Pests Don’t Go Away in the Winter

Norway rats are found in most states, and they've adapted well to city life. Norway rats go by several different names, such as sewer rats, brown rats, and street rats. These rats live outdoors, but they are attracted to homes for warmth, food, and water. The rats are large and destructive, so you don't want them in your home, especially since they can spread diseases too. Here are some rodent control tips for dealing with these pests.

Remove Easy Burrowing Places

If you already have a Norway rat problem, consider working with a rat control service to get it under control. One thing the service might do is point out areas on your property that give the rats a nesting place where they can live and breed.

Norway rats tend to stay low to the ground. They're not the greatest climbers, so instead of staying in trees like tree rats, they make underground burrows or make nests in brush piles. Keep the branch and leaf clutter in your yard to a minimum so the rats can't find a safe place to live.

Seal Entry Points Along The Foundation

Rats like to nest near a source of water. That might be a dripping outside spigot near your foundation or a small koi pond. The water might entice the rats to burrow under the ground near your foundation. Once they're close to your house, they'll notice gaps and holes they can exploit to get inside your house.

One of the rat control services you might want is to have your home sealed, or at least have the areas that need work pointed out to you. This could involve putting a screen over your dryer vent, sealing gaps around pipes that exit the wall, adding a door sweep to close the gap underneath a door, and sealing cracks in your foundation.

While focusing on the foundation is important for controlling Norway rats, it's also good to seal the rest of your home up to the roof to keep out tree rats and the more adventurous Norway rats.

Remove Water And Food

Controlling access to food and water is difficult, especially if you have a koi pond. However, you can fix dripping spigots and move water sources away from your house as much as possible. Norway rats eat a variety of food they might find from the trees and plants in your yard, and they also eat smaller animals, even dead ones. You won't be able to eliminate all sources of food, but you can bring pet food indoors at dusk and wrap fruit trees to keep the rats from climbing them.

You can keep your property clean and tidy, but if rats living in a messy yard next door know you have food in your yard, you may still wind up with a rat problem. Rats are social animals, so if you see one rat, there are probably many more you haven't seen. Rats are smart and determined, and once established, you may need professional help eliminating a Norway rat infestation through trapping. It's best to take steps to prevent a rat problem when possible.