Are NOT This Cute

SAME DAY SERVICE AVAILABLE!

Rats and mice are some of the most hated houseguests in the Kansas City, Missouri area metroplex. These pests thrive in our warm climate and spread easily from one home to another through openings in walls or attics. Often heard more than seen, the trail of feces or droppings they leave behind is sure sign that rats are close by.

You think you might have a problem. You hear some strange sounds in the kitchen and go to investigate. Are those droppings in the pantry and under the refrigerator? How old are they?

1. Droppings
Droppings are gross, but they are the easiest way to identify whether you have a rodent problem. New droppings are dark and moist, whereas, older rat or mouse droppings dry out and turn gray. Droppings will usually be found near food, but also show up in the areas where rodents are traveling. Check for droppings in drawers and cupboards, under the sink, and along all possible travel areas. This could be anywhere in your home, even in the walls.

2. Teeth Marks
Small gnawing marks on packages of food indicate a rodent problem. To determine whether the problem is current, regularly check food bags and boxes for these bite marks. If marks appear on new items, it is likely that you have an ongoing infestation.

3. That Bad Smell
When rodents live in your home, they multiply rapidly and leave a lot of fecal material behind. Pets can sometimes be found clawing at areas where they smell rodents, so pay attention to their behavior. Their sense of smell is far more sensitive than ours. If an infestation is large, you may notice a stale smell coming from hidden areas of your home.

4. Tracks Along Common Travel Areas
Check for patterns along crevices, corners, and runways where rodents are likely to travel. If you pick up a flashlight and see smudge marks, footprints, urine stains, or droppings, you have a rodent problem.

5. Nests
If you pull out a drawer or the dishwasher and find a nest, then you have a rodent problem. These nests will be made of fabric or dry plant material. If you find a nest, then you have an infestation in your home.

Rodents are not only destructive, they’re dangerous! Rats and mice forage for food and warmth and that can bring them into contact with your family.

Carriers of fleas and diseases, rats are known to exhibit aggressive behavior towards one another as well as human beings. They are said to transmit at least 35 deadly illnesses and were responsible for the outbreak of bubonic plague in the 1930s.

Rats are one of the fastest reproducing mammals on the planet. If allowed, they will take over your home!

They can mate in less than five seconds. About three weeks after mating, female rats give birth to a litter of up to 12 babies. AND females can produce up to six litters a year!

Rats will snack on smaller rodents, but their survival instincts lead them to hunt for fish and birds. They can consume one third of their bodyweight in food per day. Adult rats can reach a bodyweight of up to 18 ounces or 1 1/2 pounds, and lengths reaching up to an estimated 18 inches from head to toe.

Under favorable conditions, rats can live for three years; although, the oldest rat in the world died at the age of seven years old. In a city environment, rats can survive for up to six months. Their need for water makes them vulnerable, but they can live without food for two weeks. When no food is available, rats will devour each other. Rats can swim half a mile in the ocean, tread water for 72 hours, and hold their breath underwater for 15 minutes.