Nassau County, Nassau County Rat Control Situation:
I live in Nassau County Long Island and I have been battling a problem with mice getting into my walls and attic off and on for two years. I know the rodents are mice because I have caught several of them in the outside "glue" traps. They are not getting inside my house and I never seen any evidence in cabinets, food etc. So there is no need to explore that anymore. They are just in my walls and attic. I have worked with Terminix, Orkin, Stevens Pest Control, Critter of Long Island. None of these so called "Professionals" have been able to solve the problem but they took my money. Not to mention the numerous things I have tried on my own to solve this problem. I have sealed up all the weep holes with steel wool and several areas around the front of the house where I hear them enter the house every night. I need help desperately trying to find out how the mice are still getting in the house. This is what I need. 1) Contractor who can help find the opening where they are still getting in and seal it up. 2) Contractor who can help get the mice out of my walls 3) Contractor who can help clean up the attic from the rodent residue 4) Contractor who can assess any damage done to insulation, walls, etc. Can you help recommend someone who can honestly and professionally help me with the steps to get rid of this rodent problem? I want to put my house on the market for sale but I need to take care of this problem first.
Nassau County 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.
