Lately, watching rats online has become an entertaining diversion for some. While filming rats going in and out of buildings or carrying food down local streets might seem funny, the "fun" comes to a screeching halt when these destructive pests make it into your property. Rats that get into Tampa properties are no joke, and the sooner property owners utilize a pest professional for rat control, the better.
Physical Characteristics Of Rats: How To Identify A Rat
One of the most commonly asked questions regarding rodents entering properties is whether they're mice or rats. Typically, rats are larger than mice. In Tampa, two types of rats commonly get into structures—roof rats and Norway rats. Property owners can identify the rat in their building by noting some of their unique characteristics.
Norway rats have "beefy," chunky bodies that grow 7 to 9 1/2 inches long. They have bristly brown hair with some black strands. Their eyes and ears are relatively small compared to their bodies, and their noses are blunt. They are not climbers, so you'll typically find them in the lower levels of buildings.
Roof rats are sleek and thin, measuring 6 to 8 inches long. Their hair is a smooth and soft brown with some intermingled black hairs. Their tails are scaly longer than their head and body combined. While their ears are relatively large, they won't be hairy like a wood rat. Their eyes are large, and they have pointed noses. Roof rats are great climbers, so you'll typically find them in the upper levels of buildings.
No matter what rat species finds its way into your structure, property owners must remove them as soon as possible. Rats cause costly damage and carry diseases, so contacting a pest professional like EcoTech is critical when signs of their arrival appear.
Rat-Borne Diseases: Common Illnesses Transmitted By Rats
While rat infestations can undoubtedly lead to some costly repairs, what is most concerning is the health hazards they bring to properties. As rats move around structures, they contaminate them. Rat droppings, saliva, and urine droplets can lead to sickness and aggravate allergy and asthma conditions. In addition to these problems, rats spread illnesses like salmonellosis, tularemia, cowpox virus, jaundice, rat-bite fever, trichinosis, and leptospirosis.
Whether your property is a business or a home, the arrival of rats can ravage properties. The people who work, frequent, or live in your building could be in danger of exposure to numerous health hazards. Property owners can avoid rat issues by partnering with a pest professional like EcoTech; we are located near you and can respond quickly to your rat emergencies.
Rat Prevention Tips: Eliminating Attractants And Sealing Entry Points
Rats that move indoors do so with a purpose. They're either looking for food, shelter, or water. Since rats are relatively small invaders, they can squeeze their bodies into openings as small as 1/2 an inch. Property owners who wish to set up some preventative measures can stop rats by removing things that attract them and eliminating entry points.
Five tips to keep rats away from properties include:
- Storing foods in airtight containers
- Cleaning spills and crumbs immediately
- Screening chimneys and vents
- Using silicone-based caulking, aluminum flashing, or galvanized sheet metal to seal cracks, gaps, and crevices
- Eliminating stacks of firewood or yard debrisÂ
Proactive sanitation and preventative maintenance measures can help deter rats from entering buildings, but even the best preventive measures fail. That's when property owners need EcoTech; our Green Pro specialists can quickly diagnose rat problems, remove them, and provide helpful hints for future rat prevention.
Professional Rat Control Services: The Benefits Of Expertise
Rat removal can prove challenging and hazardous to your health, so it's always best to have an expert like EcoTech handle pest control for rats. Our attention to detail, proactive communication, professionalism, and customer service sets us apart from other companies. We also provide our customers a 100% satisfaction guarantee; if rats return, so do we. Property owners can receive expert pest control in Tampa when they call EcoTech today for a free inspection.