Henrico County, Richmond Rat Control Situation:
Hello David: I am a female and scared to death of rats and roaches...I am certain rats are in my attic crawl space and I found a hole in the screen appeared to be chewed..I am afraid of the crawl space without rats!!! Can I just place trap by the one runaway where I am pretty certain they have entered? Obviously I am trying to avoid bucks on exterminator.
David: I live in Richmond VA and have to park on the street. Recently, the city dug up our street and I suppose the rat population. My truck's engine got infested. It is being fixed at this moment, but I'm wondering what--if anything--can I do to prevent this from happening again.The digging on my street has stopped and has been covered with cement or whatever. The repairs are being made on the truck and everything under the hood is being cleaned & disinfected. Any input would be appreciated.
Hello David We thought we had a squirrel problem in our roof but a company named Wildlife Control inspected our house yesterday and said we have a mice and rat problem. We have heard these animals scratching in the chimney and in the attic for over a year. Wildlife Control said they would seal the holes, remove all the insulation, decontaminate the area, clean the area, replace the electrical wires and insulation for $9,244.00. The square footage of the attic is 1,850 square feet. Do you think this is a fair deal or should I get a second opinion? I live about 30 miles east of Richmond VA and do not know who to call? Thank You for your website and information.
David I live in Richmond Virginia where it gets pretty hot in the summer. My house is an old 2 story house built in 1937. I have been working with rat problems over the years and have been following the steps u have outlined. Of course I need to do more.... My question is: Would rats be in the attic in the summer time? It's probably 120 - 140 degrees in there and therefore I thought they would wait for the cooler weather. I use Blox during the cooler months around the perimeter of the house. Thanks in Advance.
Richmond Rat Control Tip of The Week
How Do Rats Use Pheromones To Communicate?
Releaser Pheromones:
Rats communicate using releaser pheromones to send information to other rats that they are in their own territory. Rats often urinate in areas to send information that they are ready to nurse or that a specific area where their nest is located is their own. Rats use these releaser pheromones to claim territory and to make sure that other rats will stay away.
Primer Pheromones:
Primer pheromones are designed to be excreted during the peak of fertility and this is the type of pheromone that sends sexual signals to males in the area. These scents are released in order to attract males and to make sure that the female is going to mate during a time where she is more than likely to conceive.
Primer pheromones are some of the main types of communication tools used by rats and it's one of the most powerful ones that can be sensed in the area. These responses are triggered by the area of the brain called the Vomeronasal and this refers to the overall sense that an adult male gets of the pheromone.
Information Pheromones:
These types of pheromones are designed to be useful for identifying something about the animals or about the area. Rats often use these to convey fear or to share information about an area. Certain species of rats can share information about a food source, safe space, and more with these types of pheromones. Most of the time informational pheromones are designed to identify the smell of other species and to warn other rats of dangers in the area.
Scientists are continuing to study rats to determine the total number of ways that they are able to communicate by pheromones alone.