Forsyth County, Winston Salem Rat Control Situation:
I have a question about roof rats. I have heard they carry all kinds of diseases including bubonic plague and typhus. If you have them in your home do you need to evacuate your home until it is determined they are all gone and all holes and points of entry have been covered?
Hi David, I honestly don't know where to start. I have this annoying sound of a critter (of size sounds like) in my wall and it is terrifying me. I can not say if it's just at night or only during the day..I here activity both day and night. Somedays there is NO noise at all for days, then it starts over. I feel as if it's entering and leaving. I had an exterminator to come out and that was a waste. He threw out some bait and sprayed for spiders!!! and I specifically called for the noise in the wall, which did not make a sound when he came out. I told him he could cout the wall and I would have someone repair it...I JUST WANTED THE CRITTER OUT! I don't know if it's a rat, mouse or squirrel. I have heard running in the little crawl space of an attic I have earlier on, but not sinse he threw out the bait. He did say he saw very little droppings up there, but didn't say of what. I have only been in my house two years and am in NEED of HELP! Wfat can I do? I live in Greenville, MS. Thanks Shirley
Winston Salem Rat Control Tip of The Week
Rats And Black Pepper
Rats eat almost anything. In their search for food, they can gnaw on plastic, wood, and even electrical wiring. A rat presence in your home can cause a lot of economic damage.
When this expense is added to the health problems rats' body fluids can cause, the best thing a person can do is getting them out of the house as soon as possible. The most common extermination way is using traps or rodenticides. However, there are more natural methods such as the use of peppers that cause unpleasant odors and tastes for the rodent and quickly drive them away.
Odors That Repel
Using repellents with unpleasant odors for rats is a way to keep them away from you in a friendly way. The advantage of not having to deal with the rodent's carcass can be worth the effort of constantly using these temporary methods. Rodents use their sense of smell to socialize as well as to survive. An odor such as ammonia often drives them away because it is very similar to the urine of large animals that could devour them. Spicy odors are perceived as dangerous chemicals that are also often avoided at all costs.
Black Pepper
Spicy food odors are unbearable for rats, thanks to their high capsaicin content. These natural compounds give the food its spicy effect, but they are also often very irritating to the mucous membranes and lungs of rodents. If ingested, they can cause a burning sensation in the taste buds and olfactory glands. Pepper is known to be able to scare away rats temporarily although this is not scientifically proven.
For all those people who are afraid of having to deal with poisons or homemade traps, finding new and less harmful options is a headache; however, homemade repellents like black pepper avoid harming other animals and humans, being a perfect choice. In any case, even if they are harmless odors, it is advisable to seek the advice and follow the instructions of a professional in the field.
