Ontario County, Toronto Rat Control Situation:
Do Rats Make Good Pets?
This is a very controversial topic. Parents from previous generation could not even think about giving the kid a rat as a pet. But now many scientists are saying that some of the myths associated with rats are not true. So if one is careful then they can allow the kid to have rats as a pet. But parents need to be aware of a couple of things when it comes to getting a pet rat. After all rodent type animals do carry some kind of virus so one needs to be careful when they handle these types of animals.
Anyway, getting a rat as a pet is not easy as people living near you will be a little curious. They know a lot of things that rat viruses can do. Do not get nervous; just tell them that rats are not poisonous until they are beaten by wild rats. This is exactly like getting a dog. You can keep the rat safe from rabies virus.
One of the major benefits of getting rat as a pet is that unlike dogs or cats, rats clean themselves regularly.
There are a lot of people who already have rats as pets. If you want to be one of them then here is your guide to finding the perfect rat for you.
Allergic kids
There are kids who are very sensitive; some kids are allergic to even dogs. These kids still have a rat as their pet. But as a parent you need to find a rat which is hairless, if your kids are allergic. You can also try to get Rex Rats as many surveys proved that even very sensitive people did not have rashes or cough around these kinds of rats.
Buy two rats
You may not know this but rats are very social animals. They lobe human contracts and they also live in groups. If you buy one rat then it will get lonely in his cage. They also die sooner as they get sad. This is a fact. So if you are thinking about keeping rat as pet then please get two of them at a time. You need to put the two rats in a big cage and you will be amazed to see how much the rats play.
Sex
There are some people who like to get a little adventure with their pet rats, like train them like a cat and dog. For these people, getting a female rat will be the ideal solution. Female rats are very curious and they are also much calmer than the male rats. You can actually train the female rats.
Before we end the article, here is another quick suggestion, do not buy pet rat, and adopt them from animal rehabilitation centres.
Toronto Rat Control Tip of The Week
Using Exclusion Funnels To Get Rid Of Rats Without Killing Them
Rats are probably the second most common species of rodent to be found in our towns and cities after rats, and like their larger relations, they can also often find their way into many different areas of the domestic property. Because rats can carry diseases, and can also transmit them by soiling food and water sources, it is natural to want to get rid of them as soon as possible. Exclusion funnels are one approach that can be used to try and get rid of rats from your home.
How Do The Exclusion Funnels Work?
Ultimately, the funnels are designed so that the rats can easily get in through the wide end of the funnel, and can then push themselves out of the narrow end of the funnel when they are leaving a particular area of your property. However, when they try to get back in the narrow end of the funnel the entrance is too small and cannot be prized open, meaning the rats are not able to get back into the area where they are causing the problem. The key aspect with exclusion funnels is that the rats really do need to be contained in one area of the home.
Preparation Work To Install Your Exclusion Funnels
The first step before you install any exclusion funnels in your property is to carry out a detailed search of where they are active, and then to identify all of the holes the rats are using to get in and out of that area. The reason for this is that you need to be able to deal with each entry point the rats may use so that when you install the funnels, they cannot simply come back in through another entry point. While carrying out this work, it is usually a wise precaution to wear long sleeved clothing and gloves, along with a breathing mask and goggles to protect yourself from any disease transmission.
Where To Place Your Exclusion Funnels
It is usually best to only place one or two exclusion funnels, and then seal the remaining access points that you can find in the area where the rats are nesting. When choosing which entry points to install your exclusion funnels, the best options are usually those that have the heaviest traffic, and should be indicated by a greater buildup of rat droppings and urine stains.
Monitoring The Rat Activity In Your Home
Once you have installed the exclusion funnels, the next step is to monitor the area to see how effective the funnels have been. In some cases, this part of the work can actually prove to be quite trial and error, as the rats will often have other secret entry points that you may not have found on your first search of the area. In this instance you will then have to search the area again, and try and find the other access point the rats are using to get in and out.
The Challenges Of Using Exclusion Funnels To Deal With Rats
One of the key benefits of using exclusion funnels to deal with rats is that it doesn?t kill the animals so you don?t have to dispose of any carcasses. However, this also means that the rats can try and find other ways to get into your home, which means it can take longer to deal with them than if you were to use lethal means to deal with a rat infestation. The other issue with using exclusion funnels for such small animals is that because of their size, it is very difficult and detailed work to actually find all of the holes they are using to get in and out.
