True to their name, roof rats can inspire a cold shudder for a home owner. These pests are damaging to both homes and landscaping and are best dealt with quickly before they set up a permanent home in your attic. But how do you know if you have them? How can you get rid of them? Here are the best ways to control roof rats.

ratsWhat is a roof rat? Also known as a black rat, this pest lives in many locations on your property, but is distinguished from a common house mouse by its preference for trees and climbing, often gaining access to your home by way of the electrical wires. Once inside, they will make nests and seek out food.

The reasons to avoid these pests are the same as one would avoid household mice. Their urine and feces easily contaminate counters, floors and other spaces where you prepare food or touch utensils, cutting boards or other items. The urine is virtually invisible after it dries, meaning one has to rely on spotting the feces to know whether a roof rat is in the house. Nesting habits also cause a lot of damage. Roof rats can chew through nearly anything to create nests for themselves. If they chew through an electrical wire, then your home is at high risk for sparking a house fire. A further note, if you think black rats seem eerily familiar, you are right. These are the same black rats associated with plague in the Middle Ages, mostly because they acted as carriers for other pests like fleas.

If you suspect a roof rat problem, it is best not to diagnose and treat this problem yourself. How can you tell if a house mouse or a roof rat left behind signs of an infestation? The droppings are different, but a pest control expert can spot them instantly. Use our expertise to help you rid your house of this dangerous pest.