Fairfax County, Fairfax County Rat Control Situation:
Hi David, Came across your web page and thought i would ask you some rat advice. We bought our home 2 years ago and we renovated for 2 months, so no one lived here for those two months. When we moved in, maybe about a week into living here, our bedroom bathroom had a rat in the toilet. I was in there cleaning, heard water splashes in the toilet and bam a rat, after about 30 flushes it went back down and we never saw a rat around again. Today, I'm walking down my hallway, I hear splash in the hallway bathroom toilet and there I see the rat peaking its head out. I close the lid and again I flushed it about 20 times. Currently waiting for the boyfriend to get home from work to handle the rest. What is your advice? We have a 3 year old daughter who constantly is using the restroom on her own, and it makes me sad that I now feel like I have to a toilet check before we let her use it. Do we have a rat problem? Plumping problem? Thank you for your time and any advice.
Hi David, I live in Fairfax County VA. When my husband was alive we seemed to be able to control the rats (for periods of time) in our non-insulated crawl space in our ceiling. We used the rat zappers and would kill 4 or 5 in about a weeks time and have months with no scampering in and out. Now, they are back and just aren't going for the zapper (bait remains untouched). So, I read your website and will try to find trails and buy some snap traps. It is difficult crawling up there as the ceiling tiles are not that strong and I would have to remain on the beams or fall through. Before we would be able to lure and catch them close to the ceiling hatch access. No such luck now. I hear them scamper in on the living room ceiling, be quiet all day and scamper out same way coming from the opposite side of the house. In other words, they seems to run the length of the house. My husband used to try and find outside access but had no luck. I am 68 years old and some what hesitant on the ladder. I could not find wildlife removal agencies on this Island except through regular Wildlife Control type agencies and I'm not sure how knowledgeable they are. So, maybe you have some ideas or will happen to be vacationing in the area soon. Ha, ha. There are tons of macadamia nut orchards and avocado trees on this street, so, rat heaven. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have,
Hi, thanks for your helpful info on your website. Do you know how to detect where the rat urine is? Or should I spray everywhere?
Fairfax County Rat Control Tip of The Week
Are Rats Able to Dream?
Talking about rats implies talking about pests. But let's not forget that these curious animals have been used in various scientific studies regarding sleep. In this post, we want to give you a brief description of what has been discovered about rats and sleep.
Do rats sleep?
If you ever have had the chance to see any of these little rodents, you should know that:- They are nocturnal animals
- They do not have the same sleep phases as humans
- They cannot see in color; they are colorblind
- These animals have many interesting characteristics, but the most interesting of them all is they incorporate the REM phase in their sleep
What is the REM cycle?
It is the phase of sleep in which our sleep becomes heavier. The brain waves that predominate behave the way they do when we are awake; this makes our heart rate and pressure increase, as well as the movement of our eyes (Rapid Eye Movement). There is no muscle tone and it is the moment we have dreams. Rats also experience the REM cycle.
So... do rats dream?
We could say yes; studies have shown that these medium-sized rodents incorporate this stage in their sleep phases. It's also important for you to know that their cycles are shorter and more widely spaced throughout the day.
That's why they will probably only see images, due to the absence of reasoning, they could not put together a story in their dreams.
Why they go out at night
It is difficult for a rat to cross your path during the day, and they have the need to go out and look for food. You will rarely see them wandering around during the day, as they tend to hide and sleep. But when night falls, they take advantage of the stillness and silence to seek supplies and prowl around.
