Rats! Do You Need Rat Control?

What was that furry thing that scurried by? Oh no, do you need rat control at your home or business? These rodents can be quite damaging to buildings and can spread disease in humans and pets. They chew, gnaw and burrow into areas to get to foods and other items. The way to tell there's an infestation brewing is by noting droppings, footprints or chewed up items. Here are some things to think about:

- What they look like: Mice and rats look similar but mice are much smaller. The most common rodents scurrying around are called Norway rats. They are brown with a few black markings. Their bellies are paler colors such as golden white or gray. These pests are over a foot long and weigh about ¾ of a pound.

- Life cycle: These pests are considered adults at 3 months old. They breed in milder seasons of autumn and springtime. A litter is typically 6 to 12 babies and one mamma rodent can have five litters annually. They can live as long as 1 ½ years but usually one year is a normal lifespan.

- What they eat: In the movies, these pests prefer cheese but in real life, they like a variety. These critters are carnivores and eat meat as well as grains and anything else they can scavenge. They can scurry and climb to obtain food or a place to bed down. They don't need a very big door, either. These rodents can into through an opening that's only half an inch wide.

- Prevention: Keeping areas such as the garage, storage shed and house picked up and as clean as possible will help prevent an infestation. So will sealing all openings, even the tiniest ones. Storing all foodstuff in Tupperware or sealed containers will reduce the scavengers ability to access loose, unwrapped or loosely wrapped items.

- How to get rid of them: There are a variety of methods to encourage the entourage of pests to find another home. Cutting off their food and water source is one method. They'll not only go after human's food, they'll break into the dogs' kibble, the birdseed and anything else lying around so everything must be picked up. Other methods include setting traps, baiting to catch-and-release, using sound systems that are meant to drive them away and poisoning them. It's wise to get the help of an expert when it comes to a rat infestation. These animals breed so profusely that without proper intervention, they could overrun your property.

- Cats and dogs: Pets are helpful rodent control team members. In fact, this is the typical job of barnyard cats. Dogs are also potential hunters of these pests. One downside to cats snaring rodents is that they often bring them as a gift to their owners. Humans have been known to come home from work or get up in the morning to drink a cup of coffee when the gift of a dead animal is delivered to their feet by Fluffy.

Rat control can be done with the help of experts and pets. It's important to remember that prevention is the most effective cure.