Rats and mice are undeniably a nuisance for homeowners. Not only do they bother you with their noisy movements when running around the ceiling, they may also attack your food storage, and cause damage to property. Rats, most especially, can chew on books, newspaper, clothes and even furniture.
This is the reason why you can’t leave rats and mice lingering in your property, as an infestation can lead to huge costs of damage.
Why Rats and Mice Love Your Home
Most of the time the presence of rats and mice are associated with poor sanitation in a property. This isn’t necessarily true, however. Rats and mice love your home for the shelter it offers, especially for the warmth during the colder months and rainy season. Their access to your food supply and water will also attract them and make them want to stay longer in your place – which is usually the beginning of an infestation.
When the rats and mice find a comfortable place with enough food and water supply, they can multiply in a short time and before you know it, your ceiling may already be their apartment.
These pests can find access to your home through openings around the windows and doors, and holes in the roof. And their favourite place? The roof void.
Spotting An Infestation
Rats and mice normally travel around the house at night, making it hard for you to spot them and notice the start of an infestation. If you find them running around during the day, it may most likely mean they have multiplied in big numbers that they need to scout for more food.
On the other hand, however, there are signs that could tell you, regardless of the time of day, that there is a potential infestation in your home. Our inspectors at Defence Pest Management advise you to pay attention to:
• Crawling movements and sounds from the ceiling – most often this is heard at night, but it can also be heard at random times during the day ,especially when they are trying to find some food.
• Rat droppings and urine stains – you may find this just almost anywhere around the house, but some of them may have favourite spots, where you will often find the droppings.
• Chewed wood, paper, clothing and food – perhaps the most obvious sign of a rat infestation. You may even find scattered food crumbs or chewed items in another area where you don’t normally leave them.
What to Do If You Suspect An Infestation
If you have found signs of rat infestation, you may want to check with us at Defence Pest Management for a pest inspection. This will help you determine the degree of infestation and what steps you can take for treatment and management.
