5 Reasons to Hire an Exterminator if You Have Rats in Your House
All kinds of pests can come into your home. You can live with some of them, and they’re little more than a nuisance. However, there are certain pests that you need to take steps to get rid of right away, and rats fall into that category.
Nobody wants to live with these troublesome rodents, and if you see any in your home, you can contact Gecko Pest Control to get rid of them. We’ll discuss a few of the key reasons why you need to hire an exterminator to deal with your rats in the following article.
They Carry Diseases
The fact that rats carry diseases is one of the main reasons why you’ll want to bring in an exterminator the moment you see a rat or the first time you see evidence that rodents have invaded your property. Rats can carry salmonella. They can carry tularemia as well.
Some rats also carry lymphocytic choriomeningitis, sometimes abbreviated as LCMV. Some of them carry the hantavirus, while others carry leptospirosis. Some of them even have the plague or typhus.
A rat bite can make you very sick, and going through the necessary medical procedures if you’re unlucky enough to be bitten is no picnic. You will need a tetanus shot, especially if more than five years have elapsed since you got your last one.
They Can Be Aggressive
Rodents like to live close to people when they can get away with it. They love to live in our homes because there’s warmth and the possibility of nesting in our walls. They also know that where humans live, they often have a chance to get to our food, most of which they like.
Rats are usually a lot more aggressive than mice, though. While a mouse is often content to come out at night to scrounge for food, a rat might go out of its way to bite a human. They’re especially prone to biting children who are too young to fend for themselves.
You would never want to think of a rat biting your infant or toddler. That is one reason why you can’t afford to waste any time hiring an exterminator if you have young children in the house and you see evidence of rat activity.
They Cause Damage
Rats also like to gnaw on things. Many times, you’ll become aware that you have rats when you hear them inside your walls, chewing. They can chew through wires and mess up your electrical system. They can chew through insulation if they’re trying to build a nest.
It’s sometimes difficult to ascertain what damage a rat has done to your home because you can’t see inside the wall. You will need to hire a contractor to open up the wall to see what a rat has done.
You need to get rid of the rats as soon as possible so they can do as little damage as they can before you show them the door. If you have several rats in your house, it would amaze you how much damage they can cause in just a few days.
Even if a rat is not living in your wall, it might chew holes in your furniture. Rats like to borrow into upholstery, and if you have an expensive living room set, it probably won’t remain nice for long if a rat starts chewing on it.
They Get into Your Food
Rats also like many of the same food that humans eat. They are omnivores, meaning they can ingest a wide range of food if they’re hungry enough.
Rats will raid your panty if you keep dry food supplies there. They will get into any food that you’re keeping down in the basement or cellar. They will eat any food that you leave out on the counter, if it’s on a covered dish or in a sealed container.
Rats have sharp teeth, and many times, sealed Tupperware containers will not be enough to keep them out. They will gnaw on any food they find or devour it entirely.
If you find some of your food that a rat has been working on, you won’t want to eat what’s left of it. You will have to throw it away. If you don’t have a great deal of money for your food budget, you’ll be pretty angry if you keep having to replace your supplies.
They Make Your Home Seem Unwelcome
Perhaps the biggest reason to hire an exterminator the moment you see rats or signs of rat activity is that if these rodents invade your living space, it will not seem like your home anymore. Rats can be brazen, and they will compete with you for territory, even if they are so much smaller than you.
If you know that you have rats in your home and they’re liable to come out at night, you will be afraid to sleep. You know that one of them might get into your bed and attempt to bite you, or they might go after your pets or children.
You also won’t feel comfortable having friends or family members over to visit. They might see a rat or the evidence of rat activity.
You will not be able to feel happy and safe in your home again until you deal with these invaders. Once you know you have rats on the premises, you’ll need to take action right away instead of being passive.
You can always buy spring-loaded traps and bait them, or you can get the humanitarian kind that attempts to trap the animal alive. Rats are clever, though, and either one of these options can fail.
You’re better off calling the pros and asking them to assess the situation by examining your property. They will know how to take the most aggressive measures to rid you of your rodent problem.
You should feel much better once you know you’re free of rats again.