Rat Identification & Prevention 

 

Rat Control

The thought of rats with their beady eyes and long scaly tails living near, or even worse, in their New York or New Jersey home or business gives most people nightmares, and for a good reason! Rats carry diseases, spread parasites, contaminate food, and cause destruction.

Controlling rats and stopping them from making our properties into their homes is vital to our health and safety. Rats are a pest that should not be allowed on our properties — even for a day!

What Are Rats?

A rat is a medium-sized rodent species much larger than a mouse, another common invader of our homes and businesses. Rats are medium-sized rodents that date back to ancient times. They have large jaws and a scaly tail that lacks hair. Their bodies have brown, dark brown, or black color fur; their underbellies are generally lighter in color.

a brown rat is eating on bird table

Like mice and every other rodent species, rats have front incisors on their top and bottom jaws that grow continuously throughout their life. To prevent their teeth from overgrowing, they chew on anything they come across. Their strong jaws and the large size of their front incisors allow them to cause considerable damage inside of homes and businesses.

Are Rats Dangerous?

Rats spread many diseases and pathogens, including salmonella, E. coli, hantavirus, and rat-bite fever. As rats move throughout your structure foraging for food, they contaminate surfaces and food with bacteria that make people ill.

In addition to the health risks, rats are considered dangerous because of the damage they cause inside residential and commercial properties. Their sharp teeth quickly chew through wires, pipes, flooring, and drywall. Inside our structures, the chewing habits of rats often cause short circuits, fires, and water damage.

Also, rats have poor vision. To find their way back and forth from their nest to food sources, they move along walls and furniture — leaving behind noticeable greasy markings.

Why Do I Have a Rat Problem?

Rats are opportunistic and take advantage of any food, water, and shelter we provide. Rats won’t hesitate to make their lives easy by feeding on our trash, drinking from leaky faucets, or sleeping in our attics or basements.

In densely populated areas, like cities and suburbs, rats are more common. New York City, for example, is highly susceptible to rat infestations. There are many aging buildings, lots of moisture, sewers, and plenty of alleyways where they can hide.

Where Will I Find Rats?

In New York and New Jersey, the most common species of rats include Norway rats (also known as sewer rats) and roof rats. Norway rats are blocky, fat rodents that are significantly larger than roof rats. They will burrow to store food and protect themselves from environmental conditions. Predominantly nocturnal, you have a problem if you spot one of these pests during the day.

Norway rats build their nests in woodpiles, garbage dumpsters, gardens, fields, beneath building foundations, and in piles of scrap wood. Inside, depending on their species, rats nest on ground floors, in basements, and attics.

Roof rats, also known as black rats, are smaller than Norway rats. These rats are skilled climbers. They live in shrubs, trees, ivy, or (as the name implies) on your roof. You can also find them in attics, walls, ceilings, or cabinets. These rats aren’t detected as frequently as Norway rats but still pose significant threats.

How Do I Get Rid of Rats?

Norway rats and roof rats vary in their behaviors and habitats, so it is always important to know which type of rat has invaded your space. Having a professional come to your home or business and perform an inspection is the most accurate way to identify the specifics of your rat infestation.

DIY pest control should not be your first choice to get rid of rats. Rat control products that you can purchase from big box stores are ineffective, don’t get to the root of the infestation, and end up wasting your time and money. Your first choice to eliminate rats from your home should be to call the professional at Hello Pest Control.

How Can I Prevent Rats in the Future?

Rats are frustrating pests to deal with and cause a lot of stress. To help avoid problems with rats, implement the following rat prevention tips:

  • Use durable materials like metal or steel wool to keep rats from moving into your home through spaces in the foundation, water pipes, or damaged siding.
  • Rats can easily gnaw through things like plastic sheeting, rubber, or wood.
  • Say no to rats digging through and feeding on your trash by placing all waste in cans with locking lids.
  • Maintain high sanitation standards in and around your home to avoid attracting hungry rats to your property.
  • In addition to food, easy access to water attracts thirsty rats to properties. Fix leaky pipes, eliminate areas of standing water, and replace leaky hoses.
  • Rats love to burrow and nest in areas of debris. Eliminate hiding spots for rats by removing construction debris, woodpiles, and dense shrubbery.
  • It is also important to fill holes around your home’s foundation, garage, or outbuildings to prevent them from burrowing underneath.

Call Hello Pest Control For Rat Removal

Hello Pest Control will work with you to eliminate your rat problem. Our professionals are knowledgeable and experienced in removing rat infestations from homes and businesses. We will perform an inspection, develop an affordable treatment plan to eliminate the rat infestation, and then provide the support services needed to stop a re-infestation.

If you are looking for the solution to a rat problem in your home or business, give Hello Pest Control a call today! We have effective home pest control and commercial pest control services to help you keep your property pest free.

We didn’t even think twice about who to contact when we had a problem with termites.

Hello Pest Control always comes through for us.”  Alexander M.

Get Started With Hello Pest Control Today

Contact us today to get started with immediate pest control services.

national pest management association logo
New York Pest Management logo
Hello Pest Control Logo

Hello Pest Control

545 Saw Mill River Rd

Suite 3B

Ardsley, NY 10502

(914) 371 6871

Give Us A Call!

(914) 371-6871

Copyright © 2022 Hello Pest Control – All Rights Reserved.   /  Terms and Conditions   /  Privacy Policy   /  Accessibility Statement