How Do Roof Rats Get Into Wall Voids?
Roof rats are not as widespread as Norway rats and, therefore, not as well-known. The peculiar pests are prevalent in Florida because they prefer warm climates and often feed on and live in fruit trees. They're also extremely agile climbers and are generally found nesting high off the ground.
People regularly spot the pests building nests on roofs and in ivy clinging to the sides of buildings. The animals also won't hesitate to move indoors if the opportunity arises.
Walls are a favorite nesting spot for roof rats. But how in the world do they get in? Sometimes they can slip in cracks, but they can also create their own entry points as well. You’d be surprised by the strength of their jaws and teeth.
Because of their constant gnawing and powerful bites, rats can chew through almost anything: wood, drywall, brick, concrete, aluminum, sheetrock, and more. When motivated, a rat can almost certainly make its way into your home using its powerful jaws.
As rodents, rats have teeth which are constantly growing. In fact, rat teeth grow about 1.4 mm per day. This means that they must constantly gnaw on materials to grind their teeth down, to prevent them from growing into their skulls. This makes almost any hard material in your house fair game as a rat-chewing object.
Not only are rats incessant gnawers and biters, they are extremely powerful for their small size. Though exact figures are hard to pin down, rats have an incredibly high bite pressure considering their size. Most people measure that rat bites exert more force per square inch than alligators and sharks.
Problems Caused by Roof Rats in Walls
Roof rats, like most rodents, are dirty and carry diseases. In fact, the pests are notorious for spreading the plague. Additionally, roof rats in the walls will make scratching and squeaking noises as they scuttle around. Since they're primarily active at night, this behavior often disturbs sleeping residents.
Furthermore, roof rats searching for food and water may travel through wall voids into kitchens. Between their greasy fur and frequent urination, the pests contaminate large amounts of stored goods in no time at all.
Getting Rid of Roof Rats
One of the best ways to avoid problems with roof rats in walls is to patch up roof shingles. Replacing damaged vents and capping chimneys will also limit their ability to enter homes. When roof rats infest the walls or house, homeowners should contact the pest professionals at Critter Control for roof rat removal.
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Brandon was out to please and make out lives easier with out bat situation. Above and beyond of the call of duty and got the job done. Thank you!
BAT POOP CLEAN-UP AND PREVENTION! Bat guano removed from gables. No bats found in attic, so put new screens on all gable vents, as one screen was close to breaking and then bats may have gotten in! Great work in
Tulsa!
Squirrels and chipmunks were in our attic. So we called Critter Control to do an inspection. Their representative climbed all over our very steep roof and found several places where squirrels had entered our attic.
Upon inspection of the attic, evidence of bats was also found. The Critter Control team came on time to completely caulk the entire perimeter of the house and create an exit strategy for the squirrels and bats.
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bat droppings can cause histoplasmosis, this also required total removal and replacement of our attic insulation and sanitizing the space. Not a small job in a 1,300 sq. ft. attic! While Critter Control’s cost was high, our homeowners insurance covered most of it. Everyone representing Critter Control was professional, courteous and timely. I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might have unwelcome guests living in their attic
On recommendations from a nearby pest control company, I called Critter Control for suspicious
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Madison came out the same day to do an inspection. She was knowledgeable, thorough, and highly professional. She examined the ‘matter’ that had been scattered on my threshold and thought it was foliage. But she then asked to go up to my attic space where the bats could be roosting. She had to walk up 3 flights of stairs with a heavy ladder. She again spent some time searching all the nooks and crannies and found nothing.
She seemed so interested in her craft, it was truly inspiring to see! She reassured me and is writing up a prevention strategy for my appraisal. She charged me NOTHING!! I am so impressed. We need more Madisons in this world!
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We noticed droppings on our brand new deck - we were given their number from our contractor. They came the next day. Brian looked at it and said - yeah, bats!! He then checked every area in our attic and he explained exactly what needed to be done.
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