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
Why Do Pest Control Companies Do A Bad Job With Poisons When It Comes To Removing Rats?
Aside from not being able to get all the rats, there are many reasons why we don't feel satisfied when a pest control company uses poison in removing rats. At times, things end up worse than they were, with other issues coming up. Using poison on rats brings about more jobs for you as a homeowner.
Think of the poisoned rats that die in the open - what happened to them? The poisons used by pest control companies lead to massive internal bleeding. The affected rodents often end up bleeding out and dying anywhere the poison takes full effect. Imagine getting rid of the rat, and later having to deal with a bloody rat lying on your kitchen counter or your carpet?
This makes you feel like the pest control company has done an incomplete job. You will be forced to put on your gloves, grab a collection tool, and a plastic bag to collect the dead rats.
Aside from that, there might be some blood splotches to clean up. This needs to be done properly, as they pose a health risk to the household. After going through all this, you are faced with the problem of how to safely get rid of the bag - having a dead and decaying rat in your dumpster may bring other kinds of pests. You end the rat infestation with poison only to start a different problem with different pests.
Aside from the stress that comes with cleaning up after a dead rat, what happens if the rat does not eat the pest control company's poison? They can't force the rats to eat it.
When the rats do not eat these poisons, it can harm anything else that comes in contact with it including, children, pets, and other wildlife creatures.
Using rat poison as a method to remove rats leaves you wondering, is such a precarious pest control method worth it?
