Duval County, Jacksonville Rat Control Situation:
Dear sir, I current have something in my attic that I think is a rat or mouse. My pest control company has placed bait for rodents in the attic to no avail. They have also complete an outside "plug the holes treatment. There is a section off my attic that is hard to access due to vaulted ceilings. The noise is in the area that no one can get to. It is mainly in the early morning, no so much at night. Can you recommend someone in the northeast Florida coast area, I am about 17 miles north of Saint Augustine, south of Jacksonville FL. Thank you, Jocelyn
If by "bait", you mean poison, that's not a good idea. You need to find the entry holes and seal them. I do know someone in your area.
Thank you for posting helpful info about rat removal. I was going to have my husband get rat poison. Glad to know that's the wrong way. What is the best bait to use in the wood rat traps? Will peanut butter work? I have no idea what rats will eat.
Peanut butter and seeds should work just fine, but there's a heck of a lot more to rat control than the type of bait used!
Jacksonville Rat Control Tip of The Week
Will Rats Come Out When It's Light?
Rats are living beings with a negative phototropism. Daylight often affects them, leading them to be most active when it's dark out. Most rodents are characterized by going out during evenings when there is dim light or at night.
This habit of being active at night is very useful when combined with the instinct of going unnoticed. Rats that live in underground places like sewers can suffer retinal damage when they surface in broad daylight. The discomfort to their vision does not allow them to carry out the necessary daily survival activities.
Light is an abiotic environmental factor that can have a major impact on animal behavior and physiology. Rats adapt better to darkness because it can be very comfortable. It is believed that rats have dichromatic color vision and light is often a very important environmental signal for regulating circadian cycles and reproduction cycles.
Fear Of Light Or Fear Of Death?
Rats are one of the most successful invasive species in the world, they can adapt to almost any environment. These animals perceive light as dangerous. The light rays can make rodents feel somewhat exposed to predators or even vulnerable to people who will want to exterminate them no matter what it costs.
A Messy And Damp Place Is Ideal
Abandoned buildings, homes with cracks in the walls, or sewers, often have an abundance of dark places. A home with little light is ideal for living; it is perfect for rats to make their nests without having to expose their small offspring to being eaten by other animals.
Professional exterminators often use this information about the light phobia of rats in their preventive or extermination plans. The ultimate goal is to prevent these rodents from making their dens in or near people's homes.