Bucks County, Quakertown Rat Control Situation:
Hi David, First of all, thank you for your beautiful website, absolutely great! My wife and I are looking into renting an older single family house in a rural area near Quakertown PA, actually closer to Pennsburg. However, the house has been empty for 3 years, and the attic, crawl space, and older wooden garage show a lot of rat poop and urine traces, particularly visible in the garage. The previous renters also confirmed that they had a rat problem. The house interior walls and ceilings will be re-painted and it well get new floor coverings. Pending painting and new floor coverings, the landlord had the garage power washed and, although we have not seen it yet after the power wash, this seems to have washed away (washed to where?) the rat poop, etc. The landlord is also willing to hire a professional to help get rid of the rats and seal the access holes; since the house may need to be tented for termites, the thought is that this may also kill most of the rats. My questions are: 1.Will the termite tenting in deed also kill the rats? 2.Even if most rats are caught, and/or killed during tenting, and the access holes are sealed, what are the health dangers of rat cadavers that may be under the attic insulation, or inside the walls? 3.What is the health danger of remaining rat urine and poop traces in the attic (insulation), crawl space (dirt), walls, garage wood work, yard, etc.? 4.Aside from health danger issues, how long will the smell of rat urine and poop be around, and can this smell still penetrate through newly painted walls, ceiling, and new tile/wood floor coverings into the living spaces? 5.Last, but not least, do you know anyone in the Ventura County area who has experience with the humanly removal of rats? (Catch alive and release somewhere else?). 6.Alternatively, is there anyone you could recommend in the Ventura County area to help us with this?
So last December had Taurus fuel pump replaced and yes, a nice nest to sleep when not chewing wires discovered upon dropping fuel tank. As 2001 older car and with USAA for 36 years, talked them into homeboy rewire with junk yard wire harness vs. salvage car. With rat feeders ten feet from outside condo parking,they really love my car's wires! (actually worse as 4-5 years ago spent a small fortune on recurring shorts and wires-mechanic loved me but of course would not bust the rats- $1200 later) Heck only have 100k miles on the 2001 Ford and about to retire and need some help to keep the vermints elsewhere-maybe another older Taurus 2 chew on-trained cats-stuffed giant rats nearby!!! Attice boys we have-no prob-they come in sometimes in winter-car is prob 1.
Quakertown Rat Control Tip of The Week
Is One Rat A Sign That There Are More Present?
Rats are animals that tend to move around in groups, they are not solitary animals. For this reason, if you see a rat in your home, it is a sign that there are more rodents present. It is imperative that you start radical extermination as soon as possible, avoiding their reproduction.
In addition to traveling in groups, they have a very rapid reproduction capacity, especially if they find a comfortable place in your home.
How To Know If There Are Rats In Your House?
If you have seen or heard a rat in your home, there are probably more hidden in the most unexpected corners of your house. There are many ways you can tell if there are rodents in your home, even if you don't see them. For example:
Unusual Sounds: Rats are noisy animals; they can make noise at night, or even during the day. Whenever they bump into things, chew on objects or food, and move from one side of the house to the other, you will hear them
Nibbled Food And Objects: The best sign that there are rats in your house is if you find nibbled objects, such as clothes, shoes, or bags. Similarly, finding food packaging with holes or even foods with bites is a sign of rodents in the house.
Droppings And Urine: Rats will usually leave them anywhere in the house. It is important to be aware of any sighting of excrement, which can be quite small (the size of a grain of rice).
Where Do These Rodents Usually Hide?
Rats will always look for a place that provides them with safety and food. They usually hide in small spaces, as it is easier for them to move from one place to another. They will probably decide to stay in a place close to the kitchen so that it is easier to go out in search of food for their pups.
In short, seeing a rat is a sign that more are present and hidden. Don't wait a minute to take action in this situation! The last thing you want is a plague of rats living inside the walls of your home.