No one wants to find rats living within their home. Their presence rightly makes your skin crawl, and later, you realize these pests can cause a ton of structural damage. Not to mention, rodents may negatively impact your health, as they carry multiple diseases and are known to track fleas and ticks indoors.
Yet, until an infestation develops, these pests are nearly invisible. When you spot one, several more are already nesting within the walls. If you just want to make sure, look for these signs before calling a pest control expert:
Dead or Living Rats
This is an obvious sign. Yet, one going astray from the group indicates far more have already created nests within your home. The nests, by this point, are already too crowded, so some of the rodents have started to wander or get lost.
However, even if you don’t spot one walking around, other signs indicate living rats may be within your home. Rat droppings are fairly clear to spot, as rodents make about 40 per night. Urine, too, gives off a strong odor.
Rat Runs
Like many household pests, rats have established routes for finding food. Tracks in the grass, by low vegetation, or through the inside indicate rats have already created their paths.
To make sure, follow the route, and from here, you may discover the areas where the rats nest or burrow. Depending upon the species, the nests may be as far as your roof or inside the basement.
Damaged Materials
Rats need to chew on things to keep their teeth from growing too long. Your home, over time, begins to display these signs. Insulation, particularly, may develop a rough appearance. Other materials, too, are vulnerable, including wires, cables, and your walls.
Noises
Rats are most active in the period from dawn to dusk. During these hours, you may hear scratching or a grinding noise close to your roof, inside your walls, and underneath the furniture or the floor.
Rats move indoors when temperatures change drastically, so now is the time of year to potentially spot them. If you notice one or a combination of the above signs, don’t hesitate to call Eliminate ‘Em. Our team of experienced exterminators is on-call 24/7 for addressing a range of pest control issues.
