Roof Rats are very active in Arizona

I recently read an article about how roof rats are invading areas of Mesa, Tempe, and Gilbert.  Roof rats are kind of a mystery, they aren’t native to Arizona, and there are many different explanations of how they got here.  Their origin doesn’t necessarily matter, what does matter is that they are here now.

These rodents are typically most active during the winter, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be around during the summer.  They manage to sneak into homes by means of unsealed vents on roofs, and they are great climbers, so they will take advantage of anything they can potentially use to get in.  Having trees touching your roofline is a great way for roof rats to get into your attic, it can act as a highway, and they can bring their friends!  You want to always make sure that there is no contact between trees and your home.  You also want to avoid allowing trees to grow above your roof, these little guys are ruthless, and will even jump down from trees.

Once you have roof rats, it’s best to call a professional.  Rats are very dirty, and can very likely be carrying disease, so it’s better to let a pest control person take care of the issue for you.

Signs that you MAY have roof rats:

• They are attracted to orange trees, so if you have notice the fruit being eaten (literally everything but the peel) it could be them sneaking around.  

• Hearing scratching and crawling in your attic is a very good indication that you have a problem.  

Any suspicions, give us a call!