Wake County, Raleigh Rat Control Situation:
How can I tell if I have rats or mice hanging out in my walls/attic? We haven't found any signs of anything getting into the main part of the house, but every once in a while we hear them scurrying around in one spot. We only hear them in the evening, and we haven't heard them very often (tonight is the first time I have noticed them in two weeks, but I'm also not home every evening). First we thought it was mice, but I am starting to worry that they might be rodents nesting for the winter. I checked outside and couldn't find any visible entry points, nor any footprints on the roof. I also looked under the roof overhang on that side of the house and there are no holes there. I can't tell if I am hearing squirrel chirping or mouse squeaking--it's almost a squeak-like chirp (real helpful, I know). If we can't find any holes for them to get in, it makes me think mice, but if we haven't seen any signs of them in the house and only hear them in one spot, it makes me think squirrels. Whatever it is has had access to this spot for quite some time, so if they are rats, I think we need to act ASAP, as per the damage reports I've seen on websites. Any and all advice you have to diagnose what we are dealing with would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your help! - Kristin
My response: Sounds like mouse or rat activity to me. Squirrels are active in the daytime, and people usually hear a lot of morning noise. If you inspect the attic, you can tell by the droppings left behind.
Raleigh Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Do I Inspect My Home For Rat Entry Holes?
Rats can be tough to manage when they get access to a property. Their population will increase quickly and they will cause a great deal of harm to pretty much everything chewable insight. Truly, they lead to a major issue for homeowners, yet their activities can be controlled and they can be removed if managed properly.
It is of the most extreme significance while dealing with a rat infestation to identify their entry points and block them. Otherwise, they will return every time you try and expel them. Investigating a house for rat passage openings can be cumbersome as the list of spots to check is seemingly endless, especially when the house is big.
Attics, space vents, dividers, kitchens, cupboards, soffit vents, pipes, roofs, rooftop vents, etc. are some of the spots to assess. The following will help you in doing an exhaustive investigation of your home.
1. Have Fundamental Information On Rat Science
Information on their nature, habitat, appearance, diets, and behavior will help you figure out where their entry points are likely going to be in your home.
2. Information On The Architectural Plan Of The House
This also is significant. Finding out about the house's plan would help identify those shrouded spots where openings may exist in parts of the house, and these gaps might serve as rats' openings.
Having watched every one of these, property holders must check everywhere, including foundations, vents, rooftops, soffits, and so on. Anyplace there is a gap, regardless of how little it is, is a potential entry point. It may surprise you that rats can enter through holes as small as a quarter of an inch.
