Broward County, Fort Lauderdale Rat Control Situation:
The past month or so we hear noises over the kitchen table in the west end of the house that starts around dark and is all night. When I go to bed around two or three in the morning there are still noises. It sounds like the animal is trying to crack a pecan on the floor beams in the attic. The dining room, kitchen used to be the garage . A breezeway was added and a huge double garage added from the 'now' kitchen back door. My husband has trapped large 'rats' in the garage, NOT mice. We do have squirrels but my husband has kept them out of the pecan trees by sprinkling crushed red pepper around the trees. They do run the utitity lines. Our house has different roof angles. The orginal house roof is higher than the roof where the the dining room and kitchen is now. It is sealed off from the garage and the breezeway. The ceiling over the kitchen table is dropped about 10 inches. If the animal is coming in there it is going about 15ft to where the noise is coming from. Due to the economy we can not afford hundreds of dollars to an exterminator so any suggestions would be appreciated.
My response: You've got to find out how the rats are getting in, and seal those areas shut with steel.
Hi, We live in the newest housing area in Boca Raton Florida. Because they are turning over the soil next door and down the street, we are getting mice and some larger animals IN the HOUSE. They are coming in thru the garage and up the dryer vent into the second floor of our home. The home is over the garage. We noticed rat and animal traps by the garages but NO ONE has been around to maintain them recently. Please can you check on the traps outside and what can you suggest we do for the inside of our home. It is a real discomfort. Thanking you in advance for assisting us in this important matter. Suzanne
Fort Lauderdale Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Is The Largest Size A Rat Can Get To Be?
With an average lifespan of about 2 - 3 years, some species of rats can grow as large as 4 pounds. But on average, almost all rats are bigger than mice. Also, the size of a rat fairly depends on the specie and the sex of the rat. Male rats usually are larger than females. They have a longer body frame with tails as long as their body and can grow as big as 2 lbs.
Domesticated rats usually do better when it comes to size mainly because they are provided with all they need to grow properly and healthily. For pet rats, an adult rat can grow to a length of 9 to 11 inches with a tail length of 7 to 9 inches. If properly managed, some large species of rats can even grow as long as 20 inches. It all depends on how well the rats are being managed and taken care of.
One of the most fascinating thing about rats is that having a large body size doesn't mean they won't be able to pass through small openings and enter into your home. Rats can compress their body in order to be able to pass through small openings. Provided the opening is wide enough to allow the easy passage of its head, it will pass through. Therefore, you shouldn't consider the fact that the rats in your neighborhood are too big to gain access to your home through small openings. Instead, you need to seal all small openings up as soon as possible to avoid a rat infestation.
When it comes to rats with large sizes, the Bosavi woolly rat is one of a kind. This specie of rat can weigh up to 3.5 lbs. and grow as long as 32 inches. Although, this particular specie of rat can only be found in volcanic caves.