Marion County, Ocala Rat Control Situation:
Hi, I have a question regarding rodent poo. Here's the story... We have a vacation rental house in Ocala Florida. There can be people staying for weeks or empty for weeks. We are staying at the house now. The other evening, we came in. I turned the bedroom light on and noticed a very black dropping on the night stand. Only a single dropping. It was bigger than a mouse dropping and more round than oval. It did have the one end that looked pinched. I got a piece of tissue to clean it up and it was very soft and somewhat powdery. I also had my phone charger plugged in the wall. I can't remember if the other end was on the nightstand or the floor, but the cord was stretched out...still plugged in the wall, but going under the bed. I haven't looked under the bed, but I guess I should. Since this did not look like any mouse dropping I have seen and only a single dropping, I tried to tell myself it was from a gecko. However, I started searching the web and I keep seeing where gecko poo has a white tip like bird droppings. What I found did not have white, so maybe not a gecko. Do you think it sounds like a rat? Again, I have only found the one single dropping. Thanks for any info!
Ocala 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.
