Baltimore City County, Baltimore Rat Control Situation:
Hi There. I just saw your website.... and i'm wondering if you wouldnt mind answering a couple questions for me. We live in Baltimore... We had a rat come in through our dryer vent (we've since had it replaced with one with a flap) and it made a little "home" in the laundry room. anyhow...that one was "caught" and disposed of. Being afraid there may be others in teh house....I put out some traps. My question is....one trap went off the other day...well i noticed it this morning...I didnt hear it or anything. Anyhow...the trap went off and the peanut butter was "flat" but showed no signs of "gnawing" or teeth in the PB that was remaining. The trap was set behind our hall stand and the stand may have been pushed into it by accident. Do you know if this would cause th rat trap to go off? or would the "trigger" have to be touched? Also, would there be "teeth" marks in the PB if it WAS a rat? Oh and the reason I wondered is that I found 4 droppings under the couch the other day (the other rat was disposed of about a week or so ago) and the droppings were brown. Do you know if the droppings woudl still be brown after a week as I wonder if it went under the couch and then back into the laundry room, which is just off the living room. And wonder if those droppings are "old". I have found NO other droppings to date. I'm guessing they would drop wherever they go vs just in a nest right? Thanks so much in advance!!!
Baltimore Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Are The Different Sounds Rats Make When They Are In Your Home?
Chittering:
The sound of chittering is often the sound of a rat chomping or grinding their teeth against building materials in your home. This type of behavior is fairly common for rats to sharpen their teeth as well as for nest construction. If you find that a rat in your home is making a chittering noise, this could be an indication that they are building a nest and ready to have children.
Hissing:
Hissing noise is often the sound of a rat in danger or a rat that is angry. Rats can be extremely territorial and if they are in an area of another rat that has a nest or they encounter a family pet there's a chance that they could hiss. If you approach a rat and hear a hissing sound, a rat could be simply trying to assert its dominance over you.
Squeaking:
Squeaking is often a communication method that is used between rats. The process of squeaking is fairly common in mice as well as in rats. The squeaking sound can be an indication that a rat is content and it is also a fairly common way to identify rats that could be in the walls or in close areas to your location. It's often difficult to hear a squeaking sound but if you have several rats in your home it can be easier to pick up as they start to move through the walls.
Rustling:
Rustling sounds are often the process of nest construction and these can happen outside the home or inside the home as a rat drags materials to build a nest. If you notice the sound of rustling, it is crucial that you consider contacting a pest professional as you could be facing rats that are reproducing.