Maricopa County, Phoenix Rat Control Situation:
Good evening! we have a home in downtown Phoenix that is experiencing some rat problems. Three years ago I purchased our home. It had been vacant and the attic had been infested with rats. We were successful in eradication and repairing the points of entry. However, I'm concerned about the feces that's were left behind. I rarely access the attic but it is something I would like to resolve. I have read your website and found that you offer a decontamination and or feces removal services. I am interested in learning the cost range of your services. we are able to trap and get rid of them but our bigger concern is the amount of droppings and urine that seem to be everywhere. We have blown insulation and i feel like we might need to look at a complete removal of the insulation. If that is done we are capable of putting in new insulation but feel the removal might be a little out of our scope. Can you please call me so we can discuss the issues and make a plan of action to include getting ideas and prices. we would like to get this done pretty quickly so your quick response is greatly appreciated! thank you!!
I need some advice on how to get rid of rats that are in my dog kennels. I have 10 beagles and the rats are burrowing under the kennels and the dog houses. I have tried snap traps outside of the kennels but that only catches a few. I need a way to get rid of the rats for good without harming the dogs. The dogs keep digging holes trying to get to the rats which is causing a problem and if I use poison the dogs will eat the dead rats and that would not be a good thing. I need to find a way to fix this problem for good. Please give me some kind of solution to try, I am looking for anything. Thanks
My response: That's a tough case. I'd use snap traps enclosed in plastic boxes, like Snap-E trap in the Protecta box.
Phoenix Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Likely Is It That A Rat In The Attic Will Have A Nest Of Babies?
Rats are among the most common pest animal species that people may have to deal with around the home, and because they are quite small they can often be quite elusive little animals to deal with as well. They are quite good climbers when it comes to moving around a domestic property, so if you are worried about rats, they won?t necessarily be around ground level. Because the attic or roof space of most domestic properties is rarely used, it can often be the dark quiet place where rats can get a foothold and build a nest without being noticed by the people living beneath.
Do Rats Have A Mating Season?
Like most wild animals, rats in the wild do have a mating season, where they will normally copulate and impregnate female rats in the spring, and then the female will then give birth a few weeks later, and can then have a few litters over the summer. However, the reason for the mating season is that in rural areas there are limited food sources available during the winter months, so it is impractical for rats to mate during these months. However, over recent decades, a growing number of rats are actually giving birth throughout the year because food sources are also present throughout the year, so whatever time of the year you discover rats in the attic, you may find there are babies there too.
How Often Will Rats Give Birth?
Because of how quickly rats can go from mating to giving birth to a litter of baby rats, a female rat can often be back and ready to mate again within a few weeks from giving birth. This means that in some cases female rats can give birth to up to ten litters a year, so the population of rats from one breeding female can increase very quickly. It is also worth noting that a baby female will actually become sexually mature herself after around six weeks from birth, so the possibility for a rat population to expand very quickly where there is sufficient food is certainly there.
Dealing With Rats In The Attic
When it comes to dealing with a rat infestation, the first step is to identify where in the attic the rats are active, and while taking the appropriate precautions, look for areas where there is a buildup of rat droppings. You should then place several rat traps in these areas of the attic, along with a small amount of food as bait, and the next step is simply to watch and wait. You should remove any rat carcasses as they are caught in your traps, and then re-lay the trap with a new serving of bait, and you should then continue this process until you no longer see any signs of fresh rat activity, and when you are no longer catching any more rats. You will then need to carry out the appropriate repairs.
What To Do With A Nest Of Baby Rats
In some cases you may actually find a nest of baby rats in the attic, and if they are very young they will often be unable to look after themselves, and will ultimately die if they have to live without the support and feeding from their mother. Because of how common they are, baby rats are rarely suitable to be looked after by a wildlife rehabilitator, so in this case the most humane thing that you can do will be to kill those baby rats as humanely as possible.
