Roof rats carry different diseases that can threaten your health and the health of the people you love. These exceptional climbers prefer to nest in the upper portions of structures. When they are threatened, roof rats can be aggressive.
To gain entry to your house, rats can squeeze their body through tiny openings after they climb vines, rough surfaces, power lines, and trees. To prevent these pests from taking over your home, you must act quickly and contact Brooks Pest Control experts. Roof rats can reproduce rapidly, so even if you see just one rat now, you could be dealing with an infestation sooner than you imagine. When mature, rats can produce up to 6 litters. Every litter can have 8 young.
Signs of Roof Rat Activity
Seeing one roof rat indicates you have a rat problem. But these pests are nocturnal, so you might not see one at all. But you can see other signs of roof rats like droppings, sounds, gnaw marks, and rub marks. Usually, roof rats chew on food packages, household goods, and wooden structures. You can easily notice tracks of dark, greasy marks as these rodents move along rafters, walls, and fixtures.
How are Roof Rats Different from Norway Rats?
While the extermination approach for both types of rats is the same, these rats have differences that can help identify them. To identify the kind of rat that is invading your home, you should consider the following factors:
- Appearance and size. Roof rats are smaller than Norway rats. Often, they measure 3-8 inches in length, and have a long tail and black or brown fur. Norway rats can grow up to 18 inches long and have brownish-gray fur.
- Behavior. Roof rats set up camp and forage for food above ground. They can climb branches and explore utility lines to access home roofs. Meanwhile, Norway rats tend to stay at ground level, usually burrowing into trash piles or ground.
Eliminating a Rat Infestation
Pest control professionals take a proven approach to eliminate rat infestations. This approach includes removal, cleanup, and exclusion. When you trap rats on your own or use poison to kill these rodents, you may end up with more issues than you originally had. This can be the case since handling rodents can pose a serious health risk.
A pest control expert focuses on achieving effective and lasting results. They take extra measures such as eradicating the food sources and sealing off access points for rats. Also, they can set up permanent barriers to protect your property’s vulnerable areas.
