While rats love humans, we don’t love them. Over the years, rats have grown to have an entirely dependent relationship with people because they love all that we unknowingly provide for them. Humans give rats shelter, protection, food, and water without even being asked. So it’s no wonder that once they’ve moved into your home, they have little incentive to move out.
In the Salt Lake City area, there are two main types of rats that residents can expect to encounter:
Roof rats. This type of rat is quite large, often measuring at least one foot in length when you factor in their tail. Black to light gray in coloring, they are nocturnal in nature and spend their days hiding in dark, secluded areas around your home. They are generally attracted to fruit and nut trees, bird feeders, garbage, or anything that can offer them a steady source of food. Thanks to humans, the roof rat can find food just about anywhere they look. Because they are agile climbers, they are likely to create their nests in attics, high in trees, and on wood piles.
Norway rats. Otherwise known as a sewer rat, this brown rat measures anywhere from six to nine inches long and has big black eyes and a very long hairless tail. Like many other rodents, they are primarily nocturnal, making them harder to spot, but if you do catch one, it is a strong indicator that you have a larger problem. Additionally, the Norway rat likes to burrow and make their nests underneath buildings, homes, and other structures that may be on your property, and anywhere that is close to water. If they’ve made their nest inside your home, look to areas inside the walls and inside any secluded storage boxes.
The Problems That Come With Rats
Neither rat is one that you want in their house, and both come with their own problems, which are all unsafe and unpleasant for Salt Lake City homeowners to deal with. The two main camps that these issues fall into are:
Destruction. All rats are highly intense chewers. They have a constant need to chew in order to keep their incisors from getting too long, which means tremendous issues for homeowners. Rats will chew everything from electrical cords to duct work to possessions and furniture. While this is costly and can cause a great deal of damage to your home and its foundation, incessant chewing of electrical wires can also cause house fires.
Disease and parasites. Throughout history, rats have been infamous for spreading diseases. They’re actually credited with the proliferation of the bubonic plague! Because they spend their time in filth and tend to roam freely, rats can easily spread the diseases they carry. They are known spreaders of lymphocytic choriomeningitis, the black plague, and salmonellosis. Rats can transmit diseases either through a bite or scratch or simply by leaving behind their droppings or saliva. Rats are also carriers of other pests like fleas and ticks.
Ways Of Preventing Rats
There are a few key ways that you can prevent rats from getting inside your home and having a party:
Seal up any cracks or holes around your home’s foundation. Rats can sneak through the tiniest of holes with ease.
Be sure to store food securely and clean up any spills or garbage routinely.
The safest and most effective way to handle a rat infestation in your home is to contact the professionals at PestPro Pest Control today.