• Home
  • Blog
  • Resource Library
  • Craft Supplies
  • Free Primitive Patterns
  • About
  • Contact Us

Prim Mart

Home Decorating - Gardening - Lifestyle

  • The Home
    • Decor & Design
    • Cleaning & Organizing
    • Buying and Selling Homes
    • Electrical & Energy Use
    • Heating & Cooling
    • Home Appliances
    • Pest Control
    • Plumbing
    • Roof Maintenance
    • Security
    • Tools & Equipment
  • Outdoor Living
    • Gardening
    • Landscaping
    • Lawn Care
    • Patio Decorating
  • Art & Crafts
    • Craft Tutorials
  • Food
  • Lifestyle
    • Family
      • Parenting
      • Pets
      • Senior Living
    • Beauty & Fashion
    • Finances
    • Education
    • Fun
    • Legal Matters
    • Technology
    • Car Care & More
    • Celebrations & Holidays
    • Safety
    • Shopping
    • Travel
  • Wellness
    • Dental Health
    • Diet & Fitness
    • Holistic Health
    • Mental Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Self Improvement
  • Work & Business
    • Business Tips
    • Business Marketing
    • Office Design
    • Building Upkeep
    • Career Training
    • Work at Home
Home » The Home » Pest Control » Preventing Roof Rats

Pest Control · February 9, 2023

Preventing Roof Rats

Preventing Roof Rats

There are a variety of pests that could enter your home and cause a nuisance. However, one of the larger infestations you want to prevent is roof rats. These long and thin rodents are known for their large eyes, pointed noses, and scaly tail. They can grow to be around six to eight inches long and cause significant damage if not caught and dealt with early on. This makes preventing roof rats so important.

What Are They?

Roof rats got their name because they are known for finding shelter in the upper parts of buildings, such as the roof, where they can cause considerable damage once inside. They gnaw through materials, and if they get into the area where you store food, they can contaminate it. They are omnivores, so they will eat anything available, although they prefer seeds and fruit.

They are also nocturnal creatures who prefer cooler temperatures and live in colonies. When they forage for food, they usually go in smaller groups and repeatedly head to the same food source. Because they can fit into a hole as small as a nickel and prefer lush landscapes, it is common for properties with heavy shrubbery or wood piles to find a problem with a roof rat infestation.

Signs of an Infestation

The signs of a roof rat infestation are pretty straightforward if you have found one rodent either dead or alive. If you find a roof rat, chances are there is more than one, and finding pest control near me will be necessary. You will also want to call an exterminator if you discover any droppings around your home or gnaw marks, damaged items, or hear noises in your attic. These are all signs that you most likely have a roof rat problem.

Their Threat

Roof rats have gone down in history for spreading the bubonic plague, and even though the transmission is rare today, a few cases are still reported every year. There are other diseases that they can carry, too, such as typhus, infectious jaundice, trichinosis, and salmonella. They can also cause food poisoning if you ingest any of the food they have contaminated or any surfaces where you prepare food.

Roof rats will also show aggression if they feel threatened, which can lead to a bite or a scratch. If this happens, there is a chance of contracting rat-bite fever, which may cause vomiting, fever, headache, or joint pain.

How To Get Rid of Them

These rodents can cause a lot of damage to your home and your health. That is why it is vital to know how to get rid of them and prevent them from returning. The best way to prevent roof rats from entering your home is to ensure that any holes or cracks that are nickel sized are sealed. Also, ensure that your windows and vents are screened and keep your shrubs and trees around your home trimmed away from your home. Roof rats will eat anything available, so ensure your food is stored well and clean up any fallen food from the floors or counters.

Roof Rats are not something anyone wants in their home, especially with all the damage they can cause. If you suspect an infestation in your home, call an exterminator and then follow the steps to prevent it from happening again.

Spread the love

Posted In: Pest Control

TedsWoodworking Plans and Projects

You’ll Also Love

What Should You Do if You Have Bed BugsWhat Should You Do if You Have Bed Bugs?
Termite Inspection: Is It Worth The MoneyTermite Inspection: Is It Worth The Money?
Overwintering Pests: Are You Prepared This Winter?
Next Post >

How Hurricane Impact Doors Improve Your Home’s Value

Search

Hello There!

Welcome to Prim Mart! I'm Katharine, a mom, wife, and blogger with a passion for all things related to homemaking and enjoying life. Prim Mart was founded in 2001 and has grown from just a craft blog to an online lifestyle magazine filled with helpful and creative articles for you!

Join Our Newsletter

Archives

Popular Posts

AntiqueFarmHouse

Categories

Woodworking Designs Plans and Projects

Copyright © 2023 Prim Mart · Theme by 17th Avenue

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Read More

Accept Decline Cookie Settings
I consent to the use of following cookies:
Cookie Declaration About Cookies
Necessary (0) Marketing (0) Analytics (0) Preferences (0) Unclassified (0)
Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.
We do not use cookies of this type.
Marketing cookies are used to track visitors across websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers.
We do not use cookies of this type.
Analytics cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously.
We do not use cookies of this type.
Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in.
We do not use cookies of this type.
Unclassified cookies are cookies that we are in the process of classifying, together with the providers of individual cookies.
We do not use cookies of this type.
Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient. The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site. For all other types of cookies we need your permission. This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.
Cookie Settings