Rats: The Threats They Bring & How to Keep Them Away From your House

Winter has a habit of bringing unwanted house guests. Rats have quite the criminal history as well. Rats carry a variety of diseases and contagions that can harm you and your family; small children are especially susceptible. Therefore it is important that steps are taken to keep them away from your home at all costs.

The Dangers of Rats

It may come as no to surprise to some, but rats are riddled with numerous diseases. To name a few:

• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) – a viral infection with is transmitted through urine and saliva of rats
• Bubonic Plague – while not as dangerous today as it was in the 1800s, rats still carry the disease and for those unvaccinated, it can still be deadly
• Salmonellosis – contracted through rat’s feces

Furthermore, rats can also cause structural damage to and around your house. They are known to chew through wood and plastic, allowing them to burrow into your cabinets and ceilings.

Each one of these diseases are a danger to you and your family. Through bites, scratches, or accidentally ingestion of rat urine or feces, anyone in your family could become infected. Therefore, if you notice a rat infestation, it is important that you begin taking steps to remove them from your home and neighborhood.

Crafting Your Defense!

In order to create a strong defense, one must be aware of and understand why your home is an attraction to rats in the first place. First and foremost, it is the warmth and shelters your home provides for them. The winter season is harsh for everyone, and this does not exclude rodents. With the temperatures dropping to sometimes sub-zero levels, your home is an ideal place to burrow under and near. Furthermore, the winter seasons also happen to include holidays, meaning food will be in no shortage. To deter rats from targeting your home during the winter, is it important that you:

• Clean
  • With food and drinks left out for days, spills not cleaned, and plates not cleaned, rats will take this as an open invitation to “help” you.
• Secure Garbage Cans
  • Leaving your trashcans uncovered or throwing trash bags in the alley or street with no can is not only disrespectful to your neighbors, but it is also a for sure way of attracting rats
• Easy Entry
  • You may be surprised to hear, but rats are surprisingly agile and can squeeze through tiny openings. Patch cracks in the walls, place a fine-mesh wire under porches, eliminated areas that could be utilized for nesting.

Keeping the Pests at Bay

As always, it is easier to prevent the infestation than eliminate it once it has begun. Therefore, to stop a severe headache in the future, it is essential to invest in a strong defense before rats become an issue. Constructing a strong defense includes:

• Leaks
  • If there is a steady leak outside the house, it is vital to fix it as soon as possible, especially during the warmer months. Many animals will take advantage of the free drink, including unwanted ones.
• Landscaping
  • Trimming tree branches is critical, especially if they are close to the home. These tree branches can be used as jumping points to reach the house. Furthermore, if vines are on the house’s side, ensure their removal before they become climbing points into your home.
  • Ensure the yard is also free of debris
• Pet Food
  • Ensure that all pet food is seal away in a container made of glass or metal.
• Firewood
  • Firewood stacks can and will be used as a shelter; therefore, ensure that it is far away from your home.

Now that you are armed with proper and effective defensive techniques, act! Following these steps in this guide will help you protect yourself and your family from disease and other illnesses that rats carry. If you are worried that you may have an infestation or have questions, call Accurate Pest Control! Your pest issues are our pest issues, and we will handle the situation without putting you or your family at risk!