the difference?
Carpenter bees and bumble bees: What’s the difference?

To learn more:

Our service area
Our carpenter bee control services
Our wasp control services
Our hornet control services
Our yellow jacket control services
Six Common Ticks Found in And Around New Jersey