Rats In Roseville: A Useful Guide To Prevention And Control

Rat control can be one of the hardest parts of pest control in Roseville. This is because rats are stubborn pests that are difficult to eradicate, and they are also some of the smartest pests you will ever run across. This means they can outfox a lot of your efforts to keep them out. Fortunately, they can't outfox our rat control experts here at Bell Pest Control.

Physical Characteristics of Rats: How To Identify A Rat

Rats are rodents, so they share certain characteristics with all members of the rodent family, especially their constantly growing teeth. However, sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish whether you have a rat infestation or a mouse infestation, especially if you're not seeing the animals up close. The good news is there are a few distinguishing characteristics that can help you determine whether you have rats or mice.

First off, the most obvious difference between rats and mice in Roseville is that rats are much larger. Mice typically only weigh a few ounces at most, while rats can weigh up to a pound. If you see a big rodent, it's likely a rat. There are also a few other differences between rats and mice that you should be aware of. For instance, rats have much coarser hair and hairless tails, whereas mice have softer hair and fluffy tails. Rats also have proportionately smaller ears to their bodies and wider, rounder faces than mice.

Health Risks Posed By Rats: Understanding The Hazards To Humans

Rat prevention isn't just about keeping these unsightly pests from stealing your pantry foods or chewing on your patio furniture; it's also about protecting your health. Rats spread a plethora of different diseases, some of which are potentially deadly.

Rats spread illnesses in many different ways. They can contaminate surfaces by walking across them with their filthy feet. They can leave urine or feces in food stores or on food prep surfaces. They can even contaminate the general environment with their shed hairs.

Some of the diseases rats spread include:

Hantavirus
Leptospirosis
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV)
Tularemia
Salmonellosis

Rats can also indirectly spread disease by infecting your house with other infestations, such as fleas and ticks, which carry their own sets of dangerous illnesses. This is why you need to act quickly if you start to see signs of rats in your house.

Rat Prevention Tips: Eliminating Attractants And Sealing Entry Points

Rat control is pretty much impossible for homeowners to accomplish on their own once a rat infestation gets going. If you already have a rat infestation, the best thing you can do is contact the professionals immediately. However, there are ways that you can protect yourself from future infestations if you do not already have one.

The best way to make your house a hostile place for rats is to eliminate things that attract them. If they do not have easy access to food, they will move on. This is why you should always keep your garbage covered both inside and outside your house, your pantry food stored in airtight containers, and any pet food protected as well. After feeding your pets, throw away any uneaten food while keeping their food stores locked up tight. Do not leave animal food sitting out either indoors or outdoors.

You'll also need to think about sealing your house from rat intrusion. This usually involves putting up wire or metal mesh covers to block entryways like ventilation holes, crawlspace entrances, and other areas rats can use to get inside. Taking these measures can help you avoid ever needing to get rid of rats in the first place.

Professional Rat Control: The Most Effective Elimination Solution

If you wind up with a rat infestation despite your best efforts, you will need to contact professional rat control services. Rats are extremely difficult to evict once they have decided to move in because they breed so fast that they can replace themselves many times over before you finally eliminate one adult, and they are smart enough to outfox many store-bought rat solutions.

This is why it's best to let the pros at Bell Pest Control handle your rat problem. Our experts will perform a thorough inspection of your home to figure out where rats are getting in and how to best eliminate an infestation. Where store-bought products can only temporarily reduce the rat population in your home, we can eradicate it entirely. So don't live with dozens or even hundreds of four-legged roommates. Kick them out with help from Bell Pest Control.