Alachua County, Gainesville Rat Control Situation:
sir. first i want to thank you for all of this info. i have found one damn rat. i tried getting him out the door, but he ran right past me and up into the eves. very little or no evidence of him until i saw him. did i read they follow cockroaches? big palmetto style bugs. do they go after them to eat em? if so, ive many areas to address to seal. very fast son of a gun too. do u suggest i try baby powder at possible entry points for further evidence? ive only seen the one, but i know wheres one, more more than likely to follow. id love to shoot em, but the neighbors wouldnt like that. i reside in holiday florida. lots of work to do on eves and small openings, i just want to handle the lil bastard. thank you again. keith t. future rat murderer.....
Dear David, I am having a esculating problem with roof rats. I also have a disgruntled neighbor who I suspect of comitting malicious activity around my property. Is there anyway possible that acts of malicious behavior (such as tossing dog food, bird seeds ect. onto my property ) can be causing my rat problem. If so, how can I safeguard my attic from this invasion. The strange thing about the roof rat noise in the attic is that it is not consistent. My neighbor went on thanksgiving vacation and I did not hear the rat activity in the attic for one week. Upon his return, the problem returned. Is this possible and is there something I can do to safeguard the attic? I realize this is a strange situation.
Gainesville 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.