Rat infestations always start out small, but they rapidly grow out of hand. This is why it’s so important to be able to tell early on when you have an infestation. In this article, we’re going to cover some of the signs that will help you detect the presence of rats in your home.
Sounds
One of the first things that may indicate the presence of a rat infestation is sound. At night, when things quiet down, you can actually hear rats squeaking and traveling through the walls. This is not always the case of course, it depends on how your home is constructed, but many infestations are discovered this way.
Gnaw marks
Rats constantly gnaw on anything that can be gnawed on in their environment. There are several reasons to do this, from gathering nesting materials to digging passageways and sharpening their teeth. This means as the rats become more active in the home, you will start to notice these marks on your furniture and baseboards.
Droppings
One of the most common ways to detect a rat infestation is to spot their droppings. Rat droppings are small, black and rice-shaped, and they will be found in groups in areas where rats are the most active. Be careful though, because these droppings can contain pathogens, so if you are going to clean them up, you will need protective gear, and the area will have to be disinfected.
Spotting a rat
The most obvious sign that there is an infestation in the home is spotting a live or dead rat out in the open. At this point, the rat infestation has gotten completely out of hand and it is likely huge, because it means that rats are leaving their nests in a much more daring fashion. Rats start to take more risks when they are dealing with overpopulation, and this is why you are spotting them out and about.
Rat infestations are not hard to detect when you know what to keep an eye out for, and whenever you spot these signs in the future, you will know exactly what you’re dealing with. You then have to be able to determine the size of the infestation, in order to know which control technique to use.
For more information about how to detect rat infestations, or if you have found an infestation in your home and you want it removed by a pro, contact us today.
