Rats Invading Your Home Or Office?

Dealing with a rodent problem? Trapline Pest Solutions can help! The three (3) commensal rodents in the United States are the roof rats, Norway rats and the house mouse. They are commensal rodents meaning that they inhabit areas that are very close to people for food and shelter. The main reason for rodent management failure is due to underestimating the population size. It is crucial that a thorough inspection be performed in order to determine the type of rat that is causing the problem. This way, the proper rodent management plan can be implemented in order to resolve the issue and prevent it from reoccurring again. They are very successful in highly populated areas ex: cities, and high rise buildings.

The house mouse is the most abundant of the commensal rodents as they can breed rapidly and quickly adapt to any change in their environment. Due to their small size, mice are more heat dependent and tend to nest near heat sources.

When they have enough food & water readily available near by, their home range is much smaller. When there are limited resources their home ranges are larger.

Food poisoning and allergic asthma are the primary public health concerns from commensal rodents. There are other diseases directly transmitted by rodents such as hantavirus, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), Tularemia and Salmonella.

Rats can cause thousands of dollars in property damage by chewing through wiring in homes, offices, pipes, car engines, AC units, as well as contaminate attic insulation and other valuables with their feces and urine.

The Norway rat although rare in Florida is also known as the “sewer rat” this rat is relatively large with poor vision and is colorblind. The length of its tail is shorter than its body. Their other senses including touch, smell, hearing, and taste are normal. They are able to jump, swim, climb and run. Norway rats are known to cause damage to properties and structures through their gnawing. They are also known to inhabit drains and sewers.

Roof rats are also referred to as “ship rats” or “black rats”. tend to find shelter in the upper parts of buildings. They are also known to live among vegetation in exterior areas as well. They are less dependent on the foods and harborage resources of humans. The length of their tale is longer than their body. They can be found in attics, soffits, and in wall voids. When they inhabit a building, they can chew through wires which can potentially start a fire. They are also able to gnaw through plastic and lead water pipes, chew holes in walls and cause other structural damage.

Signs Of A Rat Infestation

• Musky odor throughout the home
• Rat droppings
• Urine, dirt or grease marks along walls and floorboards
• Materials that have been gnawed through ex: plastic or rotted wood
• Tampered food packaging
• Live rats or mice

If you suspect a rat or mouse infestation, contact Trapline Pest Solutions today at (407) 970-5645 to schedule an appointment for a thorough inspection and treatment plan for your home or office.

For more information about our rodent removal services visit us at: www.traplinepest.com