What are roof rats?
Roof rats are rodents. They have light, thin-built bodies that allow them to climb easily and get into homes and other buildings through the roof. Their bodies are covered in dark brown or black fur, with gray hairs sprinkled throughout. Their underbellies are lighter in color. Roof rats’ bodies grow to between 6 and 8 inches in length and their long, scaly tails add 6 to 8 more inches to their total body length. Roof rats have pointed noses, large ears, and large dark-colored eyes. Unlike mice, roof rats’ ears and tails are hairless.
Are roof rats dangerous?
Roof rats are dangerous pests to have living in or around any home or business. Roof rats carry and transmit bacteria and diseases to people, including Salmonellosis, dysentery, and rat bite fever. They may also introduce disease-carrying parasites like fleas and ticks into your home or business. Roof rats can cause a lot of damage with their teeth by chewing through drywall, insulation, wires, pipes, furniture, clothing, books, food packages, and pictures. Along with destroying property and contaminating food, their chewing habits can cause fire and water damage.
Why do I have a roof rat problem?
Roof rats find their way onto properties that offer them easy access to food, water, and shelter. Properties that have open trash cans, dumpsters, gardens, compost piles, pet food, wild animal feeders, wood piles, dense vegetation, and standing water can attract roof rats.
Where will I find roof rats?
Roof rats are nocturnal, emerging at night from their nesting spots to forage for food, and returning to their nesting spots each morning to sleep. Roof rats that are living and nesting outside tend to do so high up in trees, but will also nest in wood piles, rock piles, or in areas of dense vegetation. Roof rats that are living inside homes or businesses take up residence in upper levels. Inside, roof rats like to nest in attics, behind walls, above ceilings, and in chimneys.
How do I get rid of roof rats?
To eliminate dangerous and destructive roof rats from your home or business, partner with a professional pest control company. At Proven Pest Management, we offer customizable and flexible pest management services that will completely solve your roof rat problem. Our highly trained professionals offer property owners personable and personalized rodent control services at an affordable price. To learn more about the roof rat control services we provide throughout Tennessee and Mississippi, call Proven Pest Management!
How can I prevent roof rats in the future?
To help keep roof rats from moving inside your home or business we have put together some helpful prevention tips:
- Remove excess wood piles, piles of leaves, and garbage or debris from your property.
- Make sure that outdoor trash cans have tight-fitting lids on them.
- Locate gardens, compost piles, and wood piles away from the exterior of your building.
- Seal cracks in your home or business’s foundation and exterior walls, along with spaces around utilities that enter the building through its exterior.
- Trim tree branches away from the exterior of your building.
- Repair any loose or missing roof shingles, and holes along the roofline.
- Make sure chimneys have tight-fitting caps.
- Eliminate water sources by repairing leaky outdoor pipes, fixtures, or clogged gutters.
