Albany County, Albany Rat Control Situation:
Hi David, I am writing you from Albany NY and I've had /have mice and rats around my property and mice in my roof. A licensed pest control company has done a quick inspection in my roof and because of insulation he put blue/green dry/dried blocks in the roof (forgotten the name!), and he has done this at least twice. He found one mouse in the roof space/ cavity. This mouse was the only one and he found that was underneath one air-conditioning duct. The stink in the house was bad but he placed a deodorising item in that spot. I really feel that there is still activity as I seem hear persistent cracking sound coming from the roof space on occasions. Evidence of having rats (lots of poo was found) in my garden shed. Bait was placed in the shed and it seems that the rats may have "relocated" after having eaten this dry stuff and probably would have died somewhere else. Nothing observed but I really feel at un-ease about my beautiful house that is only just 7 years old. I am really thinking that a few run down houses away from me is where the offending creatures are coming from. Both on the left and right side of my house are the course of the trouble and I have parted with $600.00 in pest control and $3.500.00 in gutterguard, professionally installed. The council has written letters to the occupiers of these houses. Also the weep-holes are fitted with a barrier against vermin. I cleaned out the shed and have disposed of as much stuff possible. My family has helped cleaning that area and sealed the holes and entry points as well. How am I able to find someone who can address my needs to identify possible hick-ups which may have been overlooked? You are saying that I may need professional wildlife removal instead of pest control, as they really don't address the problem properly? Hope I make sense with my letter and I live in Salisbury,South Australia, 5108 Thanks in advance
Albany Rat Control Tip of The Week
Dealing With A Rat Infestation In Your Attic
Black Rats are small rodents that are common in almost all areas across the United States, and because of their smaller size they are considered to be less of a threat and a pest than Norway rats, their larger cousins. However, rats also carry a range of different diseases and can also pose a health risk to you and your family, so if you do find an infestation, it is worth dealing with is promptly. Rats are also good climbers, so finding them nesting in your attic is not uncommon.
Identifying That You Are Dealing With Rats Rather Than Other Pest Animal Species
The first step to dealing with an infestation is to ensure you are dealing with rats, as the sounds of scratching from the attic can sometimes be other animals such as rats, squirrels or even raccoons. The best way of identifying that it is rats you are dealing with is to check on any rat feces that you can find. These small pellets of poop should be significantly smaller than rat droppings, and will be around the size of a small grain of rice, and is black when fresh, turning brown and then grey after some time.
Precautions Before Carrying Out Rat Control Work
Going into a confined space where pest animals are present can be dangerous as there are often diseases that can be transmitted by rats. Wearing long sleeved clothing and gloves will help protect you from any nips from animals and also prevent direct contact with feces of urine. Another smart precaution is also to wear goggles and a breathing mask, as some diseases transmitted by rats can become airborne, and can then prove to be a dangerous problem if those airborne particles are then inhaled.
Laying Traps To Catch Rats
By far the most common and affordable way of dealing with a rat infestation in the attic is to lay traps to catch the little animals. The standard snap traps on a wooden base are cheap to buy and just as effective as more expensive options, and can be re-used, which is particularly useful if you have a larger rat infestation to deal with. When laying traps in the attic, make sure to lay them near the areas where you see the greatest buildup of rat feces, and also near any entry points they may be using to get in and out.
Removing Carcasses And Monitoring The Rat Problem
Once you have laid the traps, the next step is to monitor all of the traps over the next few days, to see how effective the traps are at dealing with the problem. With any rat carcass, you can simply bag it and place it in the garbage, or it can also be incinerated as well if you have the facility. Keep re-setting the traps and continue to monitor until you are no longer seeing any signs of rat activity and you are no longer catching any rats in your traps.
Repairs Required After A Rat Infestation
The key step to take after catching and dealing with all of the rats is to seal the attic, as they will often have several entry points to help them get in and out of the area. These should all be sealed using metal flashing or a suitable filler to prevent other rats from being able to get back into the area again. You should also try to remove any feces that you can, and if insulation is heavily soiled then that should also be replaced. One wise precaution is also to fumigate the attic after your repairs, to kill off any remaining bacteria or other particles that could be harmful to anyone going into the attic in the future.
