If you want to know how to get rid of rats, your best bet would be to talk to a pest control professional. Rats are resilient and the reproduce quickly so it can be very difficult to get rid of them. Also, rats can live throughout your home in basements, walls, attics, and your yard. Sometimes even identifying the source of a rat infestation or their entry point to your home can be incredibly difficult.
Nevertheless, there are some steps you can take to eliminate rats from your home. First, you'll have to find the rodents so that you can focus your efforts. Search your home for droppings or other signs of rat activity so you know the best place to lay traps. Indeed, the best way to eliminate rats is to trap them. Snap traps are readily available and inexpensive; they can be baited with dried fruit, peanut butter, or cheese. You'll want to set traps at right angles to walls (bait side toward the wall) where you know rats travel. Be sure to wear gloves and dispose of dead/trapped rats in plastic bags.
Still, eliminating an entire rat population can be very difficult. In fact, the best method for avoiding rats is prevention. You'll want to ensure that all food and water sources are removed. Garbage should be stored in well-sealed garbage cans, and food should be kept in tightly sealed containers. Remove food sources such as fallen fruit and nuts from your yard, and keep pet food stored when your pets are not eating.
In addition, you'll want to eliminate entry points to your home. Cover crawl spaces and use metal screening to seal entry via air or dryer vents. Cracks in cement footings, foundations, and siding should be sealed. Rats can enter your home through incredibly small spaces, so you need to thoroughly inspect your home for any entry points and ensure they are sealed.
Remember, if you are having a lot of difficulty controlling a rat infestation, call a professional. Pest control experts know how to find and kill rats and what to do to keep them from coming back.
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