How To Get Rid of Rats On Your Greenville Property

November 15, 2021

It may seem impossible to remove rats from your Greenville property once they've invaded. Still, with proper prevention and professional assistance, you should be able to eliminate any rat infestation from your home in no time. 

The Problem With Rats

Rats are rodents that range in color from greyish and brown to darker black coats. They also have a range of sizes depending on the species and can grow between 6 and 16 inches long (including tail length). The most common types of rats you are likely to encounter on your Greenville property are the Norway rat and the roof rat. While the Norway rat prefers burrowing in moist or underground areas and is likely to be found in crawl spaces or basements, the roof rat lives up to its name and prefers to exist in high-up areas such as attics.
 
Because rats have evolved to live alongside humans throughout the past few centuries, they have quite a dependent relationship with humans. Many rats exist next to human civilizations, especially urban areas, due to the wealth of easily accessible food, shelter, and water. This also makes them difficult to get rid of as they are highly skilled at hiding in or around your property.
 
There are many problems that can occur as rats enter your home. The following are some of the dangers of leaving a rat population unchecked:

• Rats can cause significant destruction through their constant chewing, biting, and scratching. Rats may also chew through materials such as cinder blocks, wood, bricks, and electrical wires, creating serious damage to your property.
• Rats are known carriers of several diseases, such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, plague, rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, and tularemia. They can spread these illnesses through direct contact or via the urine and feces they may leave around your home. This is especially a problem in food storage areas.
• All rodents, especially rats, carry parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites on them. As rats enter your home, they will also introduce these parasites, potentially starting an infestation.

Effective Rat Prevention For Greenville Homeowners

If you want to stop rats from entering your home, there are several prevention steps that you can take:

• Inspect your home for potential entry points such as gaps and cracks in windows, doors, roofs, and the foundation. Rats can enter into a hole as small as a quarter, so be thorough and seal up entry points with a chew-proof material like steel wool or hard cement.
• Ensure that all food waste and trash are sealed up tightly and disposed of promptly. All outdoor pet food and trash cans should also be tightly sealed to prevent the aroma of food and trash from attracting rats.
• Invest in a chimney cap to keep roof rats from entering your home via the roof. You may also want to trim back overhanging branches around your property so rats can’t climb from them onto the roof.
• Keep your yard clear and free of debris and long grass. This will eliminate outdoor hiding spots for rodents.

Professional Rodent Control With Greenville Pest Control

Keep in mind that if you already have a rat infestation on your property, the most effective and safest way to handle it is to contact the pest professionals at Greenville Pest Control. The experts will be able to eliminate rats no matter where they are hiding in your property, leaving you blissfully pest-free. Reach out to us today to learn more about our rodent control options.

Tags: rodent prevention rodent control rodent infestation

The Problem With Rats

Rats are rodents that range in color from greyish and brown to darker black coats. They also have a range of sizes depending on the species and can grow between 6 and 16 inches long (including tail length). The most common types of rats you are likely to encounter on your Greenville property are the Norway rat and the roof rat. While the Norway rat prefers burrowing in moist or underground areas and is likely to be found in crawl spaces or basements, the roof rat lives up to its name and prefers to exist in high-up areas such as attics.
 
Because rats have evolved to live alongside humans throughout the past few centuries, they have quite a dependent relationship with humans. Many rats exist next to human civilizations, especially urban areas, due to the wealth of easily accessible food, shelter, and water. This also makes them difficult to get rid of as they are highly skilled at hiding in or around your property.
 
There are many problems that can occur as rats enter your home. The following are some of the dangers of leaving a rat population unchecked:

• Rats can cause significant destruction through their constant chewing, biting, and scratching. Rats may also chew through materials such as cinder blocks, wood, bricks, and electrical wires, creating serious damage to your property.
• Rats are known carriers of several diseases, such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, plague, rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, and tularemia. They can spread these illnesses through direct contact or via the urine and feces they may leave around your home. This is especially a problem in food storage areas.
• All rodents, especially rats, carry parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites on them. As rats enter your home, they will also introduce these parasites, potentially starting an infestation.

Effective Rat Prevention For Greenville Homeowners

If you want to stop rats from entering your home, there are several prevention steps that you can take:

• Inspect your home for potential entry points such as gaps and cracks in windows, doors, roofs, and the foundation. Rats can enter into a hole as small as a quarter, so be thorough and seal up entry points with a chew-proof material like steel wool or hard cement.
• Ensure that all food waste and trash are sealed up tightly and disposed of promptly. All outdoor pet food and trash cans should also be tightly sealed to prevent the aroma of food and trash from attracting rats.
• Invest in a chimney cap to keep roof rats from entering your home via the roof. You may also want to trim back overhanging branches around your property so rats can’t climb from them onto the roof.
• Keep your yard clear and free of debris and long grass. This will eliminate outdoor hiding spots for rodents.

Professional Rodent Control With Greenville Pest Control

Keep in mind that if you already have a rat infestation on your property, the most effective and safest way to handle it is to contact the pest professionals at Greenville Pest Control. The experts will be able to eliminate rats no matter where they are hiding in your property, leaving you blissfully pest-free. Reach out to us today to learn more about our rodent control options.