Anne Arundel County, Annapolis Rat Control Situation:
Interresting site very helpful info. I had stored furniture in a storage facility and and went into remove yesterday .. And found rats had been nesting I there. I removed a table and chairs and two couches .. Which had rat dropping on. I didn't see much urine but I'm sure it's there. I'm concerned and extremely grossed out because I HATE rodents more than anything In this world. And I have a four month old baby. I want to throw the couches away, my boyfriend and friends tell my I'm exaggerating but by your site I think not. Can you tell me is it still safe to use the couches , their made with slip covers for easy clean up. What type of cleaning should I do to use again or shall I toss them.
Hi David, Great site-very resourceful. We have a night time visitor in our attic. We called a pest control company and they have put traps in our attic and sealed his entery hole. With that said I have a few questions: Its been over a week and he has yet to be caught! We still hear him at night. is that normal? Further, we have a small half inch open gap going around the entire perimeter of our roof. We recently replaced our roof and gutters and I think there was some miscommunication between the contractors. I just have to lift the roof shingles and I can see the opening. With that said, I was thinking of going up and stuffing the perimeter of the house with steel wool. Will that keepp rats out or will they push through and end up in our attic? I was only thinking steel wool 'cause "chicken wire" would be a more labour intensive project. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Annapolis Rat Control Tip of The Week
Dealing With A Rat Infestation In Your Attic
Black Rats are small rodents that are common in almost all areas across the United States, and because of their smaller size they are considered to be less of a threat and a pest than Norway rats, their larger cousins. However, rats also carry a range of different diseases and can also pose a health risk to you and your family, so if you do find an infestation, it is worth dealing with is promptly. Rats are also good climbers, so finding them nesting in your attic is not uncommon.
Identifying That You Are Dealing With Rats Rather Than Other Pest Animal Species
The first step to dealing with an infestation is to ensure you are dealing with rats, as the sounds of scratching from the attic can sometimes be other animals such as rats, squirrels or even raccoons. The best way of identifying that it is rats you are dealing with is to check on any rat feces that you can find. These small pellets of poop should be significantly smaller than rat droppings, and will be around the size of a small grain of rice, and is black when fresh, turning brown and then grey after some time.
Precautions Before Carrying Out Rat Control Work
Going into a confined space where pest animals are present can be dangerous as there are often diseases that can be transmitted by rats. Wearing long sleeved clothing and gloves will help protect you from any nips from animals and also prevent direct contact with feces of urine. Another smart precaution is also to wear goggles and a breathing mask, as some diseases transmitted by rats can become airborne, and can then prove to be a dangerous problem if those airborne particles are then inhaled.
Laying Traps To Catch Rats
By far the most common and affordable way of dealing with a rat infestation in the attic is to lay traps to catch the little animals. The standard snap traps on a wooden base are cheap to buy and just as effective as more expensive options, and can be re-used, which is particularly useful if you have a larger rat infestation to deal with. When laying traps in the attic, make sure to lay them near the areas where you see the greatest buildup of rat feces, and also near any entry points they may be using to get in and out.
Removing Carcasses And Monitoring The Rat Problem
Once you have laid the traps, the next step is to monitor all of the traps over the next few days, to see how effective the traps are at dealing with the problem. With any rat carcass, you can simply bag it and place it in the garbage, or it can also be incinerated as well if you have the facility. Keep re-setting the traps and continue to monitor until you are no longer seeing any signs of rat activity and you are no longer catching any rats in your traps.
Repairs Required After A Rat Infestation
The key step to take after catching and dealing with all of the rats is to seal the attic, as they will often have several entry points to help them get in and out of the area. These should all be sealed using metal flashing or a suitable filler to prevent other rats from being able to get back into the area again. You should also try to remove any feces that you can, and if insulation is heavily soiled then that should also be replaced. One wise precaution is also to fumigate the attic after your repairs, to kill off any remaining bacteria or other particles that could be harmful to anyone going into the attic in the future.
