Thurston County, Olympia Rat Control Situation:
Hello, I have a very old house in Olympia which I purchased not too long ago, but came with several other inhabitants. We've tried mousetraps and had no luck. There is quite a bit of excrement in my basement and the stairs leading to the basement. I don't go down there much myself, because it's an unfinished basement and I rarely have reason to, but I did go down recently and there are two dead mice on my basement floor. I have never been up to the attic, but I'm sure that is a problem as well. I now realize this is a problem bigger than my capabilities and it's now time to call in the professionals. Can you help me with the cleanup of the mice and their droppings, and sealing off their entry points? Thank you for your time, Tannia
Olympia Rat Control Tip of The Week
How To Identify Rat Feces And Where Is It Found?
Dark Brown In Color:
You can recognize the look of rat droppings for their dark brown color. Unlike other animals that have darker feces, rats have a darker brown that does not border upon black.
The Shape:
The shape is often spindle and tapered to be less conspicuous. Most rats have a spindle shape for their feces and the pieces will be no larger than a grain of rice.
The Volume:
Each rat can produce up to 40 droppings in a single evening and this can mean that you are likely to find a series of piles across your home especially if you are facing a larger rat population. As you continue to identify the look of rat feces across your home, you are going to notice piles and likely find rats nearby.
Keep An Eye Out For Rub Marks:
Rub marks are another common sign that you have rats in your home. Rats naturally have grease or dirt on their body and because of their poor eyesight they often leave a series of smudges across your home. The darker marks show areas where the rats are regularly moving throughout your home and potentially entering into areas like the walls. If you started to notice various areas where there could be marks and feces, this offers an excellent chance that you could have a rat inside your home.
Be Careful While Cleaning:
Rats carry a series of diseases and it's very important that you are able to clean up any feces that you find to prevent the chance that a family pet will get into it or that you could be exposed to potential diseases.