It’s a bit too early to say the weather is getting “colder,” but we can say that we are on the cusp of the cooler months, and that does mean that there are going to be a lot of changes to the number and types of pests that we see throughout the year. While most pests start to decrease in numbers in October and November, others may be more likely to come inside in search of protection or a place to stay safe from the cold.

Rodents are, perhaps, the most problematic of all these winter pests. They love to come inside of properties to get out of the cold and rain. They are also more complex pests than most people realize, which is why it is so important to get professional rat and mouse control.

If you’re looking for help with rats in the Gainesville and Centreville general area, please contact ExtermPRO today. We are thrilled to be Northern Virginia’s leading family owned pest control company, and look forward to helping you eliminate rats on your property this year.

About Rats and Rat Facts

As we embark on this season, we thought we’d let you know a few important rat facts to also help you understand why professional pest control is needed. Many of our customers were unaware of these facts – or struggled to truly understand them – so we hope that by educating you about rats, you also understand why traps are not enough and why professional and through pest control is so important.

Rat Fact 1: Rats and Mice are Excellent Climbers

We usually look for rodents scurrying across the ground. But rats and mice are *excellent* climbers. Not only do they have claws that help carry them upwards, but they have feet that offer a lot of friction, which makes it easier for them to climb up vertically.

This matters because it means that they can find holes in your property that are well above ground and climb vertically up your walls to get there. It’s not enough to put down traps. More will find a way to enter.

Note: If you’re feeling brave, you can watch a video of a rat doing this indoors. They are extremely good climbers.

Rat Fact 2: Rats Seek Out the Scent of Other Rats

Most pest control companies will tell you that rat traps are insufficient as a way to eliminate rats. But they don’t always explain why. One reason is because if one rat got into your home, chances are other rats can go through the same entrance. Unless you seal off every entrance, more rats can enter.

But that’s not the whole story, either.

The reason this is so important is because rats also seek out the scent of other rats. So, once one rat has entered in your property, other rats will sense their skin oils and urine smells and follow the scent inside. Not only will they *be able* to enter from the same hole, but because they’ll be sensing other rat smells, they’ll become *more likely* to do so as well.

If you’re not sealing up all entranceways and seeking out places rats may have gone, then the likelihood you’ll have other rats on your property is high.

Rat Fact 3: Early to Bed Means Less Likely to Be Aware of Rats

Rats are nocturnal. You are very, very unlikely to come across a mouse or rat during the day unless the infestation has become extremely bad. If you’re putting off getting rodent control because you’re waiting to see a rat or get more clarity on if there are rats on your property, you better be someone that stays up late. You are only likely to encounter the signs of rats – other than droppings – if you’re up well after 10pm. That’s when they tend to wake up and start scratching around.

Rat Fact 4: Rats Teeth Are Constantly Growing, Requiring Chewing

One cool rat fact is that rat teeth are always growing, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They grow so fast and so much that rats have actually died because their teeth became too long.

One less cool rat fact is that because rat teeth are always growing, rats have to always be chewing. They chew on your furniture. They chew on the boxes and items in your closet. But perhaps most dangerous of all is that they also chew on your electrical wires. Wires are perfect for grinding down their teeth, and they are also conveniently located in the walls where many rodents live.

That’s why rodent invasions are one of the most common causes of house fires, and may also lead to millions of dollars in electrical work in Virginia every year.

Rat Fact 5: There’s More to Rat Diseases Than the Rats

Lastly, you’re probably aware that rats and mice are known spreaders of some very terrible diseases, including quite literally the “plague.” There is a good reason that human beings have a natural fear of these pests, as they can carry very dangerous illnesses and bacteria.

But it’s not just the rats that you need to fear.

Rats and mice not only carry bacteria onto properties – they also carry fleas and ticks, and those fleas and ticks ALSO carry disease. Even after killing a rat, the fleas and ticks can jump off and spread disease to you and your family. All the more reason that comprehensive pest control is so important.

Comprehensive Pest Control from ExtermPRO

ExtermPRO Pest Control is a local pest control company. Family owned and native to Northern Virginia, we offer a great combination of amazing support and lower prices, and are here to help when you are in need of both one time and ongoing pest management.

If you have rats or mice, or you suspect them, or you just want to work with a  pest control company you can rely on should you ever have any pests on your property, make sure you contact ExtermPRO Pest Control of Gainesville, VA today.