Unwanted house guests that aren’t the in-laws

An adult rat weighs 100-500 grams, measures about 24 cm (excluding tail) and is brown/back with grey fur underneath. It’s tail is shorter than the head and body together. In comparison, the house mouse weighs around 30 grams and is 10 cm long (excluding tail), they have large ears in relation to their body with small feet and a tail which is longer than their body.

Rats can be major hazard to health as they can spread many forms of disease (especially through droppings and urine). Some of these diseases, such as leptospirosis, can be fatal to man although incidences are rare.
As much as you might want mice or rats out of your house, does the thought of trapping and disposing of a dead rodent make you squirm? You’re not alone. Many folks freak out at the thought of having to deal with trapped remains, and not everyone has a roommate, neighbor, or friend who’s available or willing to help. Plus, rats and mice create millions of dollars in home damage every year by chewing through woodwork, water pipes and electrical cables through out the home. Fortunately, you scaredy cats have BugMaster to solve your rodent problems and protect the investment in your home.

Treatment

Once the presence of rats has been established, bait points will be placed around the affected areas (we do not use traps). Remove their food, water and shelter.

The infestation should be controlled using poison bait, which can be purchased from chemists, hardware shops and garden centres. To be effective, baits must be readily available for the rat, but should not be accessible to other animals or humans, and extra care is needed if there are children present – safety instructions on the packaging must be adhered to. It is also essential that all other food sources are removed in order to force the rats into eating the poison bait.

It will take several days before the rats will feed freely and when no more poison is being taken all baits should be removed. Rats that have taken bait will return to their nest and die. A dead rat may cause a smell however, this should disappear after a short while and it is not recommended that attempts are made to find the nest as this usually proves very difficult. Repair of any damage caused by a rat infestation may be required, and proofing of the premises from further access to the property is essential.

Rat traps (similar to mouse traps but larger) are used as part of certain situations.

As much as you might want rats out of your house, does the thought of getting rid of a dead rodent make you scream? You’re not alone. Many homeowners get grossed out at the thought of having to deal with a trapped rodent, and not everyone has a neighbor, or friend who’s available or willing to help. Bugmaster is your local neighbor that will also handle the task of getting rid of your dead rodents.

For more information on the how we can get rid of any rodent problem with a wide variety of pest and rodent control programs that we offer, please call us at 251.666.4402. You can also schedule a pest control evaluation by using our online scheduler. Or you can reach us through our CONTACT page with any pest control questions that you may have.

DO YOU HAVE A RAT PROBLEM?

• damage caused by gnawing – packaging will often show tooth marks which will indicate whether it is a rat or a mouse.
• holes made by the rats in doors and walls, and the entrances to nests, are about 80mm ( 3 inches) in diameter, and nests may be made in wall and floor cavities.
• rat runs – once the best route has been established, rats tend to use this “run” frequently and it will become soiled with the grease and dirt and be very apparent in even moderate infestations.
• smears and droppings – a good indication of the size of infestation and how long it has been there.
• footprints can be seen on soft or dusty surfaces.