There are many types of pests that can invade homes. They can vary from an occasional invader like silverfish to a year-round pest like the cockroach. There are other pests that are troublesome during certain types of weather. When the weather is cold rats are looking for somewhere to stay warm. When you look around outdoors at the options your home is certainly one. Rats are mostly concerned about where they can get out of the elements while they are waiting for the warm months to come back. Texas has a problem with two main types of rats. The Norway rat is one and the roof rat is the other. The Norway rat is the larger of the two and can reach all the way up to nine inches in length. They also are heavy which is why they are not as likely to climb but to stay at the ground level. The roof rat is the opposite because it is more agile and can gain access to your property from your roof. They are a bit smaller and can do some climbing to get where they want to go. You want to be sure that you know what you are looking for if you are concerned about rats in your home.
A-Tex Pest Management Outlines Where Rats May Be Hiding in Your Home
What Do Rats in the Attic Sound Like?: The first place that you want to start your search is the attic. This is often a space that is unused on a daily basis. If you have a converted attic there are still areas that are unused because of the height of the ceiling. There are rats like the roof rat that is great at climbing and they also want to be left alone so this is a great place. They are able to get in the attic through vents and use what they can find to start nesting. When you get in the attic to start your search the main thing you can look for is the presence of rat droppings. If you are noticing any around the space you need to seal open gaps off and have the area treated. Another sign is hearing scurrying and scratching at night. This could indicate rodents or wildlife.
Can Rats Chew Through Walls?: You are not going to look over at the wall and see one just hanging on the side but rats can in the walls. There are framing and space between the walls exterior and the interior of the wall. This gap can be accessed and a rat can live comfortably in the space. The sign that rats have started to invade your walls is their movement. When you head to bed at night you might hear them scurrying around or scratching on the walls. Another sign is holes in the wall. Rats can chew through any material harder than their teeth. This can include wood, concrete, brick and metal! You want to make sure that the pest control company knows that you hear them in the walls. They can cause damage to the wiring and the insulation if they are not taken care of.
Rats in Basement Or Garage: Lastly you want to check the basement if you have one and the garage as well. These areas are used for storage and that means that the rats have an abundant amount of options on where to hide. You can look for the same signs as the attic such as rat droppings. If you store food in these areas, you may also notice chewed packaging.
Rat Rodent Inspections, Control, Removal & More in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park, Texas
A-Tex Pest Management offers professional pest inspections and control services to treat rats and other pests. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.