What Every Evansville Property Owner Needs To Know About Rats

Some pests are so inextricably linked to human activity that they have been known as pests for thousands of years. Enter the rat, a rodent that’s plagued humankind by spreading diseases and contaminating our food for as long as there’s been civilization. Learning how you can spot and properly prevent these vermin from invading your property will save you from having to deal with the problems rats have caused for generations.

How To Spot A Rat

Rats are one of the two most common invasive rodents around (the other being mice). Both of these rodents have learned how to thrive off of human waste and activity and can be found just about anywhere you can point to on a map. Not only do they invade our homes and businesses, rats also raid our trash cans and landfills, subsisting off the stuff we throw out every day. It’s these filthy habits that make rats such infamous pests, capable of contaminating everything they touch and spreading harmful pathogens. Here’s what to look for:

• Shape: Rats are bigger than mice, often growing near a foot in length. They have long, pointed faces and ears that are tucked far back on their heads. 
• Nests: Rats tend to shack up in tight spaces, like inside of walls and ventilation shafts. Anywhere it’s dark and dirty, rodents might be found.
• Droppings: Because they’re so good at sticking to the shadows, you’re less likely to spot a rat than you are to spot what it leaves behind. Rat droppings are large and often U-shaped with their pinched ends curling upward.

The Problems Of A Rat Infestation

Overall contamination isn’t the only thing rats can bring to your property. As if being generally unsanitary weren’t enough, rats can also cause all of the following serious problems: 

• Disease: The everyday germs they traffic in day in and day out are nasty enough, but rats are also known to carry and transmit more serious illnesses like rabies and plague.
• Damage: Rodents must file their front teeth down to keep them from growing too long. They do this by chewing on anything and everything, resulting in damage to wood, leather, and electrical wires. 
• Odor: You probably guessed — with the urine and feces they leave behind — that rats produce foul smells. The very presence of these odors can make you sick, and they can spread throughout a structure if rats have made it inside the walls or vents.

Rat Prevention Tips

The best way to be is proactive, especially when it comes to home pest control. While only professionals can get rid of an existing pest problem, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of a rat infestation: 

• Food storage: Rats are foragers, looking for stores of food or scraps that they can survive off of. That means your pantry has to be secured and your property has to be tidy when it comes to crumbs and spills.
• Trash storage: Rats will also eat the leftovers you toss into the trash. Make sure bags are in secure, lidded bins both indoors and outdoors.
• Declutter: Yard debris and excess clutter in storage attracts pests to these areas of a property. Clear out unnecessary clutter and frequently check inside of long-stored containers.

Safety Comes From Action

While you can take steps to put yourself ahead on rat prevention, only partnering with the professionals can truly protect you from these problems. At Action Pest Control, our technicians can provide you with even more helpful tips while conducting a thorough pest inspection of your property. If problems are found, we will work quickly to address them and implement measures to keep rats from ever invading again. 

Don’t let rats become a frequent pest in your life. Turn to Action Pest Control today to get started on pest control for your Evansville home.