Did you know that rats can multiply fast and are known to spread more than 35 diseases? If you suspect you have a rat infestation, you must act quickly to avoid an increase in the number of rats in your Memphis home. Like other pests, rats invade homes for shelter, water, and food, but you don’t want to share a home with them. They can pass diseases and leave droppings and urine everywhere. Not only can they cause harm to your health, but they can also cause safety concerns such as fires, as they are capable of chewing electrical wiring and drywall in your home. If you suspect you have rats, act now and call the Memphis pest control professionals immediately.

How To Identify A Rat Infestation

Even if you don’t see a rat in your house, that doesn’t mean they aren’t hiding there. If you suspect an infestation, check for the following telltale signs of rats living in your home:

• Holes or bite marks: Rats have sharp teeth that can cut through many household materials, even soft concrete. If you have an active infestation, you may notice holes around the home and in food containers.
• Droppings: Finding rat droppings is one of the most common signs of a rodent infestation. You can typically find the droppings where food is stored, such as near pantries and kitchen cabinets. Rat droppings are similar in shape to rice grain but can be up to half an inch long and appear dark brown or black.
• Strange noises: If you hear noises in the walls, particularly at night, you might be hearing a family of rodents scurrying around the walls and attic.
• Nests: Rat nests are typically built in dark, secluded areas to avoid the chance of disturbance. They will use a number of materials from paper and cloth to insulation.

If you have noticed any sign of a rat infestation in your home, don’t risk it growing into an even bigger problem. Instead, contact a pest control expert immediately.

The Damage And Dangers Rats Can Create

Not only are rats causing you to lose sleep, but they also pose numerous dangers to both humans and your home. The presence of rats should be of great concern as they can spread several types of diseases, including:

• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
• Salmonellosis
• Rat-bite fever
• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis

In addition to spreading diseases, rats carry illness-spreading parasites such as ticks and fleas. Having rats in your Memphis home can make you sick by breathing in contaminated dust, getting bitten or scratched, ingesting contaminated water or food, or coming in direct contact with droppings.

Why DIY Rat Control Often Fail

While home remedies for rat control may temporarily send rats scurrying, more often than not, these attempts fail. The main reason is that most DIY rat pest control methods only work against some of the rats in an infestation and leave others to repopulate, thereby wasting your money, time, and energy. If your first approach to rat control doesn’t work, you’ll likely be inclined to try more techniques that fail. It also unnecessarily exposes you to disease from contact with droppings, urine, or even the rodents themselves. We advise that you do not attempt to remove rats from your home yourself; instead, leave it to the pest control professionals with the expertise, skills, and equipment to safely remove rats on the first try.

Call The Professionals At The First Sign Of Rats

If you think you have a rat infestation in your Memphis home, call the pest control professionals at Chief Termite & Pest Control for a customized consultation today! Dealing with a rat infestation on your own can feel overwhelming, so allow the experts to take care of the problem effectively and efficiently. Contact Chief Termite & Pest Control today to get rid of rats before they cause even more havoc in your home.