Bugs are one thing, but rats running around your backyard, home, or business are another. Don’t let something like rats cause you emotional and physical stress. Apex Pest Control Inc.™ specializes in rat extermination. We’ll stop the problem quickly while also giving you the peace of mind of knowing that we handle rat extermination in a safe way.

Signs of Infestation

You may sense that rats have found their way into your home. You may even periodically see rats in your yard. But how do you really know that you have a rat problem? What signs of rat infestation should you be looking for?

Start by listening. You may hear scratching sounds in your walls, or you may hear the soft sound of scurrying noises across your ceiling. You may even hear scratching sounds originating from air conditioner vents in your ceilings. These sounds won’t be very loud, so stop and pay attention to even faint noises that are unusual.

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Look for signs like burrows or nests in your attic. If you see any gnaw marks on wood, they are strong signs that you have a rat problem. Also, rat droppings are one of the surest signals that rats have entered your home and have made themselves comfortable.

Common Rats

Here in Florida, we primarily see two different kinds of rats. First, we see Norway rats, which are the burrowing type of rats who build nests outside the walls of homes or along the edges of patios and sidewalks. You’re more likely to see these types of rats outside in your yard than to hear them in your attic or inside of walls.

The second type we see are roof rats. Roof rats opt to live in attics, rafters, eaves, and roofs, and you’re more likely to hear than to see this type of rat. When listening for signs of a rat infestation, you’re really listening for signs that roof rats are in your walls or attic.

Identifying Tracks

Need help identifying rat tracks? These pests are fairly easy to find because they like to establish specific paths. Once established, they rarely stray from these paths.

Look for four- or five-toed back footprints as well as urine stains or droppings. Once you find them, you can rest assured that you’ve found an established path that rats are using.

How Rats Get Into Homes

Wondering how rats get inside homes in the first place? This is a common issue for homeowners, and there are multiple ways for rats to get inside of homes. First, keep in mind that rats can fit inside very small openings — including holes that are just the size of a quarter. They often find these openings in gable vents, crawl space vents, pipe entry holes, roof joints, loose siding, and in similar spots.

Once you’ve answered the question of how to rid your home of rats, the next step is to close up these openings so that rats don’t get inside your home in the first place. Making sure there are no openings for rats is the best way to ensure you keep your home rat-free.

What Causes Rats To Come In Your House?

Rats are usually looking for a place that is warm and safe from outdoor elements. Parts of Florida can experience heavy rain throughout the year, so it’s common for rats to seek shelter to avoid floods and damp conditions. Some rat infestations are avoidable because you could be attracting rats without even realizing it, such as leaving windows open.

A family of rats might be small, but the critters are extremely intelligent. Maneuvering through pipes, gaps in siding, and insulation is one of their specialties if it means they can fulfill their basic needs of food and shelter. Walk around your property indoors and outdoors to see if you are making it easy for a rat to target your household.

These Are A Few Of A Rat’s Favorite Things

If you’re wondering what attracts rats to your house, here are some common examples:

  • Multiple entry points: Rats think smarter, not harder. If they find a hole that is about a half-inch wide, they’ll investigate what’s on the other side. Keep in mind that the pests are able to climb trees, so gaps in roofing lead right to a cozy attic.
  • Loose plumbing connections: Check that your basement and laundry machines are free of leaks. Rats are always in search of a consistent water source. Fill holes in pavement that may collect water after a storm.
  • Available snacks: Rats eat just about anything. No matter if you’re throwing out dairy products, fruit, or mixed vegetables, these pests will want a bite. Invest in plastic storage containers for leftovers as well as trash can lids to keep rats out on all fronts.

Houses provide many resources for rats to live off of. When rats can find food sources in a home through the trash or pantry, they also receive free shelter. Allowing rats access to your home can lead to complications in the future if the rats get too attached to their new nest. Successful rat or rodent removal is a complicated process. You could possibly suffer injury performing proper exclusion and can even insight a rat bite in the process.

Often, rats carry diseases that are transferrable through rat bites, feces, urine and saliva. If you suspect rats are living under your roof, you’ll want to avoid making contact with any part of a rat. If you get bit by a rat, ensure you get the bite checked by a doctor to ensure you didn’t contract any diseases and prevent infection.

When you have a rat infestation, let pest management professionals from Apex handle the removal process. We know the best ways to achieve an effective removal and prevent rats from entering your home again.

How Rat Removal Service Works

As pest management professionals, we understand how stressful it can be to have unwanted rats in your home. That’s why we have a pest control plan for rats when we need to remove them. We perform exclusion techniques to keep rodents out and trap existing rodents in safe, child-proof boxes.
We’ll rat-proof your home or business from top to bottom. Rat poison or rat traps will help us catch the rodents and keep them out for good.

We’ll be happy to talk to you about the different solutions we offer to exterminate the rats. The most important step is making sure all entrances are blocked off to keep rats from entering your building.

Who Can Benefit From Rat Rodent Control?

Anyone in Florida with a rodent problem can benefit from a rat removal service. However, this is even more crucial for different businesses, restaurants, and hotels. The hospitality industry is a driving force behind the state’s economy, and we want to keep your business going strong throughout the entire year. Help your employees stay productive and happy in your work environment by hiring a rat exterminator, and keep your customers coming back with a clean environment.

Families in Florida should also hire a rat removal company if they notice a problem in their house or backyard. Unsealed areas from water damage, decay, or even just old age can provide the perfect places for rats to slip into your home. Until you hire someone to find all those places where rats are thriving in the Florida heat, you’ll still have a problem on your hands.

Rat Removal Company

You can try to remove rats by yourself, but it’s difficult to prevent them from coming back without the services of a professional rat exterminator. That’s where we come in. We have a proven process to not only remove the existing rats from your home or business but also keep them from ever coming back.

We’re a family-owned business providing safe, trusted pest solutions for over 30 years. What we do isn’t just a job. We have a whole team of professionals who have made a career with Apex Pest Control. We’re always committed to staying focused on our customers. We won’t leave until a job is done fully to our customer’s satisfaction.

We won’t sell you things you don’t need. We provide fair and honest service and estimates, so you always know what kind of service you’re getting without any hidden fees. Don’t waste time trying to exterminate rats yourself. Call Apex Pest Control today at 1-866-675-4070 or fill out our form to learn more.