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Rats have poor eyesight and live in a world of sound, touch, and smell. This is why these nocturnal animals can move about at night in the pitch dark as though they have night vision. If you hope to keep rodents out of your Tampa property, you need to understand how rats operate. Here's a helpful guide to show you how and why rat control works.
How Rats Use Their Whiskers
Are you aware that rats like to run along walls? Do you know that it is because they use walls to guide them? Their whiskers are very sensitive. Like the cane of a blind person, the whiskers of a rat help to guide it through obstacles. There are two ways you can use this knowledge to your advantage.
If you remove objects from your yard, rats will have a harder time exploring your property. They need objects for better navigation. Plus, objects in your yard will help rats come out away from the exterior walls of structures and explore more of your property.
If you have bird feeders, moving these away from your exterior walls and out into the open will make it more difficult for rats to find the seeds that fall to the ground. Seeds are a preferred food source for rats and can make rats want to live on your property to have continued access to them.
Rats Prefer To Be Touching Hard Surfaces
A rat doesn't just use its whiskers to touch. It will also use its body. Scientists have found that rats are attracted to conditions that allow them to contact surfaces. This is called thigmotaxis. A rat can't help but explore openings in your exterior. It is only doing what is natural. You can put out the unwelcome mat by removing enticing openings for rats to explore.
Seal cracks in your foundation and gaps around foundation penetrations, such as pipes and conduits.
Replace damaged, or worn-out weatherstripping and door sweeps.
Fill in holes that wood-destroying organisms have created. If holes are large, you may need to use metal flashing or steel mesh to get the job done.
Make sure ventilation exhausts have working caps.
Make sure weep holes have protectors installed.
Rats Have An Incredible Sense Of Smell
If you have a food source in your yard, rats may be able to detect it with their nose. If you want to resist rats, you need to remove food options and remove smells that can attract rats. For this reason, proper trash management is essential.
Put your trash in plastic trash bags and seal them at the top.
Put your bagged trash into sturdy trash receptacles.
Make sure your trash receptacles have covers.
Put your trash to the curb each week so that receptacles don't start to stink, which is like ringing the dinner bell for rats.
If a receptacle has an odor, disinfect it to remove the odor.
What A Rat Wants
If you have food or water resources in your yard, rats will want to live on your property. They prefer to live close to these resources. When you take steps to remove these attractants, you can reduce rat activity and decrease your chances of a rat infestation within your Tampa property.
Clean gutters, repair damaged plumbing, maintain dry landscaping, remove containers that capture rainwater, and take other steps to keep your perimeter free of drinking water.
If you have a garden, berry bushes, fruit trees, or some other food source, install fencing around these to attempt to keep rats out. Be sure to install your fencing at least 1 foot underground. Some rats can burrow through the ground.
If you have pets or livestock, be aware that feeding them outside can attract rats. Refrain from leaving food sources overnight and clean bowls or troughs to remove the scent of food.
Roof Rats
We have a rat species that likes to climb trees in our area. If you see black rats on your property, those are roof rats. You can resist roof rats by trimming branches and palms away from your roofline and by putting wire mesh in your downspouts to keep them from climbing up. If the roof rats are particularly pernicious, you may also have to consider applying spikes in areas where power lines attached to your home. These rats can run along power lines like performers in Cirque du Soleil.
The Best Control For Rodents
It isn't enough to remove attractants and apply exclusions in some cases. When more control is required, it is necessary to deploy traps. We recommend having an experienced professional handle this task. If you're in Tampa or the surrounding region, contact Bold Servicing for assistance with rodent control. Our technicians are highly trained and fully licensed. We can take care of those rodents for you.