Identifying And Treating A Rat Infestation
Posted on: 26 September 2022
Rats can carry diseases and do a significant amount of damage to homes by gnawing at woodwork and chewing through electrical wires. They can wreak havoc in the kitchen by bursting open packaging and contaminating your food and their urine will leave a strong odour that can be difficult to get rid of. Two very common species of rat in Australia are the black rat and the brown rat. Black rats are agile climbers and like to stay warm and cosy, which makes your home an attractive dwelling place. Their droppings are pointed at one end and shiny black in appearance. Brown rats are much bigger than black rats and are attracted to rubbish bins and garden waste. Brown rat droppings are lighter than black rat droppings and are blunt at both ends.
Signs Of A Rat Infestation
Rats are nocturnal, so it's not common to see them scurrying around your home during the day. However, you may hear them scratching, gnawing or running around in your walls, ceiling or subfloor. You may also see gnaw marks on your baseboards, door frames or cupboards and it's very common to find their droppings scattered around, particularly near food sources. Other tell-tale signs of a rate infestation include rub marks on doors and baseboards from their oily fur and an ammonia smell, particularly near a nest site. Additionally, if you have pets their behaviour may indicate you have a pest problem, as they may bark seemingly at nothing or scratch the floor or a wall.
Treating A Rat Infestation
A pest control company will carry out an assessment of your home and garden and check for signs of rats. They will try to identify the nest site and design a treatment plan and schedule that can include the use of traps, bait stations and poison. They will visit your property a few times to check traps and determine how well their eradication plan is progressing. They can also provide advice on how you can deter rats from entering your property in the future, such as keeping garden waste to a minimum, sealing gaps around your doors and storing food in containers that cannot easily be accessed by rats.
Rat numbers can multiply quickly, so if you suspect you have rats on your property, contact a pest control company. The eradication process tends to be quicker and more straightforward when an infestation is addressed early.
Share