How To Get Rid Of Rats In The Roof South Africa
What is a Roof Rat?
Roof rats, also referred to as ship rats or black rats, are small sized rodents that receive their name from their liking for finding shelter in the higher parts of buildings. Roof rats can cause significant damage from spreading diseases to damaging property and even causing house fires.
How To Get Rid Of Rats In The Roof South Africa
1. Don’t leave pet food outside.
Rats may gather around your home and steal your pet’s meal. Bring the food inside, and make sure to store pet food in a container with a tight lid.
2. Seal entry points.
It’s important to block entryways, and seal all entry points to prevent rodents from getting inside.
3. Trim Branches.
You want to prevent rats from having a way to get to your roof. Trim or remove tree limbs that are within 8-10 feet of the roof of your home. This prevents rats from climbing from tree limbs to the roof of your home.
4. Conceal your garbage.
It is important to make sure that your trash cans have tight-fitting lids and are preferably made of metal.
5. Keep the outside of your home clean.
Trim the bushes and shrubs outside of your home away from the ground so that nothing can hide underneath them. Also, be sure to store firewood at least a foot off the ground and do not make brush piles in your yard as this makes a perfect home for rodents.
7. Tidy up your garage and shed.
If you like to garden make sure to keep your plant seeds and fertilizer stored in a sealed container as these are viable food sources for rats and mice. Also, do not store firewood in your garage or shed, as this is a potential nesting site for rats and mice.
8. Get an inspection for roof rats.
If you suspect you have rodents in your home or have seen rodents, contact us at Any Pest to schedule your free roof rat inspection. We’ll come out and check for signs of roof rats and determine the best solution.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Is it possible to get rid of roof rats in South Africa?
Traps are one of the most effective ways to get rid of roof rats, but they vary in quality depending on their type. We’ve ordered our recommended trap types by effectiveness and humaneness. Traps also need bait to lure the rat—these are the best baits you can use: Peanut butter.
What are roof rats afraid of?
Rats are afraid of human activity, mostly because humans are so much larger than they are. Rats also fear predators such as hawks, eagles, and other birds of prey. Other animals that rats are afraid of include your cat as well as rat terriers and other dogs that hunt rodents.
What attracts rats to your roof in South Africa?
Generally preferring sheltered or covered habitats, roof rats are attracted to lush landscapes, dense vegetation and fruit trees. As result, properties with heavy shrubbery, woodpiles and storage boxes are more prone to roof rat infestations.
Where do roof rats live during the day?
A roof rat spends most of the day sleeping in its nest. These rodents are nimble climbers and live in high places like attics or above drop ceilings. If residents notice a roof rat during the day, it could point to the presence of a larger population just out of sight.
Does bleach keep rats away in South Africa?
The pungent odour of bleach will deter rats, but if you want to entice them and poison them with bleach, mix a tablespoon of bleach with two tablespoons of peanut butter. Butter is appealing to rats, and it will mask the pungent odour of bleach.
Mothballs are a great rat repellent as they are poisonous to them. You can place a good amount of them in your attic, basement, kitchen, yard, or in any other area where you suspect rat presence.
How do you get rid of rats in roof home remedies?
Ammonia is a powerful and practical repellant for rats as they can’t stand the pungent smell of ammonia and therefore leave the place. For this make a mixture of ammonia in water. Pour one-quarter water in a bowl; mix two tsp of detergent and 2 cups of regular ammonia in it.
Rats have a powerful sense of smell. You can repel rats from your home and garden with scents they dislike, such as clover, garlic, onion, hot peppers containing capsaicin, house ammonia, used coffee grounds, peppermint, eucalyptus, predator (cat) scent, white vinegar, and citronella oil
What does baking soda do to rats?
Baking soda combines with the stomach acids to produce carbon dioxide gas which rats are unable to tolerate. In turn, it builds up within their system and eventually causes internal blockage and rupture. Soon enough, you will have the rat-free environment you always deserved.
For best results, consider using snap traps, which are a fast method to kill rats instantly. To prevent other animals from getting into the traps, place them inside a box or under a milk crate. Bait the traps with peanut butter, which is cheap and attractive to rats.
The pungent odour of bleach will deter rats, but if you want to entice them and poison them with bleach, mix a tablespoon of bleach with two tablespoons of peanut butter. Butter is appealing to rats, and it will mask the pungent odour of bleach.
Will rats eventually leave on their own?
No. Rats need a continuous source of food. If there is no food source then the rats will move on.
Will rats return to the same place?
Rats will return to the same nest as long as the nest has not been disturbed; however, most rats will continue to return to the same nest even if it has been disturbed.
What months are rats most active?
In autumn and sometimes even late summer, rats become more active. In this time of high activity, they gather and store as much food as they can in their burrows for the upcoming winter. Though they do not hibernate, they stockpile on food to reduce the need to leave the warmth of their burrows.