Rat Removal
Seal Up to Keep Wild Rats Out of Your Home in Salisbury, Newburyport, Amesbury, & surrounding towns in Massachusetts & New Hampshire
Rats and mice are known to spread many diseases worldwide. These diseases can spread to people directly, through handling of rodents; contact with rodent feces, urine, or saliva (such as through breathing in air or eating food that is contaminated with rodent waste); or rodent bites. Rodents can also carry ticks, mites, or fleas that can act as vectors to spread diseases between rodents and people. Many diseases do not cause any apparent illness in rodents, so you cannot determine whether a rodent is carrying a disease just by looking at it.
Infestation of rodents in and around the home is the main reason disease spreads from rodents to people. The best way to prevent diseases spread by rodents is to practice effective rodent control in and around your home.
We use our own patented Rat Action Tunnel System (R.A.T.S.) to reduce the population. We use snap traps which we bait with our own bait blend as well as using a special lure to draw in the female rats. Bringing the population down isn't enough, so we use an Integrated Pest Management Approach which includes performing exclusions (exclusion is the process of filling in the entry points that the rodents have made to enter the home or building), securing trash containers, removing bird feeders and addressing other environmental factors that attract rats.
We DO NOT USE POISON! Poison can be harmful to our pets, other wildlife, children and the environment. It is our experience that decreasing the rodent population using the techniques described above is effective and a better alternative for everyone.
Look for Gaps or Holes Inside or Outside Your Home
Stop rodents from entering your home - check inside and outside for gaps or holes and seal any holes you find. Check for small and large holes - mice can fit through a hole the width of a pencil (1/4 or 6mm in diameter)
Where to Look for Gaps or Holes Inside Your Home
- Inside, under, and behind kitchen cabinets
- Floor areas in closets, especially corners
- Around the fireplace
- Around windows and doors
- Behind appliances
- Around the pipes under sinks and washing machines
- Around the pipes leading to hot water heaters and furnaces
- Around floor air and dryer vents
- Around all electrical, water, gas, and sewer lines
- Inside the attic
- In the basement or crawl space
- Around floor drains, such as in your basement or laundry room
- Between the floor and wall juncture
Where to Look for Gaps or Holes Outside Your Home
- In the roof among the rafters, gables, eaves, and soffits
- Around windows and doors (especially those without weather stripping)
- Between the foundation of the home and ground
- Around attic and crawl space vents
- Around holes for electrical, plumbing, cable, and gas lines
How to Seal Gaps or Holes Inside and Outside Your Home
Seal any holes you find to stop rodents from entering. Fill small holes with steel wool. Put caulk around the steel wool to keep it in place or use spray foam. Use lath screen or lath metal, cement, hardware cloth or metal sheeting to fix larger holes. Cut material to fit around pipes. Fix gaps in trailer skirting and use flashing around the base of the house. Outbuildings and garages should also be sealed to prevent the entrance of rodents.
We recommend contacting your local or state health department if there is concern of a rodent infestation or guidance is needed on what to do for a specific home or situation. A pest control specialist may be consulted if rodents have gotten into areas that cannot be reached to clean.
Maintain Areas Inside and Outside to Deter Mice and Rats
Rodents are attracted to food and water sources, as well as places that are convenient for them to build nests.
Seal up food and water sources inside your home:
- Keep food sealed in thick plastic, metal, or glass containers with tight lids.
- Clean up spilled food right away. Wash diseases and cooking utensils soon after use.
- Put pet food away after use. Do not leave food or water bowls out overnight.
- Keep inside garbage in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids. Frequently clean the containers with soap and water. Dispose of trash and garbage on a frequent and regular basis.
Seal up nesting sites and food sources outside your home:
- Clean up garbage around your house. Use a thick plastic or metal garbage can with no holes and a tight lid.
- Keep outside cooking areas and grills clean.
- Keep composting bins at least 100 feet from your house.
- Keep bird feeders away from the house and use squirrel guards to limit access to the feeder by squirrels and other rodents.
- Keep grains and animal feed in thick plastic or metal containers with tight lids.
- Dispose of abandoned vehicles or move them more than 100 feet from your home.
- Move woodpiles 100 feet or more from your home and raise the wood at least one foot off the ground.
- Clean up brush and weeds around your home. Keep grass and shrubbery within 100 feet of your home well-trimmed.
Keep Your Family and Pets Safe
Get rid of Rats in your home and prevent serious infestations by calling North Shore Wildlife for rat removal services in Salisbury, Newburyport, Amesbury, & surrounding towns in Massachusetts & New Hampshire.