Pest control companies Long Beach deal with a great number of clients in need of rat control services. These are very common rodents that can easily scare you and send the wrong impression to your guests. Rats are adaptable public health pests that make themselves at home in your own house, garage or garden. Their feeding habits cause significant damages to a property. They will not only gnaw through objects but will also lure other pests in. Before you start controlling pests, it is wise to start by understanding them.
Why should you get rid of rats?
There are no scenarios that make rats good guests. You should consider pest control Long Beach as soon as you discover the presence of rats in your home. This is because rats transmit diseases which include leptospirosis, bite fever and typhus fever. Rats will also contaminate your food and water mostly with their droppings, urine and hair. These creatures also generate a bad odor in the house and they also carry fleas and ticks which can cause harm to your as well as your pets.
Types of rats
There are two main types of rats you will get to deal with:
- Black/ roof rat
- Brown/ Norway rat
Where do they hide?
When there are people around, rats will mostly be hiding. Knowing where these creatures hide is the key to effective control. When it comes to pest control Long Beach, you should focus mainly in the areas under the floors, ceiling as well as in the walls. You will also find them under the cupboards and bathtubs. More often than not, you will find rats near a source of food and water like near the water heater, in the furniture, inside rubbish heaps, in holes under or around the building and behind machines.
The main signs that will alert you to an infestation include:
- Sight of black, moist and thin droppings
- Debris from gnawing
- Missing pet food
- Signs of gnawing on fruits and vegetables
- Greasy rubbed paths through which rats take
Rats will be more active at night and in early autumn and late summer. If you see them during the day, there is a very good chance that their population has grown tremendously. You should consider hiring pest control companies Long Beach as soon as you can at this point.
Control options
There are several methods you can use in rat control. The first option is that of using chemicals. These chemicals are designed to kill rats. The downside is that in addition to killing rats, the chemicals can end up contaminating your food and might not kill the rats that are hiding away. Rat poison that contains anti-coagulant is the best chemical to go with. You can find these chemicals in the hardware stores or supermarket.
Rat baits are also an option in pest control Long Beach. Here, you make use of traps. If all these options don’t work, hire an exterminator. He will use professional solutions to make sure that he completely destroys the nest and the entire colony.