Why Do Rats Like To Live Inside Humble Homes?

December 15, 2022 - Rats

We live in an era in human history that is unlike other times. We enjoy modern conveniences like microwaves, indoor air conditioning, refrigerators, cars, and the list continues. We can't imagine our lives without these items, but we could do without sickness, pain, excessive heat, floods, etc. Although we know they have a purpose in this world, we could also do without rats in our homes! Despite our technological advancements, we still have to struggle with rats infesting our property.

If rats are on your property or inside your house, you need the Humble pest control professionals from Bugtime Termite & Pest Control. Since our beginnings in the late 1990s, our veteran-owned and operated company has eradicated rodents from houses in our community. Our highly trained team of technicians has over 100 years of combined pest control experience, so when we come to your home, you can rest assured we will deliver on our promises. Please continue to read as we answer questions you may have about rats and what to do about them.

What Do Rats Look Like?

Rats are rodents with the following general characteristics:

Body length: 12 to 18 inches (including tail)
Weight: Up to 16 ounces
Body: Thick and covered with coarse brown to dark gray fur
Muzzle: Blunt
Eyes and ears: Small eyes and hairless ears
Tails: Six to nine inches and scaly

There are two rat species in Texas: Norway and roof rats (or black rats). Of the two species, roof rats are smaller (they have a six to eight-inch body with a six to eight-inch tail) and tend to dwell in attics.

The Damage And Dangers Of A Rat Infestation In Your Home

Rat control is necessary for homeowners because rats damage aluminum siding, food products, wood, wiring, and just about anything else due to their need to gnaw. Like all rodents, rats must constantly trim their ever-growing incisor teeth, or they will become unmanageable. Rats can cause short circuits in appliances and home wiring and put the house at risk of fires. Other damages include two to three-inch holes in walls or floors.

Rat droppings are dangerous because they contaminate surfaces and may be vectors for spreading disease. Rats forage on animal feces, sewage in drains, dead animals, and rotting garbage, picking up bacteria, viruses, and worms. When they defecate, they deposit these disease-causing organisms on surfaces where they may come into contact with food, humans, and household pets.

Diseases rats carry are leptospirosis, rat-bite fever, tularemia, and salmonellosis. These diseases cause flu-like symptoms and sometimes require hospitalization for treatment. Rat feces is not only harmful when fresh, but when it dries, it flakes, and the particles become airborne. When some people, especially small children, inhale the particles, it can trigger allergic reactions. Rats can also spread disease through contact or if they bite. Even if the rat is dead, you can still get an illness from it unless you take proper precautions.

How And Why Rodents Find Their Way Into Our Homes

A rat problem occurs when rats enter your Humble home searching for food, water, and shelter. Rats need only a pencil-sized opening to enter your Humble home, so they enter through the following:

Small gaps between pipes and wires entering the house
Cracks between window and door frames and surrounding mortar or siding
Holes in window and door screens
Unprotected attic and crawlspace vents
Open, unscreened chimneys
Cracks along the roofline
Underneath exterior doors without door sweeps

When a rat enters a home, it searches for food sources. If it finds open garbage containers, crumbs on the floor, exposed foods, accessible food products, and a water source like leaking pipes, tubs, or drains, it will create a nest and begin reproducing.

The Solution To Total Rat Control For Your Home

Bugtime Termite & Pest Control is the best rat control company near you. Our technicians will inspect your home and property to identify entry points and infestation hot spots. We will then remove the rodents from your house and give you a rodent-free, comfortable environment. Contact us and request your inspection today!