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
What Is The Fastest Way To Get Rid Of Rats?
Rats are not animals anyone should have in their homes. These rodents can wreak havoc on your beautiful home when allowed to breed and multiply. If you are lucky enough to realize you have a rat problem quickly, the best thing you can do is to look for the fastest way to get rid of them before they begin to increase in number to something beyond what you can contain.
When it comes to the fastest way to get rid of rats, snap traps are considered one of the fastest. This might seem like a very old method of getting rid of rats, but the fact is that it still works better than many of the newly designed rat removal methods out there.
A snap trap is a trap with a wooden platform and a spring-loaded bar that snaps immediately a rat comes in contact with the bait that was placed on it. In the process of trying to nibble or steal the bait from the trap, it will get caught by the neck and killed immediately.
One of the major reasons why snap traps are considered the fastest way to get rid of rat is that when it traps a rat, it can be reused immediately. Provided you have a good bait in place that can help you to attract rats to the snap trap, you will also be able to trap rats and remove them from your home without wasting too much time.
Also, snap traps are humane, affordable, and easy to use.
