Dealing With A Rat Infestation

It's not uncommon to hear of rat infestations or sightings in local neighbourhoods and in homes, and the average home is pretty attractive to rats. They are drawn to food sources, and they enjoy cosy, warm places to nest in. However, they tend to cause havoc when they move in and will chew through wires, tear open food packaging and leave the undeniably strong scent of their urine wherever they go. Brown rats and black rats are common in Australia, and rats can be agile climbers. This means they can enter your home through small gaps anywhere in your property, including pipework and vents. Garden waste and unsecured rubbish bins can provide a food source, and once they are in your garden, they will likely find their way into your home.

Identifying A Rat Problem  

You may see a rat brazenly walking across your kitchen floor, but you're more likely to see the tell-tale signs they've moved into your home than see an actual rat. As they're nocturnal, you may hear them scratching around in your roof space or subfloor when you are lying in bed at night. They can even get into your walls and make quite the noise scurrying around. Rats have oily fur and tend to walk around the perimeter of a room, so you may spot marks on your baseboards from the oil. There will also be droppings and they may be more concentrated around sources of food, such as a cupboard containing dry foodstuffs. Rats love to gnaw, so look for damage to the bottom of door frames, baseboards and hardwood flooring.

Solving A Rat Problem

You can purchase some DIY rat control products, but rats aren't easy to eradicate and commercially available products aren't always up to the job. Save yourself some time and stress and call your local pest control company to come and assess your property. They can identify the nesting site and let you know where the rats are likely entering your property, which allows you to seal off any areas that could let more into your home in the future. They will then recommend a treatment approach, which may include professional-strength rodenticide, bait stations and traps. A follow-up visit will be arranged to ensure treatment has been successful.

Rats are known to be prolific breeders, so if you notice any tell-tale signs of a rat infestation, call rat control services.