Contact us today for a free quote.Poison Bait Is Dangerous And Ineffective For Pack Rats! Servicing the greater Puget Sound area, we can handle any common pest in homes or commercial areas. When all else fails, Zunex Pest Control is here to help you with all of your rat removal needs. If you see them acting unusually excited with chatty meows or fluffed up tails, then you can bet you might have a potential pest problem. If you have a cat (or have access to a cat), allow them to occasionally patrol potential problem areas. These are telltale signs that there are rodents afoot. Keep a vigilant eye out for any rat droppings, chewed wires, or loose insulation in your basement or attic. You should also trim back any trees or bushes that are close to your home, as these can provide a way for the rodents to get inside. To prevent them from entering your home in the first place, you should keep your home clean and free of clutter. Prevention is the best method for dealing with pack rats. Sterilize the area with disinfectant wipes, especially if it's in your kitchen or where food is stored. Use a face mask and gloves when available. You should also repair any damage that the rodents have caused, such as gnawed wires or insulation.Īvoid touching rat droppings directly, as the particles can get into your system through airborne residue if your hands get too close to your face. This can help to prevent diseases from spreading. Tip 6: Cleaning Up After Removing Pack RatsĪfter you have removed the pack rats from your home, you will need to clean up any droppings or nesting materials that they have left behind. However, be mindful of local laws regarding the movement of pests, as it is illegal to move certain pests to new locations as opposed to disposing of them. Live traps can capture the rat (usually) unharmed, so you can move it to a safe location far away from your home. While the snap trap is a classic in the pest control world, you may be feeling a tad more merciful. They snap onto the rat after they press upon the baited pressure plate, usually killing the rat instantly. Snap traps are the traditional trap that you might imagine if you were to describe a common rat trap. Once the trap has caught a rat, release it far away from your home to prevent it from coming back. You will need to set the trap and check it regularly, as dead rats can attract other pests, such as flies. This can be done with a number of different traps, such as snap traps or live traps. If you have already found pack rats in your home, the next step is to remove them. Tip 5: How to Get Rid of Pack Rats with Traps Be sure to sweep and mop floors regularly, and if you have pets, make sure the areas around their food dishes are especially clean. In addition, get rid of any standing water sources like leaky pipes or faucets. Store all food in airtight containers and keep your counters and floors clean of crumbs. These rodents are attracted to any kind of food, but they especially like sweets, fruits, nuts, and bagged flour or corn that can be gotten to easily. Clean up any droppings, which can harbor diseases and rotĪ major reason why pack rats enter homes is to find food and water.Repair any electrical wires that have been gnawed on (this is crucial, because it can be a fire hazard).Check and replace any insulation that has been chewed through.If you've been experiencing an infestation for some time, there are a few important ways to repair damage caused by pack rats: After using steel wool to fill a hole, sand it down and seal it with caulk. Steel wool can be useful to fill up deep crevices, as rats and other pests have no way to chew through it. Once you have found the entry points, seal them up with steel wool and/or caulk, depending on the size and location. Tip 3: Make Repairs and Seal Off Entry Points

Young rats and mice can get into even the tiniest of holes!

Search the perimeter of the outside of your home, looking especially at the foundation for any cracks or possible entry points larger than 3 inches across. Thoroughly check every nook and cranny inside your home, especially in places low to the ground like basements or near gardens or porches. This can be difficult, as these rodents are small and good at hiding. The first step is to identify the entry points that the pack rats are using to get into your home. Tip 2: Identify Where the Pack Rat Infestation is Coming From

Packrat nest