Orange County, Anaheim Rat Control Situation:
David, I was able to find your article on rats in the walls which I think I have at my home. It is very disturbing because it is loud scratching of the walls in the mornings all different areas of the home. Do you make calls to homeowners to help find and help them with their problems? If so, what number may I call you to set something up to come to my home and help me? I have been told to call an exterminator. Thank you in advance, Sharon
David - I have been looking at your site and am very impressed. I live near the water in dense vegetation and have an ongoing rat problem. I have tried plenty and your site mirrors what to do and not to do. I have just spent 2 full days sealing the underfloor area of my house and am about to close off some air-conditioning pipe ducting. I would like to put a one-way funnel on the last access point for a few days before I then seal it off completely. Hopefully to help any unwanted residents to depart. I am wondering what size opening you have been using on your one way funnels? I know this is a difficult question, but any sort of guide will help.Traps are awkward for me as I have roofspaces that are inaccessable to humans without wall removal. Thanks so much. Stephen Anaheim CA.
Hi David, I have at least one rat in my ceiling with no way to get to it short of cutting through the drywall. I have a suspicion how they're getting in, and want to close it up, but I'd like to do so when the chances are greatest that he's out looking for water or whatnot. Is there a time of day or night when it's most likely that he'll be out? I live in Los Angeles where the weather is dry and increasingly warm. Thanks, Craig
Anaheim Rat Control Tip of The Week
Will Rats Come Out When It's Light?
Rats are living beings with a negative phototropism. Daylight often affects them, leading them to be most active when it's dark out. Most rodents are characterized by going out during evenings when there is dim light or at night.
This habit of being active at night is very useful when combined with the instinct of going unnoticed. Rats that live in underground places like sewers can suffer retinal damage when they surface in broad daylight. The discomfort to their vision does not allow them to carry out the necessary daily survival activities.
Light is an abiotic environmental factor that can have a major impact on animal behavior and physiology. Rats adapt better to darkness because it can be very comfortable. It is believed that rats have dichromatic color vision and light is often a very important environmental signal for regulating circadian cycles and reproduction cycles.
Fear Of Light Or Fear Of Death?
Rats are one of the most successful invasive species in the world, they can adapt to almost any environment. These animals perceive light as dangerous. The light rays can make rodents feel somewhat exposed to predators or even vulnerable to people who will want to exterminate them no matter what it costs.
A Messy And Damp Place Is Ideal
Abandoned buildings, homes with cracks in the walls, or sewers, often have an abundance of dark places. A home with little light is ideal for living; it is perfect for rats to make their nests without having to expose their small offspring to being eaten by other animals.
Professional exterminators often use this information about the light phobia of rats in their preventive or extermination plans. The ultimate goal is to prevent these rodents from making their dens in or near people's homes.
