There are two species of rats that are common rodent pests in Macon and throughout Georgia: The roof rat, Rattus rattus (also known as the black rat); and the brown rat (also known as the Norway rat, wharf rat, or sewer rat), Rattus norvegicus.
As their name implies, roof rats are usually found in high places. In nature, they're tree dwellers, and their bodies are well adapted for that life. They're slimmer and lighter than Norway rats, with an excellent sense of balance. In homes, roof rats are usually found in attics, soffits, lofts, and other high parts of the home
Norway or brown rats are ground dwellers (although they can climb when necessary). They're heavier and stockier than roof rats, commonly live in burrows when they live outdoors, and are excellent swimmers. When they get into homes and other buildings, they can be found anywhere; but most commonly they're found in crawl spaces, basements, and on the lower floors.
Both species of rats can be found throughout Georgia. Brown rats are slightly more common in urban areas, and roof rats in rural areas; but both can be found anywhere in the state.
Rats are the first animals that were associated with disease. Historical records suggest that even people in Biblical times knew that rats were somehow associated with sickness. With the benefit of modern science, we now know that rats are involved in the transmission of many serious diseases including hantavirus, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, salmonella, and plague.
In addition to the diseases they spread, rats can also cause direct damage to homes when they gnaw openings to get inside, they damage insulation and contaminate it with their urine and droppings, they cause foul odors that can get into the living area of the house, or when they tear up clothing and other stored items to use as nesting material.
When rats gnaw on electrical wiring, they can cause fires. They can also cause damage to Internet, Cable TV, telephone, and other low-voltage wiring, which will cause those services to stop working.
At Rid-A-Critter, we treat most rat infestations without using any poisons at all. We control rats using the non-chemical pest control methods of trapping, removal, and exclusion ("rodent-proofing"). The only time we use rodenticides is around some commercial buildings that are required by law to have rodent bait stations around the outside perimeters.
By using organic rat control methods instead of poisons, we avoid all of the problems associated with rodenticides. For example:
Our non-chemical rat removal and rat-proofing methods avoid all those problems, while providing a more permanent rat control solution that will keep rodents and other nuisance animals out of your home.
Here are some pictures we've taken at the many rat-removal and rat-proofing jobs we've done throughout the Macon area and Southern Georgia.
Please contact us for more information about our non-chemical rat control solutions. We look forward to hearing from you.
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The Macon, Georgia office of Rid-A-Critter provides rat extermination and removal in the Macon, Georgia area and South Georgia in general, including Albany, Americus, Barnesville, Byron, Centerville, Columbus, Cordele, Culloden, Eastman, Fitzgerald, Forsyth, Fort Valley, Gray, Griffin, Hawkinsville, Jackson, Juliette, Kathleen, Milledgeville, Perry, Roberta, Sylvester, Thomaston, Tifton, Valdosta, Warner Robins, Yatesville, and Zebulon. We are fully licensed and insured.
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