Rodents can make your home a source of distress, especially if they seem to defy your control techniques. Pests like rats can be difficult to eradicate on your own because they are intelligent and smart creatures. Rats aren't just good smugglers; they are also smart burrowers and climbers. Most homeowners can't tell when the rats are getting into the house; they only realise it when they see several of them in different rooms or when they see large holes in the floorboards or damaged materials. But why are rats so difficult to control without professional pest control services? Keep reading!
They Have Excellent Hiding Skills
Rats know how to hide in places you can hardly suspect. Even tight spaces in your home are sufficient hiding areas for mature rats. Due to their secretive nature, rats can live in your home for many months without being noticed. They quickly identify narrow spaces in cramped basements, attic areas and other locations where they can hide. The junk, unwanted newspapers, cartons, boxes, luggage and bulky items in your house create the camouflage opportunities the rats need to stay safe.
They Reproduce Very Fast
Most rats aged 5 or so weeks are mature and ready to reproduce. Female rats usually give birth about 6 times per year and typically produce about 5-10 pups each birth-time. If there are several mature female rats in your house and each gives birth to over 40 offspring each year, you can imagine the damage and distress you can experience in your home before the year ends. Moreover, the rats would also contaminate your foods using their saliva, urine and droppings, exposing you and your family to some serious illnesses.
They Are Frisky Creatures
Rats don't need large cracks or holes to find their way into your house. They can enter your house through the tiny holes or cracks on the wall or even through the ceiling or window gaps. An adult rat can squeeze through a 20 mm crack or hole and get into your house. This makes it difficult for homeowners to control rats using most of the DIY methods they know. Their body shapes are quite flexible, helping them to sneak into the house through the narrowest gaps or tiniest cracks.
Now you know why the DIY control methods might not effectively control these intelligent creatures. They have an excellent memory; they can remember where you usually put the traps and baits and even identify them. Rat control is a battle that most home remedies and do-it-yourself approaches can't win. Hire pest control experts since they can identify where the rats hide and their routes, and they can use control methods that won't leave any of the rats alive.
To learn more, contact a rat control company.