Clearing rats out of your home is not an easy task. But, as a homeowner in New Jersey, it's a project we all have to face sooner or later.
Rats can squeeze through an opening the size of a quarter, run up a vertical wall, and chew through the structural materials used to build homes.
They've evolved to be ultimate infiltrators, and once they're in, the damage they can do to your house, food stores, and physical and mental well-being are astronomical.
Let's take a second and take a look at what kinds of rats you might be dealing with, how to keep rats away from your house, how to get rid of rats if they're already there, and if that effort does not succeed - how to find quality pest control in New Jersey.
Habits And Behaviors Of Common Rats
Living in New Jersey, you will likely run into these three rat species:
- Roof rats: Also known as fruit rats, thanks to their mostly vegetarian diets, they are one of the most common rats to encounter in New Jersey. As the name suggests, roof rats are supreme climbers, building their nests in attics and roof structures. They are dark brown to black in color and can grow 6 to 8 inches in length, not counting the tail.
- Norway rats: These are a little larger than roof rats, averaging 7 to 9 1/2 inches in length, and are brown with grey or white undersides. Norway rats build burrows and infest basements and lower levels of the house.
- Woodrats: These rats, also known as packrats, are about 10 inches long and are gray to reddish-brown with a white or rust underbelly. Wood rats are about the same size as roof rats but have longer and softer fur.
All rats are nocturnal animals that are pretty social in general. Unfortunately, that means if one rat gets into your house, you should expect their family, friends, and neighbors to join it soon.
The Damage And Dangers Rats Can Create
Rats in your house will cause property damage by chewing on walls, furniture, and anything else that's around( their teeth grow continuously, and they gnaw on everything around them to keep them down in size), and they will contaminate your stored foods.
Rats also bring multiple transferable diseases into your home, such as:
- Leptospirosis
- Rat-bite fever
- Tularemia
- Salmonellosis
- Jaundice
- Trichinosis
The parasites that prey on rats, such as ticks and fleas, will also hitchhike into your home on their hosts to add additional problems to your already existing full plate.
The Hassle With Do-It-Yourself Rat Control
Keeping rats away from your house is a daunting task, but the following strategies will help:
- Store human and dog food in sealed containers
- Keep debris and piles of firewood away from the walls
- Seal house walls and cover vents with steel mesh
- Make sure your trash is in sealed, rat-proof containers
If, unfortunately, prevention didn't do the trick and you suspect that your house is infested with rats-it's time to call a rat control professional!
The Safe And Effective Way To Get Rid Of Rats
An experienced pest control professional will know where to look for rat signs and hiding places and their habits and bate preferences and will clear rats out of your house in no time.
Call Heritage Pest Control today! If your house is infested with these disease-spreading rodents.
We'll make sure your house is rat-free and stays that way!