Palm Beach County, Boca Raton Rat Control Situation:
Hello: I just read the information from your email. I recently moved into an actually nice home in the Boca Raton area; however the backyard is a woody area and cross from it is the swamp. The owners of the home told me they had a cat so they never saw a rat except what the cat bought in after killing it. When I moved in which was 3 weeks ago, I started to experience rats in the kitchen, saw droppings all over my stove area. I became overwhelmed and my two children (girls) are now petrified. The owner reluctantly paid for an exterminator because they swore they never had a problem. When the exterminator came out they did a walk through. In the attic rat droppings everywhere, in the downstairs closet rat droppings and in the garage. The exterminator sealed up two openings from the attic, and I was told a tree need to cut down because that was how they were getting in, but in the closet downstairs they seem to have inhabit that area. The exterminator wanted me to remove the poison that was put down and they set traps in all 3 areas mentioned. Do you think this will rid the problem or do I need to relocate?
Hi David - I'm in Boca Raton FL and you don't have anyone here!!! I've had mice in my attic since we built our house - 10 yrs ago. I've snap trapped probably over 100 over the years, and again, now that its getting cold here, we hear the scratching at night. I've also used poison blocks that I scatter throughout the attic. I find them scrivelled up sometimes, but with blown in insulation it is hard to find their paths etc. I've got a stone veneer which results in lots of gaps where the top of the wall meets the metal soffit, so I'm wondering how to proceed on sealing that up? Any help you can suggest would be much appreciated. Thanks Bob
Boca Raton Rat Control Tip of The Week
Can Rats Chew Through The Ceiling?
Rats Are Adept At Climbing:
Rats can fit through surprisingly small spaces and they are extremely adept climbers, it may not take long for a rat to make its way up to the ceiling and then to continue burrowing through the ceiling in an effort to make a nest.
Rats Have Powerful Teeth:
Rats have the ability to chew through almost anything. Certain varieties of brown rats are able to bite through cinderblocks and light concrete. Rather than facing rats that could potentially wreck your ceiling, it's wise to stop them before they have a chance to cause structural damage.
Rats Often Spend Time In Attics:
Rats like to spend time in attics because it can often give them quick access to the outside world. Chewing through the ceiling is a likely consideration because rats are likely to be spending time at the top of your home. Rats like to hide out in attics where they may not be disturbed and this will regularly lead to the chance that a rat could chew through your ceiling quite quickly.
Rats Make Short Work Of Items Like Drywall:
Because the majority of ceilings are made out of drywall and plaster, a rat can chew through these areas quite quickly. You could have a rat making its way through your ceiling tiles within just a matter of minutes and this can be potentially dangerous for the structural integrity of your home.
Rats Want To Be Where It's Warm:
It's likely that a rat will always be directed towards the ceiling as they want to be in an area where it's warm to raise their young. Because rats can breed so quickly and because they are likely to need access to a warm roof spot, you may find rats naturally gnawing through your ceiling.