As a homeowner in Cambridge, it is important to understand the behaviour of rats and how it can impact your daily life. Rats are among the most common pests in residential areas across the city. These rodents are well-known for their ability to adapt to new environments, and they can cause significant damage to your home and health.

However, with the right knowledge and proper pest prevention techniques, you can effectively control rat populations and avoid the consequences of their behaviour. In this blog post, we will explore the behaviour of these rodents, their impact on home life, and how you can best manage rodent control in Cambridge. Whether you are dealing with an infestation or simply looking to take preventative measures, this guide will provide you with the information you need to protect your home from damage.

Unveiling Habits: What They Do When You’re Not Looking

When you aren’t looking, rats are surprisingly busy creatures. Versatile and adaptable, they navigate your home in ways you might not expect. Understanding their habits can significantly aid your effort to keep them at bay.

The Nocturnal Intruder: Night-Time Activity

Rats are sorted as nocturnal animals. They usually stay hidden during the day and become active when it gets dark. So, while you’re winding down for the day, these rodents are just starting their nightly routines, searching for food, breeding, and exploring. Knowing this can help direct your prevention and control efforts to when they are most active.

A Snack or a Feast: Their Feeding Habits

Rats are omnivores, a fancy term that means they’ll eat just about anything. Food scraps, garden produce, trash, and even inedible materials like insulation or wiring aren’t safe from their gnawing hunger. Reducing access to food sources around your home is one of the most effective ways to discourage rats.

The Tooth that Grows: Why They Gnaw Constantly

Believe it or not, a rat’s front teeth never stop growing. Because of this, rats have an irresistible need to gnaw on things to wear down their teeth. This constant gnawing can lead to significant damage in your Cambridge home, affecting walls, furniture, and even electrical wires, leading sometimes to hazardous situations.

Friendly or Foe: Social Behaviors

Rats are socially intelligent creatures. They thrive in communities, form hierarchies, and take care of the sick or injured in their group. However, they often view humans as threats, so interactions can lead to aggressive behaviour. Preventing these encounters is crucial for both the rat’s well-being and your peace of mind.

Behind the Scenes: Understanding Nesting Behaviour In Homes

To unlock the mystery of rat behaviour, it is essential to delve into their nesting habits. Most rodents are opportunistic creatures. They are exceptionally adept at exploiting their environment to create cozy, well-hidden nests. Understanding their nesting behaviour can offer invaluable insight into their overall behaviour patterns and how to manage their presence effectively in your Cambridge home.

The Intruders’ Fortress: Locations of Nests in Homes

Rats have an uncanny knack for finding the perfect hideouts right in your dwelling. Although they prefer dark, undisturbed areas, they can be quite flexible when it comes to their ‘bedroom’ choices. In the typical urban dwelling, they may choose to build their nests:

• Behind appliances: Places like the back of your refrigerator or underneath your washing machine offer warmth and protection. These areas are typically less frequented by humans, making them an attractive nesting site.
• Within wall spaces: Rats are excellent climbers and can easily scale your walls to find a secluded spot within them to nest.
• In basements and attics: These areas of the home are oftentimes cluttered and undisturbed, giving plenty of materials for creating their nests and hiding from prying eyes.
• Under floorboards: This might seem surprising, but they can gnaw through your wooden floorboards and create a secret abode beneath your very feet!

Construction Time: How Rats Build Their Nests

Have you ever wondered how they build nests? These handy little architects use a variety of materials suited to their needs and your home’s environment. Rats primarily use soft materials that can be easily collected, transported, and manipulated. An insight into the nest-building process can prove illuminating. Here’s how they do it:

• Material Collection: Rats collect the material for their nests bit by bit. This includes paper, cloth, attic/ wall insulation, or plant matter.
• Transportation: These materials are usually transported in their mouths to the desired nesting location within your home.
• Foundation: Once they’ve selected a safe spot, they create a tight ball of material for the foundational base of their nest.
• Building the Nest: With the foundation set, they will then craft a sort of hollow sphere, leaving a small opening for entry and exit.

Outsmarting the Intruders: Strategies To Prevent Infestations In Homes

You won’t win the war against infestations if you can’t predict their next moves. Recognizing triggers of infestation and taking apt preventive measures is a surefire way to keep a rat-free home.

Securing Food Sources

Remember, the main thing attracting rats to your home is food. Don’t invite them to a banquet. Ensure proper food storage using sealed glass or metal containers.

• Never leave foodstuff (including pet food) out in the open.
• Keep your kitchen surfaces and dining area clean, wiping them down frequently.
• Secure your trash bins, making it impossible to access them.

Also, keep in mind your outside area. Pick fruits and vegetables as they ripen, and keep compost heaps as far from the house as possible.

House Maintenance to Deter Rats

Your home’s overall hygiene and structure can attract or repel rats. Regularly inspect and maintain your home to not unknowingly make a welcome sign for rodents. Follow these tips:

1. Seal up any small holes or cracks that can serve as an entry point. Note that a rat can squeeze through a hole as small as a quarter.
2. Keep your garden tidy. Overgrown vegetation can provide shelter. Plus, avoid creating hideouts by leaning stuff up against your house.
3. Regularly clean under furniture, behind appliances, and in other hidden areas where rats might nest.

When to Hire A Professional Pest Prevention Service

Identifying an infestation isn’t always straightforward. They are, after all, the covert operators of the animal kingdom. But when you start noticing telltale signs and your DIY deterrents don’t seem to be working, it might be time to call in the professionals.

Recognizing Rat Infestations

There are certain signs you need to be aware of when trying to identify an infestation at home. Chewed wiring, gnawed furniture, burrows in your yard, and droppings are strong indications. You might even hear scratching noises, especially at night when the house is quiet.

Limitations of DIY Prevention and Control

While there are numerous methods and devices available for DIY pest control, there are limitations to their effectiveness. You might be able to capture a few rats or keep them at bay for a while, but without proper prevention measures, they might return. Also, improper use of traps or pesticides can lead to safety risks.

So, when do you make that call to the pest control services? It boils down to two main factors: the size of the infestation and damage to your property. If you can hear rats in your walls, see them running in broad daylight, or notice extensive damage to your wiring or structural elements, it’s time to summon professional help from Truly Nolen.

The Benefits Of Hiring Professional Pest Control Services

Hiring a professional pest control service like Truly Nolen comes with several benefits. We have the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively handle the situation and ensure minimal risk to your family’s health. Our professional team not only eliminates the current problem but also helps prevent future infestations by identifying potential entry points and suggesting necessary repairs.

When you choose to call Truly Nolen, you don’t just get rid of rats. You get peace of mind knowing your home is safer and less likely to be invaded by these stealthy intruders in the future.

Contact us today to schedule an inspection.