When thinking of rats, images of the plague, Ratatouille or dark and deserted tunnels might come to mind. However, you seldom think of your living room or home. This is a good thing because wild rats do not belong in your home. Beyond health risks, rats can also cause damage to your property, for instance by chewing through cables. Considering what is at stake, it is important that you can spot the signs which indicate that you have rats in your home.
Who is the rat?
While frequently denigrated, rats are actually very intelligent animals. Laboratory rats are frequently used for research due to their neurological and biological similarities to humans. There are many more interesting facts about the rat, some of these are even indicators for how to spot them. However, despite the interesting things, it is crucial that you are able to recognise if you are dealing with a rat infestation. Rats cannot only carry disease but can bring additional pests, such as fleas, into your home.
Droppings
Considering that rats can leave up to 25,000 droppings per year, you are very likely to see rat faeces around your house – should they be there. Rat droppings are bigger than those of mice, dark and of the size of a rice grain. If you are observing a high quantity of droppings in locations that can be reached by rats, then it is very likely you are dealing with an infestation. If the droppings are smaller, it is more likely that they stem from mice.
Damage around your house
With rodents being masters of chewing, chewed cables or even furniture, can be indicative of a larger rodent problem at hand. While this can also mean you have mice in your home, always look at the combined signs you see. Moreover, there are a few things you should do after being confronted with these signs.
What you can do
If you observe droppings frequently around your house and potentially in combination with chewing damage, then it is crucial you are keeping your food items out of reach. Open sources of food can attract rodents and other pests, which increases the risk of spreading disease and can harm you if you eat an infected item unknowingly. Using airtight containers and removing any crumbs from surfaces immediately is consequently not only important for your own health but also to not draw in more pests.
Keeping your trash in a proper bin instead of a loose bag is another thing you should consider. Do not leave your trash lying around and take it outside as soon as it starts to fill up. Otherwise, you will have another attractive food source for rodents and other pests alike.
If you suspect that you have rats in your home, or pests generally, it is important to not sit on that information for too long. Instead, it is advisable to call in experts that can both provide a detailed analysis of the situation together with appropriate solutions. You can find more information on the services available at proactivepestsolutions.com.au.
Stay proactive
Whether you are dealing with rats or pests, the bottom-line is that you should stay proactive. Try to minimise the risk of attraction by keeping up with hygiene. However, sometimes the way your home is built can work against you and pests might find their way in, regardless. To understand your situation better, you can always consult with an expert for additional reassurance.