If you’ve ever wondered how rats find themselves in odd places way up high, the answer is that rats are excellent climbers. They can climb any surface that has texture. They’re good at climbing brick, concrete, plastic, wood, stucco, sheet metal, dry walls, and even trees. Not only are they good climbers they excel at jumping and adult rats can jump from branches to branches. And any experienced rat control technician will tell you that the rats are not scared of using these skills to enter your home.

But climbing is not the only way rats can invade your home. They can navigate the smallest holes, and spaces under doors. Once they find an opening, they can get in and if the hole is not big enough, they can gnaw their way through to get inside.  

Why Are Rats So Good at Climbing?

Rats have some bodily advantages that enable them to climb. Firstly, their claws and pads allow them to latch on to any surface. The five phalanges (fingers) on each paw are very sharp and the paws’ pads also help form a tight grip. Their tiny dermal ridges help boost friction, allowing rats to hold onto many surfaces. Interestingly, their tails are used to balance themselves, wrap around wires, cords, ropes if they need extra stability.

Rats also have the ability to leap. They can leap as much as 36 inches vertically and 48 inches horizontally. This means that rats can climb trees that are as close as 4 feet to your house and jump from there onto the walls or roof. And if they ever fall during a leap, they can survive up to 50 feet and will likely try again.

How to Protect Your Home from Rats

Trees and branches that are close to your house are prime gateways for rats to enter. Therefore, you need to trim these and ensure that trees are at least 5 feet away to minimize rat entry. Other potential rat gateways are electrical cabling which can lead rats onto your roof. Once there, they will become a nuisance since they will be able to enter your attic. Stay on top of the small repairs that need to be done around your home. By fixing these items, you will help deter rats from entering your home.

Check the garage door to see if there are gaps there, plug every visible hole no matter how small and caulk all seams. Check your roof. That’s the perfect place for rats to hide because once there, they are not easily visible. This allows them to do much damage. Once rats find a weak area, they will gnaw their way inside quickly.

Take extra steps to secure your chimney, if you have one. Look for holes and cracks in your chimney. Installing a chimney cap will prevent rats and larger rodents from accessing your home. Because they can really crawl through the chimney without affecting the flow of the smoke you need to install a chimney cap immediately.

Rats become bothersome during winter months. The cold temperatures outdoors send them scurrying indoors to find shelter.  If you think your home is entirely secured from rats, then remember that rats are excellent climbers. What can you do if you notice rats in your home?  You need to contact Truly Nolen rat control experts; they can deal with rat invasion successfully.  

You can call Truly Nolen, your reliable and efficient pest control company to deliver efficient rat control services for the removal of small rodents from your home. Our technicians have the expertise to check your roofline and detect any telltale signs of rats. In addition, we will inspect your house thoroughly, inside and out to determine if rats are in your home.