Ways to find out whether your house is rat-infested or not
Rats and mice can cause some serious problems in your house. It is normal to have rat trouble in the house at least once. But as if they are left unchecked, the problems can grow in intensity, causing a lot of damage to things and the surroundings.
According to pest management service providers, people often take these things lightly and when the problems grow, they look for the easy way out. This can be very troublesome for both, the householders and the exterminators. Rat infestation is a common occurrence but it will be better if they are taken care of immediately. For that, you should look out for signs. They will tell you how long these rats have stayed in your property and it’s time to take them out with professional help. Here, are some of the signs that you must look out for.
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Rat droppings are common
If you have had a pet you would know that droppings are very common for the pests as well. whether it is a cockroach, lizards, or rats, droppings are common sightings. Now what you have to look for is whether they are fresh or old. Dark and moist droppings point towards being fresh whereas the older ones are gray and crumbling. If you understand this, then you would know if the rats are still sharing your accommodation or not.
These droppings can be found near the stored food, packages, cupboards, drawers, hidden areas such as sinks, behind the water container, etc. The more the number of droppings found in an area, the nearer you are to its nest. This jungle life, chapter 101: finding tracks. Start inspecting the area to find fresh droppings to ensure whether the infestation is still active or not.
Gnaw marks make it evident that you have rats
The gnaw marks are just opposite to the droppings. The color of the gnaw marks is lighter when they are new and become darker as they get older. The marks can be observed on the wooden surfaces, food packets, and other structures of the house.
If the marks are new you will know that the rats are still present in the area. Comparing the two marks you would know that for how long the rats have infested your house. The size of the marks will also tell you what you are dealing with; whether they are rats or mice. The larger teeth marks are those of a rat
Foul odor makes it unbearable
Animals and rodents have a specific smell that is because of pheromones. The dogs and cats also have their own smell owing to that. This is what makes your house reek of a strange, irritating odor if your house is infested with rats. This odor stays in the house until the rats don’t leave the place. If you have found their nest you would notice the dominant presence of this smell.
The smell is an evident sign of rat infestation. Especially in a closed place such as an attic, this odor is very concentrated. This type of active infestation must be treated as soon as possible. Also, make sure that there is not more than one rat eating away at your place. This could be a real game-changer.
Track marks
Mostly during the nighttime, you can hear the rats scurrying all over the place. They are not much action during the day as they are scared of humans. But once the night falls, they come out of their hiding and go for food and other items. If they are active in your house their tracks can be seen distinctively. The tracks may grow faint as time passes.
These tracks can be easily detected with the use of backlights or flashlights. They need to be held at an angle over the area. The smudge marks, stains of urine, droppings, and even footprints become visible under the light. If you are still doubtful about the rats frequenting the area, try spreading a thin layer of baby powder or flour in the area. In case they are active, you will surely find the trail marks all throughout leading to their nest.
Nests are found
Rats and rodents are very clever when it comes to building their nests. They are aware of the danger that comes with intruding on a human’s property, so make their nests where no one can find them. One of my friends found the rat’s nest under the sink (the most unthinkable of all places).
The rats are known to collect all the materials required for a nest such as fabric, paper, cardboard pieces, plants, and other things. After that, they start going around the house in search of more such things. You can easily find the traces of shredded papers and cloth pieces that will tell you there is another apartment getting prepared for a little living being. In case you come across such as scenario make sure to check other places to ensure the level of infestation in the house.
Rats are not that secretive and can be seen easily running around all over the place. If you have a rat infestation in your yard you will definitely find your garbage spilled over. As these creatures are attracted to dirt and trash, you will find them in the place that has them in abundance. In yards, if you find several holes in the corner with wet soil all around it, then be assured that this is the rats’ nest. You can stay with that until they infest your house or call professional exterminators to take care of the little pests. Once they are removed from the location don’t forget to take preventive measures to make your property rodent-proof. Rats are don’t cause diseases but are carriers of disease-producing germs and frustrating odor. They can be very disturbing roomies, especially during nighttime when you are busy catching your beauty sleep. It is better to take care of them from the very beginning to avoid problems in the future.
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