This Time of the Year is a Rodent's Favorite Time to Vistd!

Introduce yourself to your new pet because identifying what type of critter is looking for a warm bed at your house is important!  Roof rats are excellent climbers and trapeze artists and are seeking access to the warmth and comfort of a safe sanctuary.  They will fluff up your insulation and create a nice little nest for their young.  They feast on your fruit trees.  If you don't have any, they won't mind.  The will go out to eat at the neighbors, only to return to have a late night party at your place, dancing the night away in your attic and snacking on your electrical lines.

So...if you aren't in the market for some new pets, you may want to get rid of things that are appealing to freeloaders!  Don't leave pet foods accessible for them.  Keep garbage in containers that you can close.  Pick ripened fruit before they do and eliminate any standing water sources.  Trim hedges up off the ground so you can see if they are plotting and playing underneath, and stack firewood up off the ground and away from the house.

You should pretend your are a rat!  Sneak around your house and see where you can get in.  Don't forget you can (as a rat) use your skills as a tightrope walker or a tree climber and you can fit through a very tight space, even as small as a half an inch!  Check the seal on your garage door, start at the foundation and scamper your way up to the vents on the top of the roof.

Mouse trap!  Or in this case a rousing game of Rat Trap may be rewarding.  All fun aside on this one, setting traps to capture rats is an effective way to control them.  Rats are nervous creatures and will be cautious of new things in their environment, so it may take a bit of patience.  You can put peanut butter or some other fun food on the trap and leave it unset for a day or two until the rats become comfortable with this new object.

Okay, of we kick them out of the house, where are they now?  They are out there, looking for a way back in!  Bait stations can be set up in inconspicuous areas outside.  They do need to be checked on a regular basis to make certain there is always fresh bait in ready supply.