Cobb County, Marietta Rat Control Situation:
Hello David, I just happened upon your website and found it to be the most informative site of any I've seen regarding rat infestation. Everything you said makes sense to me. My problem involves rats in my crawl space (under my house) over that past 5 years. It continues to be an absolute nightmare. In 2008, they did so much damage that it was necessary to do a complete restoration ($3,500) and since then, I've had no insulation under my house for fear that they will start nesting in it again. For over two years now, it's been a constant problem and no one has been able to get it under control. I'm on a regular maintenance program with a pest control company (Alpha Ecological) and they told me I have the worst infestation of any customer they've ever dealt with! It seems the rats are mostly burrowing in from a distance and coming up under the vapor barrier. (I have an adjoining neighbor who's backyard is a mess and my pest control guy found evidence of rat holes and bird feeders, but the neighbor is doing nothing to combat the situation because he said he's never seen a rat.) There is a bait station in my crawl space now, and it sounds like that should be removed. I also have three traps set up down there. But I'm wondering if I need to take more drastic measures like cementing the crawl space which would cost a fortune, and I'm not sure how effective that would be? It's so depressing, my real estate person won't even list my house until this problem is resolved. I don't really want to move, but am so depressed over hearing the relentless activity, it's makin' me crazy. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. I left a message with the wildlife person in my area that was listed on your site. (Alpharetta GA/Cobb County) Thanks so much for your time and offering your knowledge!
Marietta Rat Control Tip of The Week
Do Rats Consume Or Like Cheese?
Being an omnivorous animal, rats tend to feed on anything their claws can grab. This feeding habit with no restrictions allows them to feed on vegetables, fruits, meats, grains, and even dairy products. There's however a myth that rats prefer cheese to any other type of food. As a result of this, many people consider cheese as a rat's favorite and will prefer using them as baits whenever they want to trap rats.
This might seem like a very good idea, but the fact is there is nothing in particular that clearly states that rats prefer cheese to other food. Although they do eat it when they have access to it, that doesn't make it the food they like
To help you understand this better and know whether or not rats consume and like cheese we will be taking you through the diet of a rat. With this, we will be able to provide an answer to the question above.
Rats are voracious eaters; all they care about is to fill up their stomach with food. They only become choosy when there is an abundant source of food and several options to choose from. In situations like this, rats will prefer to eat other foods like meat, grains, and fruits instead of eating cheese.
Apart from all that has already been mentioned above, the nutritional value of cheese is low compared to what rats need daily. This simply means that if you keep a rat as a pet, offering it a meal plan that is mainly comprised of cheese is a bad idea.