Everyone knows it's important to keep rats away from your Plano property, just as everyone surely knows that's easier said than done. Keeping rats away from your home needs to be a top priority, and often it's best to seek assistance from pest control in Plano to ensure successful rat control for your home. Here's what Texas homeowners need to know about local rats, the damage and disease they can bring to your home, how to remove factors that attract rats, and the best way to get rid of rats in Plano.
Habits And Behaviors Of Common Rats
Two common types of rats invade Plano properties. The Norway rat and the roof rat. Both cause property damage and spread disease, and both are nuisance pests that can be hard to eliminate on your own.
The Norway rat is the larger of the two, with their bodies growing to be almost ten inches in length. They have bristly brown fur with lighter bellies, small eyes, and ears, and tails that are shorter than their bodies. Despite their heavy bodies, these rats can jump, climb, and even swim. They are social pests and live in groups. They can fit through holes the size of a quarter and often nest in the ground floor or basement levels of homes.
Roof rats are slightly smaller growing up to eight inches long with equal-length tails. They are brown to black and sometimes have gray or white bellies. Thinner than Norway rats, roof rats are skilled climbers that often enter homes through the upper levels and (not surprisingly) roofs of buildings.
Rats Can Damage Property And Spread Dangerous Diseases
Whether Norway rats or roof rats, these rodents present a triple threat to your home. Some of the diseases rats carry include:
- Salmonellosis
- Leptospirosis
- Tularemia
- Rat-bite fever
But germs are not the only thing they carry. Rats are often infested with fleas, ticks, and other parasites. They introduce these other pests to your living space when they invade your home.
Health concerns aside, rats are also responsible for significant property damage. Their strong jaws and need to continuously chew lead to damaged timbers, pipes, electrical wires, siding, and other belongings. When they nest in your home, they also soil your living area with urine and droppings.
Finally, rats in Texas reproduce quickly, evade detection, and can be incredibly difficult to remove from your home.
How To Remove Factors That Attract Rats To Your Home
To keep rats away from your Plano home, it's important to remove any factors that attract them, including:
- Food: Make sure to store food in airtight containers, cover both indoor and outdoor trash cans and empty them regularly, keep floors and countertops clean, and never leave pet food out at night.
- Water: Fix leaks, maintain drainage, and use dehumidifiers in poorly ventilated areas of your home.
- Shelter: Keep your home and yard clean and clutter-free to avoid giving rats an easy place to hide. Seal cracks and crevices in your exterior walls and foundation, and use weather stripping around doors and windows to keep rats and other pests out.
For help preventing rat infestations in your home, look for rat control near you.
The Most Effective Way To Get Rid Of Rats On Your Property
Rat pest control is easier said than done, but the professionals at All-Safe Pest & Termite can help with the best local pest control for rats. We have over 30 years of experience using the latest tools and techniques in the pest control field. We specialize in lasting solutions that eliminate rodents and prevent them from returning. Call today and ask about our customized rodent treatment plans.