ANSWERS: 1
  • Rats cause property damage and can possibly contaminate food and pass on disease to humans as well as family pets. They are stubborn rodents and can live in almost any environment. If you have noticed signs of rat infestation, take action immediately to avoid serious complications.

    Pre-Baiting

    Trapping is an excellent method of rat control. It doesn't require hazardous chemicals and allows for a more accurate estimation of when the rat activity is occurring. It also prevents any odor problems that are often a side effect of poisoning methods. Purchase rat traps in grocery stores or hardware stores. To be successful, pre-bait the rats before trapping them. Bait the traps with dried fruit, nut meat, peanut butter or a piece of hot dog. For the first few days, don't set the traps, and wait until the rats come and take the bait. This will familiarize them with the trap, so they won't be hesitant to fall for the trap next time.

    Identify the Rat

    Once you have baited a rat or two, you can identify which breed of rat you are dealing with, which will allow for better trap placement. Roof rats are small, grayish white rodents with medium-sized ears. They have a long, black tail and usually weigh between 5 and 10 oz. If you have roof rats, place your traps on overhead beams or other areas that are off the ground, since roof rats usually live in trees or other high places. They are especially fond of fruit. Norway rats are larger, with a stockier frame. Their tails are pale on the bottom and darker on the top, and their tails are usually shorter than their bodies. If you have Norway rats, place traps in dark corners, next to walls and in crevices. Regardless of which breed you are dealing with, place a trap about every 10 feet.

    Alternatives

    Some alternatives to the snap trap include glue boards, live traps and poison baits. Glue boards function in the same way as flypaper; the rat gets stuck to the glue board. Since rats tend to be larger, however, glue boards do not usually kill the rat, and snap traps are much more effective. Live traps are not recommended, since there is not a good place to release the rats. Poison baits, while they may be efficient, are highly toxic and should not be used in homes with pets or small children unless the situation is dire and no other treatment has worked. In this case, call a licensed pest control company to set the poison bait traps.

    Prevention

    Once you have eliminated rats, practice good sanitation and hygiene to prevent the problem from recurring. Seal any cracks in home foundation, as well as any other entry points such as pipes, vents, windows and door frames. Check the roof for any access points and seal if necessary. Use steel wool, lightweight sheet metal or wire screen to seal any screens. Seal any opening more than 1/4 inch for best results. Additionally, make food storage is rodent-proof. Rats can chew through plastic, so store any dry foods in metal or glass containers with tight lids.

    Source:

    Illinois Department of Public Health: Norway Rats

    University of California Integrated Pest Management Program: Rats

    EcologyCenter.org: Least-Toxic Mice and Rat Control

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