Rats are the most common pest or creature in a home, business and restaurants alike, but even when you hear them scurrying around the building, what
are they actually doing and why are they doing it?
If you’ve seen the movie “Ratatouille,” then you probably have a more favorable view of what rats do inside restaurants, but the truth of the matter is that rats aren’t cooking up your favorite pasta dish inside your home, instead they’re likely causing structural damage and creating a hazardous environment.
Most rats are nocturnal, but unlike most nocturnal animals, there is much variation between individual species, and some will be active during the day and others at night. For the most part though, when it turns to nighttime and rats begin scurrying around, they are focusing on building their nests and finding food.
When rats are building their nests, they are very restless and will gnaw on most objects around them to find and test suitable substances for nest-building. As a result, rats can cause significant house damage by chewing on electrical wires, damaging their connections and creating the potential for a house fire if the problem goes unchecked.
Additionally, rats will search for the best materials to make their nest and the softness of insulation from an attic often makes a perfect building block for them. While a couple rats stealing small amounts of insulation won’t collapse an attic, a large rat problem could impact the stability of the outer structure.
The other main activity rats embark on is to find their next meal. Rats who scavenge outdoors enjoy meals made of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds, in addition to whatever insects and very small animals they come across.
At their heart, though, rats aren’t too picky about what they eat and anything that passes as food is suitable for their next meal. That’s why they have a reputation of digging around trash cans and garbage to find food, as the small rodents are omnivores that don’t have very high standards.
Once inside a home, rats are attracted to grains such as cereal, rice and oats, along with pet food or any fruits or vegetables which are easily accessible. For the most part though, rats will be a nuisance as they eat whatever they want in your home.
If you think you have a rat problem on your property, call the experts at Shumaker Animal Control to deal with the problem for you. Our experienced team will take care of the problem in a timely manner, ensuring that you, your home and pets are not in any danger.
At Shumaker Animal Control, we are a family-owned business who cares about the safety of you and your family but also about the well-being of the animals themselves. All of our trapping and control methods are humane, as we never try to hurt the angry or scared animal.
Call us at 443-854-8072 or view the online website at https://www.shumakeranimalremoval.com/ for more information
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