Contra Costa County, Richmond Rat Control Situation:
Hello!!! I was just at your website, and thought I would throw an email your way... I went into my garage tonight, and was throwing a load of laundry into the washer, and I heard scratching coming from the wall in the far right hand corner of the garage... I went over to inspect, and couldn't see anything, but the scratching continued... I tapped on the wall with a broom, and the scratching stopped... My question to you is this- if it were to be a mouse would I be able to hear them so clearly scratching? I know they don't weigh a whole lot... We did have a problem with squirrels in the attic a couple of months ago, but we got rid of them, and blocked the entry way that they made to enter the attic... We checked outside this evening after we heard the scratching, and cannot find any entry points in the eaves, soffits, etc... So I am under the impression that its not squirrels or something large like that (praying that its not)... I hope I have made sense... I am a nervous wreck right now at just the thought that their is something in my wall =( I hope to hear back from you soon... Joni
My response: Sometimes mice can make very loud noises, if they scratch directly on the drywall. But squirrels, opossums, raccoons, and rats also get in wall frequently.
Richmond Rat Control Tip of The Week
Will A Rat And Her Babies Nest In An Attic?
If you have a possible rat infestation in your home, chances are that rats and her babies are nesting in your attic. These rodents have a special liking for dark places with small holes where they can reproduce and there is no better place to do that in your home than your attic.
Unlike other parts of every home, attics are places with little to no source of food. So you might be wondering why they would go all the way there just to stay. Once the rats in your home decide to move into your attic, their primary objective is to go and give birth to their babies. With their short gestation period of just 22 to 28 days, you will be having an average of 10 babies from just a single mother. This shows how rapid rats can breed in your attic when allowed to.
Having realized this, you need to get rid of the rats in your attic whenever you seek out to remove other animals nesting there too. Apart from breeding in your attic, rats are very destructive. Within just a short time, they can wreak havoc in your attic by creating cavities in and around your attic.
To remove the rats and her babies nesting in your attic, all you have to do is search your attic carefully. Although, this can be a very difficult task because rats are good at creating hideouts when they want to nest. As a result of this, you might need to consider other removal methods such as the use of lethal traps, rat poisons, and sticky traps which are often inhumane methods.
If you are not too comfortable with the use of these methods, the best thing you can do is hire a wildlife removal expert to help you get rid of the rat and her nest of babies.