Henrico County, Richmond Rat Control Situation:
Hello David: I am a female and scared to death of rats and roaches...I am certain rats are in my attic crawl space and I found a hole in the screen appeared to be chewed..I am afraid of the crawl space without rats!!! Can I just place trap by the one runaway where I am pretty certain they have entered? Obviously I am trying to avoid bucks on exterminator.
David: I live in Richmond VA and have to park on the street. Recently, the city dug up our street and I suppose the rat population. My truck's engine got infested. It is being fixed at this moment, but I'm wondering what--if anything--can I do to prevent this from happening again.The digging on my street has stopped and has been covered with cement or whatever. The repairs are being made on the truck and everything under the hood is being cleaned & disinfected. Any input would be appreciated.
Hello David We thought we had a squirrel problem in our roof but a company named Wildlife Control inspected our house yesterday and said we have a mice and rat problem. We have heard these animals scratching in the chimney and in the attic for over a year. Wildlife Control said they would seal the holes, remove all the insulation, decontaminate the area, clean the area, replace the electrical wires and insulation for $9,244.00. The square footage of the attic is 1,850 square feet. Do you think this is a fair deal or should I get a second opinion? I live about 30 miles east of Richmond VA and do not know who to call? Thank You for your website and information.
David I live in Richmond Virginia where it gets pretty hot in the summer. My house is an old 2 story house built in 1937. I have been working with rat problems over the years and have been following the steps u have outlined. Of course I need to do more.... My question is: Would rats be in the attic in the summer time? It's probably 120 - 140 degrees in there and therefore I thought they would wait for the cooler weather. I use Blox during the cooler months around the perimeter of the house. Thanks in Advance.
Richmond Rat Control Tip of The Week
Animals that rats kill
The fact that rats pose several health risks and safety hazards makes them one of the most detested pests in many households. These rodents cause a whole lot of nuisance by disrupting the peace of your home with their scurrying and scratchy sounds when allowed to multiply and breed in your house. These reasons usually prompt many homeowners to look for the best possible way to get rid of them.
While trying to get rid of them, you need to also understand the fact that these rodents are capable of killing other animals. You might be wondering how an animal of this size can kill other animals. The fact is that rats are very aggressive animals with special skills when it comes to attacking their prey.
Although, the chances of this happening depend on many factors. For instance, rats will only kill or attempt to kill other animals when they are starving or they want to take over an area initially occupied by other rodents.
The most common animals that rats do attack and kill is mice. These two rodents share the same ecological niche; hence they often interact with each other. In the process of relating with one another, the scavenging instinct of rats might set in, prompting them to hunt and kill mice.
Asides from mice, rats also come in contact with and may kill cats and dogs. Cases like this occur once in a while and to only cats and dogs that are small in size or already suffering from preexisting illnesses.
Having shared this, if you are keeping a cat or dog as a pet in your house, chances are that the rats in your home will kill your pets when they have the opportunity to. Since rats are omnivorous, there are no limits to what they can feed on.