Rats are very adaptable, able to climb up walls and drain pipes in search of food, water, and shelter. Rats are a serious public health risk and can easily damage your property. They can also evade DIY rat control solutions. Call Rudy’s Termite & Pest Control for fast and effective rat control in the Coachella Valley.
Roof rats and Norway rats are common in the Coachella Valley. Roof rats are grey, dark brown, or black in color, with soft and smooth fur. Their bodies are between 6-8 inches in length, and its tail is longer than the body. They have large eyes and ears and pointed muzzles. Their droppings have pointed ends. They’re impressive climbers and can scale walls easily.
Norway rats have coarse and shaggy brown fur. Their bodies are thick, between 7-10 inches in length. They have a shorter tail than roof rats. They have small eyes and ears and blunt muzzles. Norway rats can also be called brown rats or sewer rats. Their droppings have blunt ends. Norway rats are often found lower down in a structure than roof rats.
Because they are good climbers, roof rats often nest in high spaces such as trees, attics, in chimneys, and behind walls. However, they can also be found in lower spaces such as crawlspaces, sewers, compost heaps, and woodpiles.
Norway rats typically live in lower spaces such as soil, riverbanks, under sidewalks, and sewers. They also nest in homes and buildings.
Because rats are adaptable, they can often create multiple nesting sites to ensure they’re as close to food and water as possible. They typically travel about 300 feet from their nest in search of food.
Rats are most active at night. They will eat most things people eat, meaning that once they’ve found a reliable source of food and shelter in your home, they’re unlikely to leave on their own.
Though the natural lifespan of a rat isn’t very long, they have short gestation periods and large litter sizes – between six to 10 pups per month. Rats can also have about five litters per year. This means that a rat population can grow to a massive size if left unchecked.
The gestational period for rats is three weeks. Rats are born blind and without fur. After three weeks, they are fully weaned and can begin to search for food and feed themselves in three weeks. Rats reach maturity in three months and can begin mating shortly thereafter. Rats typically live for 2-3 years indoors.
Rudy’s Termite & Pest Control are licensed Coachella Valley rat control experts. Contact us today and let us solve the issue effectively.
Rats in the Coachella Valley pose a health risk to residents through the diseases they carry. Rats not only host parasites, fleas, and other pests, but they carry diseases like toxoplasmosis, typhus, trichinosis, salmonellosis, and leptospirosis as well. Because they eat the same food we do, they like to live near us. Close proximity to rats and their urine, excrement, and pathogens is a serious health risk.
Like all rodents, rats are formidable chewers. They need to chew constantly in order to maintain their always-growing teeth. Rats chew through wood, insulation, electrical wires, cloth, pipes, and paper for their nests. This chewing can be destructive to your home and property, and even a fire hazard.
Rats host parasites, fleas, and transmit severe bacterial infections and diseases. They can easily contaminate food and water as well. The presence of rats in a restaurant, hotel, hospital, governmental or commercial environment is not only a serious liability and health risk, but it can do major damage to your reputation.
Have you seen or heard rats in your Coachella Valley home or business? Let the experts at Rudy’s Termite & Pest Control help you solve the issue today.
