RATS

Rats have a remarkable ability to adapt and survive. As they forage for food, they will contaminate food storage areas, and damage buildings and property by their constant gnawing and burrowing. They can spread diseases to people and pets. Rats reproduce rapidly and are most known for their agility, ability to damage property, and spread disease. They will often live in attics, basements, or crawlspaces. Rodents cause damage by their nesting and tunnel building. Rats can fit through openings that are as small as 1/2 inch in diameter. They are great at climbing, and jump up to four feet high. Rats constantly gnaw anything softer than their teeth, including cement, wood and plastic. Some types of rats can burrow to a depth of four feet. Rats are also excellent swimmers and can enter structures through sewers, toilets, and broken drains.

A successful rodent control program uses an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach, focusing on sanitation (removing food/water), exclusion (sealing entry points like holes & cracks), monitoring, and targeted lethal control (traps/rodenticide) for infestations, combining these methods with education to prevent recurrence and protect public health. Key steps include inspecting, identifying attractants, sealing access points, using bait stations or traps, and ensuring consistent sanitation and monitoring.