Nassau County's Complete Rat Control Guide

How much do you know about rats? Do you know that rats are clever animals that can learn to avoid traps? Do you know that they can jump three feet in the air, scale brick homes like Spiderman, and squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter? Do you know that they can completely change their natural behavior patterns to adapt to their environment? This last one has many implications because even if you know rats, they may still find a way to outsmart you. It is important that you know what you're up against before you attempt to get control of rats on your property. Here is a complete guide to rat control in Nassau County.

Traps

Traps are a great way to get control of rats. But before you put traps down, it is important that you consider the following facts.

• Rats are very smart. If you manage to capture a few rats with some traps, it is likely that you'll only manage to capture the dumb, or impulsive, rats in your home. When the other, smarter rats, notice that those devices are dangerous, they will avoid them. This is particularly true if you use a number of traps that is disproportionate to the size of your infestation.

• If you touch the traps as you deploy them, rats may be able to smell you on the traps. This can cause them to avoid the traps.

• If you place a trap in a location that rats have frequented, they may completely avoid it. Rats are very suspicious of new things.

• If you use a spring trap and load it with the wrong type of food, rats may ignore the food. They may also ignore food on a snap trap simply because the trap isn't familiar. Professionals who use spring traps often put food down in a trail that leads to the trap. This makes the rat feel more comfortable to take the food from the trap. But once one rat falls for this, it is more difficult to get the others.

At Parkway Pest Services, we use tamper-resistant traps to capture rodents. These devices are scientifically engineered to be effective and they are deployed according to field-tested methods.

Exclusions

When you attempt to keep rodents out of your Nassau County property, you should be aware of the following facts. Along with all of the physical abilities listed above, rats can also:

• Chew through wood, drywall, and plaster with little trouble.

• Chew away at brick and concrete, if properly motivated.

• Squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter. The rule of thumb is that, if it can get its skull through a hole, it can get its big, pudgy body through as well.

At Parkway Pest Services, we use metal flashing and other strong, high-quality materials to keep rodents out of structures. We perform inspections to evaluate rodent pressure and to ensure the proper exclusion materials are applied.

One More Thing You Should Know About Rats

If you start to have trouble with rats on your Nassau County property, you may be tempted to try and deal with them on your own. This could lead you down a very frustrating road, as it can be extremely difficult to arrest a rodent infestation without proper training and experience. This can allow rats to continue to present a threat to your health and property.

• Rats pick up harmful bacteria and parasitic worms as they rummage in dumpsters, trash bins, and sewers. They can bring these into your home and make you sick.

• Rats carry ticks, fleas, and other ectoparasites. Many of these ectoparasites have the ability to transmit disease to humans, particularly if they've been exposed to rats.

• Rats chew on wires and gas lines and are known to cause house fires.

• Rats leave their excrement and urine in the places they explore. This can cause health problems and soil your property.

• The holes rats make in your exterior can allow rainwater to get inside. This can lead to wood rot, mold, and other serious issues.

In light of the many ways rats can have an adverse impact on you and everyone living in your home, it is best to hire a licensed pest management professional to handle the task of rat control. If you live in Nassau County, reach out to Parkway Pest Services for expert assistance with rodent control. Our technicians are highly-trained and fully licensed. They know how difficult these clever animals can be; they've seen it first hand. Let our team help you get complete control of rats in your property. You'll be glad you did.