Rats have a bad rap. They have been associated with plagues (although modern science casts doubt on their contribution to Black Death), trash, disease, sewers, and being just plain creepy. Other than Tempco’s Land and Ornamental Tech, Patryk Jablonski, who used a mouse to help him find his escaped corn snake*, nobody likes rodents running around their house. Rodents in your home make a mess, chew through wiring and insulation, and can destroy priceless photos. This is the time of year, the cold weather outside drives rats and mice into your safe, warm home to have their babies.
Signs of Rodents In Your Home
Telltale signs of rodent infestation include rodent poop, chewed-up material like wrapping paper, photos, insulation and wires, and holes in food containers. Most of the time, attic rodents are discovered as a result of their gnawing, chewing, and scratching. Usually, you hear them scurrying around and most active at night when you are trying to sleep.
Rodent Removal
We use the most humane methods possible to remove rodents from your home. Our typical methods include baiting and trapping. In rare cases, when those methods don’t work, we use glue traps as a last resort. Our techs first attempt to identify the type of rodent. The most common rats in Florida are the Norway rat, which usually stays outdoors destroying your garden, and Roof Rats or Palm Rats that live in palm trees and often gnaw holes in your roof to get inside. House mice are also common in our area. Once we identify the rodent, we can use the right bait. Once caught, our techs come back to remove them.
Trapping and Removing Is A Temporary Solution
But trapping and removing won’t solve your problem if you have holes in your roof or screens. Rodents are notorious for entering homes through tiny entrances, so our techs search for the entry point and help seal or obstruct entry. Rats often enter through downspouts on gutters to gain entry to the roof. A metal cage can be attached to the bottom of the spout to deter that entry point. Additionally, palm trees hanging on the roof are like a highway bridge from the tree to your home. Keep all palm fronds trimmed away from your home.
Although we do use rat poisoning as needed, the products we use are safe for pets and people.
*The corn snake was never found. The mouse became Patryk’s pet named Lotto.