One of the scariest sounds in the world is a scream coming from somewhere inside your home, “THERE’S A RAT!!!!!”. No one wants a rat anywhere around their home, much less inside the house. If you see rat activity, you will need to quickly act by calling the best rodent control company to get the job done quickly and completely.
You have determined that you have a rat problem in or around your home and you have searched online for the best way to handle your problem while at the same time spending the least amount of money to get the job. While there are some ways for you to prevent rodents from entering your home, the only way to absolutely guarantee a rat free home is to enlist the expertise of a professional rat exterminator. Let’s look at some information about rodents and some ways to determine how to choose the best rodent control company for your situation.
Did you know that approximately 29% of homes in the US have been invaded by rodents? Did you know that during each winter, rodents invade approximately 21 million homes and 50% of those infestations happen in the kitchen? EWWWWW! Rodents can come as small as a mouse that can fit through an opening as small as a dime to a rat that has a body 9 ½” long.
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The house mouse is the most commonly found mouse in US homes today. House mice are a nuisance to have in your home. They are also able to spread disease which is a significant health threat. The house mouse can also cause damage to your home. Here are some ways you can tell if you have a house mouse infestation:
- Droppings
- Gnaw marks
- Oily rub marks
- Nesting areas
- Burrows
- Damaged goods
- Scratching sounds in walls, attics, cabinets
- Actual house mouse
A house mouse is a crafty rodent that is able to quickly adapt to a change in its environment. Female house mice are prolific and can give birth to half a dozen baby mice every three weeks. They are dark brown to gray in color, depending on the area it lives. A house mouse is typically 2.5 - 3.75 inches in length excluding the tail. The tail can be up to four inches. The entire length of a house mouse can be up to 8 inches. House mice are social rodents so if you see just one, you can count on many more being in your home as well. If you have determined you have a house mouse infestation, you will need the best rodent control company for the job.
Rats
To many people, the thought of a rat in or around their home is a scary thought. Some people won’t go back into their home if they have seen a rat scurrying across the floor. Admittedly, the sight of a rat is worrisome because they can carry disease, cause allergic reactions in those sensitive to their excrement and do extensive damage to walls, wires, and personal property. There are two common species of rats that invade homes in the US: the roof rat and the Norway rat. A professional rodent control company is necessary when you are faced with the threat of a rat infestation in or around your home.
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Roof rats are the smaller of the two commonly found rats in homes in the US. Roof rats are a mixture of brown and black with a white underbelly. Roof rats are long and slim with big eyes and ears. They can grow to 6-8 inches in length not including their tail. Roof rats have long, scaly tails that can grow to 7-10 inches. The entire length of a roof rat can be up to 18 inches long. Roof rats get their name because they typically like to make their home in the upper parts of your house like an attic but it is possible to find them in any area of your home. Roof rats can carry disease as well as damage your property. Roof rats can gain access into your home through an opening that is as small as the size of a quarter. Roof rats’ life span is generally only one year and a female can produce 40 babies during its lifetime.
Signs that you may have a roof rat infestation can include gnaw marks on walls and electrical wires, droppings, oily rub marks, nests or burrows, scratching sounds in walls or attics and seeing an actual roof rat either dead or alive. If you have noticed any of these around your home, you will need to contact a professional rodent control company to investigate and remedy your rodent infestation. Check out this article on getting rid of roof rats:
Norway Rats
Norway rats are the larger of the two commonly found rats in homes in the US. Norway rats have brown fur that is bristly. They have black hairs dispersed throughout their fur. The underbelly of a Norway rat is a lighter color that is sometimes yellow. Norway rats’ eyes and ears are small. Norway rats can grow up to 9 ½ inches in length excluding the tail. Their tail is generally shorter than the length of their head and body combined. Norway rats are often called sewer rats because they are often found in sewers around a city. They like to live in the lower parts of a building so if they find entry into your home, they will likely nest in your basement or ground level rooms. Norway rats can gain entry through an opening as small as a quarter. Roof rats’ life span is generally two years and a female can have 8-12 babies every 22 days. . Signs that you may have a Norway rat infestation can include gnaw marks and holes in walls, gnaw marks on electrical wires, droppings, oily rub marks, nests or burrows, scratching sounds in walls and seeing an actual Norway rat either dead or alive. If you have noticed any of these signs in your home, you definitely need to contact a professional rodent control company to determine the extent of your rodent infestation.
Choosing a Rodent Control Company
There are two factors that are important to know when seeking a competent, professional rodent control company: labor and materials. Let’s look at labor and materials to understand what is required for a rodent control company to do an effective rodent exclusion job.
Choosing a Rodent Control Company: Labor
Effectively eradicating all rodents from a home is a labor intensive job. It is also a time intensive job. A professional rodent control company should employ only knowledgeable, competent rodent exclusion experts. This is not always the case, however. You need to know what is required of a professional rodent control company rodent exclusion expert. The rodent specialist should inspect in and around your house as well as a full inspection of your attic. The rodent specialist should walk with you around your house and show you all the evidence of your rodent infestation. After inspection, the rodent specialist should completely close all the entry points to prevent any additional rodents from entering your home. This also means that the rodents already inside your home cannot get out. The rodent specialist will need to set traps and check them daily to remove caught rodents and to re-set the traps. If the quality of the labor provided is poor, you can end up with rodents that die inside your walls. This will be an additional expensive cost to remove the rotting animal and the accompanying stench. The labor involved in a complete rodent extrusion will take a lot of time which means the cost will not be cheap. Anything less will not be effective. Beware the rodent control company that gives you a quote too good to be true. It isn’t.
Choosing a Rodent Control Company: Materials
You have contacted a rodent control company for a rodent exclusion estimate. A rodent specialist has looked around and given you a quote for labor and materials. What kind of materials are included in that estimate? You will need to ask that question. Materials needed for rodent exclusions include:
- Screen and other materials for covering holes
- Wood for patching holes
- Traps that can include glue boards
- Bait stations
- Bait
You will need to make sure the rodent control company is using someone to eradicate your rodent infestation with quality materials following a rodent control program. Cheap materials will not hold up to the teeth of a rodent. After contacting several rodent control companies and getting estimates from each, the cheapest job is not always the better job. Your goal is to completely eliminate all rodents from your home. This requires hard labor that is time intensive and quality materials. Anything less will not get your rodent infestation eradicated effectively.
House mice, roof rats and Norway rats are not welcome rodents in any home. If you have come across signs of any of these, you will want to act fast to keep the infestation from growing. Mice and rats multiply quickly so you do not want to wait to call a rodent control company to send someone out to give you an estimate for a complete rodent exclusion to eradicate them from your home. Quality labor and quality materials are necessary for the job to be done competently and effectively. Ask yourself what is being lost for a cheaper price? Labor or product? When comparing services of a rodent control company, remember that the cheapest job is not necessarily an effective service to get rid of the rodents from your home.
Other Topics Of Interest:
How Do Animals Invade Your Home | Squirrel Control
