Lee County, Fort Myers Rat Control Situation:
We have a call in to Wildlife Control here in Fort Myers and am awaiting their call back (I guess that is you?) In the meantime, I hope you can offer us some tips on what we can do while we wait. Our garage (and attic) is a mess and I am sure it has attracted the mice. In fact, the garage is the first place we noticed the mice. But, in the last week and a half, we have noticed the noises in our ceiling (or the floor to our second story)...apparently, there is a hole from that space into our pantry, because they have helped themselves nightly to our pantry. Upon closer inspection of the garage, we noticed someone left a gapping hole in our dry wall behind the heater (about 10 x 12). In addition, they did not seal where the pipes go up into attic very well. We just had an addition placed on our home last year so my husband is going to talk with the builder to see if he will seal these holes, otherwise, I am hoping this is a service that is available from animal control in Cape Coral. I did try to set up a trap without success....they ate the bait, but it didn't snap. While we wait for the animal control, can we try to block off where we believe the mice are coming into the pantry? I really would like to put an end to that right away. We were going to get wood and cover the openings as well as seal any smaller holes we can reach with the expanding foam. I was going to get some peppermint oil and put all over pantry...i'd much rather smell peppermint than know mice are running around in there! Then, I want to sanitize the pantry and get rid of any food they came in contact with. I don't want to jeopardize or complicate the process of eliminating our infestation, but would REALLY like them out of my house! I would appreciate your assistance, Thank you, Dina
Fort Myers 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.