What Should You Do When You See a Rat?
There are few things more disconcerting than seeing a rat in your home.
If you do, you’ll have difficulty believing “they’re more afraid of you than you are of them.” Many rats will stare at you, bold as you please, as if challenging you to do something about their presence.
As Houston is one of the rattiest cities in the world, it’s vital to know how to react. Because it doesn’t matter what neighborhood you live in or how well you clean your house. The chance of a rat encounter is always right around the corner.
Don’t get too close.
Rats aren’t generally aggressive, but they’re like any other animal. They will respond when they are cornered. A bite or a scratch is one of the easiest ways for rats to transmit the myriad of diseases that they carry.
The best thing you can do is to move on without confronting the rat directly. Handling one rat won’t solve your rat problem anyway. Where you see one, there are, in fact, many.
Keep pets away from rats.
Your dog or your cat might be eager to chase rats or fight with them, but they can get seriously hurt. Rats are dirty, dangerous fighters, and every snap of their jaws or swipe of their claws could infect your beloved animal companion with a terrible disease.
A cat might kill and eat a rat out in nature, but that doesn’t mean you want your cat to do that in your kitchen.
Seek medical attention if necessary.
If you do get scratched or bitten, or your pet does, it’s important to see a doctor or a veterinarian ASAP.
That way, if you contract a rodent-borne disease, your doctor can catch it fast and treat it fast before it progresses too far.
Know what to do about droppings.
If you find rat droppings, you can’t just scoop them up in a paper towel or pick them up with a broom. You must literally treat those droppings as biohazards.
The CDC recommends putting on rubber or plastic gloves and spraying the droppings with a bleach solution or an EPA-registered disinfectant until the droppings are very wet. They tell you to let that sit for 5 minutes.
Then, you can grab the paper towels and wipe them up. You should only throw the remains into a covered garbage can that empties regularly. You should then mop or sponge the area with a disinfectant, and then clean your hands thoroughly, and use a hand sanitizer.
Call us for an inspection.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. If you see one rat, there are probably hundreds.
You will never get rid of all those rats on your own. Instead, call us: Houston’s expert rat control company.
We’ll inspect your home, find your rats, and develop a customized, comprehensive solution that ends your rat problem for good.
Call us today and request a free inspection!
5 Myths About Rats
Rats are poorly understood. As Houston, TX, wildlife control professionals, we hear plenty of questions and statements that tell us that myths about rats are alive and well.
Yet you can’t really afford to believe these myths! Any one of them could put your home or your family at risk. Here are five of the most common ones and the truths they conceal:
#1) They’re all up in the attic and are not hurting anything.
We’re animal lovers, too, so we get it. Sometimes, even when you hear the signs that rodents are prancing about in your attic, your first instinct is to leave them be if they aren’t bothering you directly.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a good instinct. Rats are a fire hazard because they chew on the wiring. They’re a health and safety hazard because they carry diseases that they will track all over your house, and because they aren’t exactly litter-trained. Plus, they breed so fast that they can take over the average Houston home in no time at all.
#2) You must be face-to-face with a rat before it can give you a disease.
You don’t have to come into direct contact with a rat or be bitten by one to contract a rodent-borne disease. You don’t even have to handle their droppings directly.
Rats who come into your home track germs on your countertops and furniture. They also leave feces in your ductwork, eventually breaking into particulate matter.
The viruses, on that matter, aren’t always dead when the poop turns to dust, and that means you could inhale some seriously nasty viruses into your lungs.
#3) I can’t possibly have a rat problem because I have a cat.
Cats are amazing little creatures; many will pounce on a rat if they see one. That doesn’t mean they can handle your rat problem by themselves.
First, most rats will just avoid the cat, staying out of the areas the cat frequents. On one hand, this means you may not ever see them in your living space. On the other, they’re still having a party in your attic, ductwork, and walls.
Second, you don’t really want your cat to go toe-to-toe with a rat. The result will look more like Fight Club than Tom & Jerry. An angry rat could seriously injure your cat, and a direct bite will expose your cat to all those diseases we just mentioned. Cat health is much more fragile than human health, too, so a rumble with a rat could prove deadly.
#4) I keep my house clean, so I can’t possibly have a rat problem.
You live in Houston, one of the rattiest cities on earth. Rats aren’t evaluating the HGTV readiness of your home. They’re evaluating whether they can find a warm nest, water, and food sources.
They don’t mind leaving your house to find food if they can’t find any inside. For many rats, the warm nesting place provided by your attic is draw enough.
#5) I’ll just drive the rats away with this essential oil!
You’re not going to find a cute DIY hack that’s going to get rid of your rat problem. Some Internet suggestions, like essential oils, will even make it worse. A rat smells essential oils and thinks: “Food.”
You can’t use shrieky sonic sounds that only rats can hear. You can’t use DIY poisons unless you want live rats and dead rats in your walls. You can’t bang a gong at midnight and hop up and down on one leg to petition the Rat King to take them away.
Real, professional pest control methods are the only thing that’s ever going to help.
Get Help Today
We’ve dealt with rats across a gamut of Houston homes and businesses and have access to professional-grade rat removal and abatement methods that work.
If you think you have a rat problem, don’t delay. Contact Elite Wildlife Services to schedule a free inspection today!
What Attracts Rats to a House?
Rats can enter even the cleanest homes, especially in Houston. Houston is one of America's largest cities, and rats are an inescapable part of city living.
Several properties in Houston actively attract rats, which, in turn, brings rats to other homes in the area. Right now, there are more than 3,700 property standards violations citywide.
Fortunately, you can control your property and look for ways to discourage rats.
#1) Food Sources
Rats come into a home in search of food first and foremost. The most likely culprits for a rat problem are pet food, birdseed, compost piles, and garbage.
Try to feed your pets at the same time every day so you can pick up unused food and seal it away. Keep pet food in a locked storage container. Auto feeders are convenient, but they do attract rodents.
If you feed the birds, keep bird feeders well away from the home. You should put bird food in a sealed container, too.
Look to human food. Keep compost in a bin or box. Keep trash can lids affixed to their cans. Wipe up spills and crumbs.
#2) Water Sources
You want to keep your pet watered all day long, so there's no picking up pet water bowls throughout the day. Fortunately, pet water bowls aren't usually the culprit when rats come to call.
Instead, rats like to drink their water from hidden sources, like leaky pipes. If your water bill starts to skyrocket, you might have a little rat drinking fountain somewhere in your walls.
Rats also like sources of standing water that might be in your yard. Keep bird baths clear of the home and address areas of your yard where standing water likes to gather.
#3) Places to Hide
Yards that are full of tall grass and mulch tend to attract rats. Inside, piles of clutter provide ample locations for rats to hide and scurry about.
They like any place where humans don't go very often, too, so you'll often find rats in the attic or crawl spaces. An attic looks like the ideal nesting place for a rat: it's warm, dry, and free from predators.
To discourage rats, you'll need to keep your home's areas as clean and well-maintained as possible.
#4) Entry Points
Rats can squeeze into the smallest crack in your foundation or the slightest gap in your soffit and fascia. They can contort their bodies until they can slip through openings the size of a quarter.
It takes a thorough inspection and reliable exclusion methods to help keep rats out of your home.
Have you got rats?
We can help you eliminate all the existing rats in your home while finding and blocking all the entry points that might let more inside.
Our methods are humane, so they're safe for children and pets. We work fast to help minimize the damage that rats can do to your home.
Call Elite Wildlife today if you need rodent control services in Houston, TX.
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Our goal is to take time to evaluate each customers situation and customize proven results to solve it. If you are looking for a professional solution for your Squirrel Removal needs, please contact us today.
Do You Have Rats or Mice? How to Tell Which Critter Has Invaded Your Houston, TX Home
Houston residents often ask us whether they have rats or mice in their homes. The idea is that rats are a lot more dangerous than mice.
There are ways to tell whether you have a rat problem or a mouse problem. Here are four signs we look at.
#1) Droppings
Rat droppings are nearly an inch long. You'll tend to find them along walls, in corners, in ductwork, and your attic. You might also find them near food sources, like your pet's food bowls.
Mouse droppings are a lot smaller than rat droppings. You'll find them in many of the same places.
You can also look at the shape of the droppings. Rat droppings have blunt ends, whereas mouse droppings have pointed ends.
#3) Noise
Lots of scratching and scurrying indicates the presence of rats. "Quiet as a mouse" isn't just a saying. They really are a lot quieter!
#2) Damage
Rats do far more damage to your home than mice simply because they have larger bodies and stronger teeth. If you see bitemarks on wood, metal, and drywall, there's a good chance you have a rat problem.
Mice will typically stick to the cardboard. Rats will eat cardboard too.
In addition, rats will leave "rat runs," greasy streak marks on the walls that show where they've passed.
#4) Behavior
Mice come out during the daytime. Rats tend to come out at night.
Rats are typically more cautious but may grow bold as their swarm increases in size. We've seen houses where they start sunning themselves on exterior window sills like cats or wander up to stare challenges at homeowners who weren't fast enough to correct the problem.
Rats are more intelligent than mice. They avoid bait and traps like pros.
Yet mice catch on eventually: once they see a mouse get caught in a trap, they start avoiding them, too.
Does the difference matter?
Not really.
Both rats and mice carry serious diseases, and you don't even have to come face-to-face with one to be at risk. Once they start leaving droppings in your ductwork, there's a good chance you'll start breathing in particles of whatever disease they carry. Once that happens, it's only a matter of time before you get sick.
Both rats and mice like to tear up insulation and chew on wiring, so your home becomes less energy efficient and has more fire risk.
Both rats and mice attract snakes who want to prey on them.
In short, either type of rodent is a problem, and either should send you to call us for rodent control services. We offer fast, humane rat control and mouse removal that returns your clean, safe home to its former, rodent-free condition.
Call us to get help today.
REQUEST A FREE INSPECTION
Our goal is to take time to evaluate each customers situation and customize proven results to solve it. If you are looking for a professional solution for your Squirrel Removal needs, please contact us today.
What do Animals in the Attic Sound Like?
Do you hear thumps and bumps in your attic?
While you might be in denial—nobody ever wants to think they have a wildlife problem—sounds in your attic almost always mean some creature has moved in.
Here's how to tell what you might be dealing with.
Heavy Footsteps
If it sounds like someone is walking around up there, then there's a good chance you have a raccoon, especially if you hear the sounds at dusk and during the morning. Raccoons will leave their attic nests at twilight to go foraging, then return in the morning to sleep.
In the spring, you might hear fighting and chattering. Those would be baby raccoons. As cute as a baby anything happens to be, they'll soon grow into big raccoons, worsening your wildlife problem.
Rolling Sounds
Does it sound like someone is rolling and bouncing marbles across your ceiling all day?
Those aren't marbles. They're nuts. You're hearing squirrels rolling nuts for storage. Hearing marbles in your walls? They're throwing nuts into the wall as well. Squirrels will hide nuts anywhere!
Nuts in your wall are a massive problem because squirrels occasionally go after their stash and get stuck. They'll then die, releasing a horrific smell that is difficult to remove.
Flapping Wings, Banging, and Squeaking
You may think you're playing host to a family of birds. Chances are, you're hearing bats, especially if the noises quiet down at night. During the evening, bats are out hunting.
Of course, birds like human attics as much as any other animal. If you hear fluttering and cheeping, then a Momma bird might have decided your attic looked like the perfect place to raise her baby birds.
Chewing, Scratching, and Squeaking
You probably hear rodents, and they could either be rats or mice. Either species chews and scratches incessantly.
Usually, you'll hear rodent sounds at night.
You don't have to do guesswork!
Any noise in your attic is probably a bad sign. You don't have to try to figure out the specific animal.
Just call us. We'll inspect your attic, determine what might be living up there, and help you chase those critters away for good.
Running and Pouncing
A stray cat might have moved into your attic. A cat tenant is highly likely if you have rats or mice up there, as they will make the perfect prey.
Cats would almost be welcome, except their urine is so potent that it's like toxic waste. Sooner or later, the smell will overwhelm the house. They are not as polite about their bathroom habits as their domesticated counterparts and will absolutely pee all over your attic floor.
Plus, one cat will not get rid of an entire rodent swarm. Any time you have a predator species hanging out in your home, you can bet there are plenty of prey animals, too.
REQUEST A FREE INSPECTION
Our goal is to take time to evaluate each customers situation and customize proven results to solve it. If you are looking for a professional solution for your Squirrel Removal needs, please contact us today.
How Rats Make You Sick
Many believe that rats can't make them sick unless they are bitten, scratched, or come into direct contact with rat droppings.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Rats in the home can make you ill even if you never see one face-to-face.
The Most Common Rodent-Born Illness
Hantavirus, or HPS, is the most common disease you'll find when rats and mice are in the home. Breathing in the virus is the most common means of infection.
Symptoms include fatigue and fever. You should watch out for muscle aches in the thighs, hips, back, and shoulders. These symptoms are often, but not always, followed by headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, and diarrhea.
Eventually, you'll have trouble breathing because your lungs will fill with fluid, which can be fatal: HPS has a mortality rate of 38%. If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you should get to a doctor ASAP!
Cleaning Up After Rats
After we help you remove rodents from your home, we will typically recommend companies to help you clean up the mess. That's because it's not all that safe for y you to clean up after rats yourself.
If you decide to handle the cleanup on your own, it's imperative to wear a mask and rubber gloves. Spray urine and droppings with a disinfectant. Get them soaking wet so particles can't go airborne, then let them soak for five minutes.
Wipe the area with a paper towel and then go over it with another disinfectant.
Wash your hands after completing the job. Never vacuum up droppings, as vacuuming will put all those particles right into the air.
You'll use a similar process if you find a dead rat. Soak the body with disinfectant or a mixture of bleach and water. Place the body in a plastic bag, seal it, put it in a second bag, close it, and throw it into a trash can. Empty the trash can as soon as possible.
Stay Safe and Get Help Fast
Rats carry up to 26 serious diseases. If you suspect they're in your home, you need to have them removed fast.
Contact Elite Wildlife to get help today.
The Most Common Rodent-Born Illness
Hantavirus, or HPS, is the most common disease you'll find when rats and mice are in the home. Breathing in the virus is the most common means of infection.
Symptoms include fatigue and fever. You should watch out for muscle aches in the thighs, hips, back, and shoulders. These symptoms are often, but not always, followed by headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, and diarrhea.
Eventually, you'll have trouble breathing because your lungs will fill with fluid, which can be fatal: HPS has a mortality rate of 38%. If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you should get to a doctor ASAP!
REQUEST A FREE INSPECTION
Our goal is to take time to evaluate each customers situation and customize proven results to solve it. If you are looking for a professional solution for your Squirrel Removal needs, please contact us today.
