Rats can be an issue for Houston homeowners if not handled properly. These pests introduce several potential problems, including food contamination, disease transmission, and property damage. So let's talk about how to get rid of rats in your home with effective rodent control in Houston. You'll want to know the kinds of rats you may encounter, how to identify them, and the damage they may cause. Finally, we'll discuss what you can do to keep rats away from your Houston home as effectively as possible. All-Safe Pest & Termite, the best name in Houston pest control, is here to help with all your rat control needs.
How To Identify A Rat
Rats are rodents, like mice or squirrels. They have round, furry bodies with no hair on their paws or long tails. They are often more active at night than during the day. Two of the most common types of rats you might have to deal with in the Houston area are the Norway rat and the roof rat. Norway rats have mostly brown fur with some black hairs interspersed throughout. Their undersides are usually gray or off-white. Norway rats have small ears and eyes, and their tails are usually shorter than their bodies, which measure between seven and nine and a half inches on average.
Roof rats are usually thinner than Norway rats. They also have predominantly brown fur with some black spots in it. Their undersides are typically gray, white, or black. Fully grown roof rats in Houston measure between six and eight inches from their heads to the base of their tails. Their tails average between seven and ten inches. Roof rats have large eyes and ears. Now that you know about two different types of rats you might encounter in Houston, let's talk about the kind of damage rats can cause.
The Damage And Dangers Rats Can Create Around Your House
One of the most common dangers of having rats in your house is the danger of food contamination. Roof rats and Norway rats will eat several different categories of human food. Roof rats seem to prefer fruits and vegetables, while Norway rats will eat almost anything but have shown a particular affinity for meat, fish, and dog food, among other things. The diseases rats carry include typhus, jaundice, and salmonellosis. The transmission of these diseases usually comes through infected food after rats contaminate it. Norway rats are also notorious for causing property damage; these rodents can chew through plastic, wood, and even lead in search of food.
Five Simple Tips To Prevent Future Rat Problems Around Your House
Now that you know some of the dangers of having rats in your Houston home, let's look at how to prevent rats from getting inside in the first place. Prevention is the first step to effective rat control. Here are five simple tips:
- Get rid of any sources of standing water or excess moisture.
- Search for any openings in the exterior of your home and seal them.
- Store garbage in sealed containers.
- Trim vegetation and tree branches that grow too close to your house.
- Keep food in sealed containers.
While these tips can help prevent rats from getting into your home, they won't be much help if you have an infestation on your hands. You should call a professional pest control company to help safely remove rats from your house.
The Safe And Effective Way To Get Rid Of A Rat Infestation
If you see signs of a rat infestation in your Houston home, contact All-Safe Pest & Termite. We are the area's largest independent pest control company, and we've been making our customers happy for decades. Since 1984, we've been committed to quality customer service and long-lasting results. All-Safe Pest & Termite has the experience and tools necessary to get rats out of your home for good. Contact us today for help, and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Houston.