Broward County, Fort Lauderdale Rat Control Situation:
The past month or so we hear noises over the kitchen table in the west end of the house that starts around dark and is all night. When I go to bed around two or three in the morning there are still noises. It sounds like the animal is trying to crack a pecan on the floor beams in the attic. The dining room, kitchen used to be the garage . A breezeway was added and a huge double garage added from the 'now' kitchen back door. My husband has trapped large 'rats' in the garage, NOT mice. We do have squirrels but my husband has kept them out of the pecan trees by sprinkling crushed red pepper around the trees. They do run the utitity lines. Our house has different roof angles. The orginal house roof is higher than the roof where the the dining room and kitchen is now. It is sealed off from the garage and the breezeway. The ceiling over the kitchen table is dropped about 10 inches. If the animal is coming in there it is going about 15ft to where the noise is coming from. Due to the economy we can not afford hundreds of dollars to an exterminator so any suggestions would be appreciated.
My response: You've got to find out how the rats are getting in, and seal those areas shut with steel.
Hi, We live in the newest housing area in Boca Raton Florida. Because they are turning over the soil next door and down the street, we are getting mice and some larger animals IN the HOUSE. They are coming in thru the garage and up the dryer vent into the second floor of our home. The home is over the garage. We noticed rat and animal traps by the garages but NO ONE has been around to maintain them recently. Please can you check on the traps outside and what can you suggest we do for the inside of our home. It is a real discomfort. Thanking you in advance for assisting us in this important matter. Suzanne
Fort Lauderdale Rat Control Tip of The Week
Will Rats Hide From People?
The survival instinct of rats leads them to be cautious animals. The fear of being eaten by other predators makes them live in dark places and avoid being seen in broad daylight. People who come in contact with a rat may have several reactions, but the most common one is panic trying to shoo it away or kill it with whatever they have on hand. This situation causes fear in rodents who will look for hiding places and avoid being seen again.
The Mystery Of Smell
Rats use their powerful sense of smell as an effective survival technique. Through odors, a rat can perceive a predator, including species that are still unknown to the animal. Surprisingly, rats flee from cats not only because they know they may be eaten, but also because cat saliva contains chemicals that cause fear when rodents detect them.
Rats Are Pests To Humans
Farmers usually farm in warm places with relative humidity. Likewise, city dwellers tend to have a busy lifestyle, so their environment can quickly lead to clutter and disorder. Both scenarios are perfect for rodents who need the shelter and food provided by a barn, a dump, a messy house, or a sewer.
Rats are quite practical and, if necessary, can adapt to living anywhere, even in a somewhat messy house. The conditions for living comfortably and reproducing are emphasized in people's homes.
Human beings can unknowingly provide rodents with everything they need to survive, turning them into a pest. Rats, being able to take advantage of everything, from rigorously stored food to napkins thrown away, are able to grow as a population. The main consequence of a growing rodent population is the damage to people's health.
