Rodent Control Naples, FL
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Pest Control Services
Rodent Removal in Naples, FL
Chad came by and completely addressed our issues. He was professional and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend Kish to my neighbors.
Rats are fascinating, resilient, destructive, yucky-carrying creatures. The species that are bred and sold as pets are not the same as rat populations in the wild. Pet rats deserve care and cuddles. Southwest Florida’s pest rats need rat control.
Rat Control Services
Free Site Inspection
Rat Removal – Exclusion, Extermination
Rat Harborage Cleanup
Rat Damage Repair
Licensed pest control professionals like Kish offer the safest and most effective way to get rid of rats in your home or building. Serving Lee and Collier Counties.
Rat Control in Naples and Southwest Florida – What Is It?
Roof rats and Norway rats are the most common, most destructive rodents in Florida. What makes them successful survivors – their adaptability – are what causes humans the most pain. And they reproduce fast!
Rats are widespread, they adapt to human infrastructure, and they love our food and garbage.
They attack important Florida citrus and fruit crops. They damage and contaminate our living spaces. Unfortunately, the diseases they can carry are serious, they’ve got fleas, and the structural damage they cause can be expensive and hard to fix. Most of all, they’re persistent.
We know this: Kish Pest’s rat exterminator calls have been growing in frequency. We know they’re a growing problem. But we can help.
Kish Removes Rats
Free Site Inspection for Your Home or Building
The first step is to understand where the rats are, where they’re coming from, and where they’re likely to go. We thoroughly investigate your interior and exterior:
We identify rat harborage (nesting) sites, runways, and entry points
We identify additional indoor and outdoor hiding spots, such as thick vegetation, debris, or clutter
We find conditions that could support a rat population, such as available food and water
We document where they’ve caused damage
We customize an effective rat control plan that protects non-target people and pets
Rat Removal
An effective plan of action may contain a variety of tools and tactics to remove rats from your structure.
Rat Exclusion
We seal entry points and keep rats from getting in by installing screens, door sweeps, flashing, and other means of exclusion.
Rat Trapping and Baiting
Trapping uses mechanical traps to catch live rats. Baiting uses food or chemicals in tamper-proof bait stations.
A note on rat behavior: They’re suspicious of new items in their environment. They can be bait-shy and trap-shy, which means they may not approach a newly set trap for a week or more. Compared to mice, it may take longer to eliminate rats.
Rat Harborage Cleanup
A good rat control plan includes a thorough cleanup of all the places rats like to hide. Your custom plan may include sanitizing food areas, removing debris, dismantling clutter, or removing overgrown vegetation around the perimeter. We may need to address underground burrows in your yard, or even sites in and around your car. We identify all the areas to target during your free site inspection.
Rat Damage Repair
From sealing holes caused by rats to removing rubmarks along their trails, our goal is to help return you to a place free of ratsign.
Signs of Rat Infestation
1.
Droppings or the Smell of Urine.
Many people first identify rat issues by discovering droppings or urine spots inside and outside buildings. Rodents usually have go-to bathroom areas, but they will urinate nearly anywhere. Droppings that have been there for a while are gray, dusty, and will break apart when touched. Fresh droppings, on the other hand, are black, glossy, and have a clay-like texture. Rodents urinate while running, and the trails are distinct. Rat urine will glow under ultraviolet light and shine blue-white when fresh.
2.
Partially Eaten Food and Hollowed-Out Fruit
This is the most common evidence of rats. Citrus season (September through March) brings rats out to happily partake in ripe fruit. They eat holes in fruits like citrus, papaya, cantaloupe, watermelon, apples, bananas, mangoes, tomatoes. Florida sugar cane gets damaged by rats every year. Sometimes they carry away whole fruit like blueberries, strawberries, grapes, loquats. When this happens, birds or other rodents may be blamed for the damage.
3.
Gnawed Objects and Infrastructure.
Rodent teeth grow fast, so they gnaw to trim teeth and keep them sharp. You’re likely to find teeth marks on food, wood, wire, or the edges of posts and beams. There may be holes in walls. Splintery edges indicate fresh gnawing. Gnawed edges get smoother and darker over time.
4.
Rodent Trails.
Rats are habitual creatures. They use the same paths to get from their nests to food or water. Indoors, you may find their trails along walls, where you can see dark greasy smudges where their bodies rub the wall. Fresh rubmarks look dark and greasy. Old rubmarks can get brittle enough to flake when touched. In your garden, you might find 2- to 3-inch trails under plants. They get hardpacked and smooth with use. If you dust trails with talcum or corn powder, you can see rat activity in the form of foot tracks or tail drag marks.
5.
Squeaks and Sounds.
When things are quiet at night, you might hear scratching or gnawing sounds. Baby rats squeak in their nests. Does your dog or cat stare intently at the wall? Chances are, they’re hearing tiny movements in that spot.
6.
Burrows.
Roof rats nest up high, but Norway rats burrow. Their burrows typically look like 3-inch holes with runways leading up to them. They can be found in soil, along walls, under rubbish, under slabs. If the runway to the burrow is pronounced (looking slick and well-used), it may indicate a well-established colony of rats.
If you see live or dead rats during the daytime, call for help immediately
Live rats are proof of rat infestation. If they’re venturing out during the day, it’s typically because there is a very large population in need of food. You’ll need professional tools and tactics to handle rat control.
If dead rats are visible, your rat exterminator will determine if there is disease, poisoning, or other reason. They’ll suggest a course of action depending on what they find.
What to expect when you call Kish
To start getting rat control services today, contact us to set up the time and date of your initial visit. Then you’ll be on your way to a rat-free home or building:
Free Inspection
We’ll investigate your home or building to identify any signs of rats and find their entry points. We’ll document where they’ve caused damage.
Free Estimate
You’ll get a no-obligation, written estimate for services to get rid of your rat problem. We tell you upfront what needs to be done, and what it’ll cost.
Safe, effective rat control.
Your licensed technician will eliminate rats, remove nesting and other harborage materials, and secure rodent entry points.
Follow-up services.
Your custom rat control plan will include any recommendations to maintain a rat-free structure.
Learn More About Rats And Rat Control In Naples And SW Florida
| Roof Rats (Rattus rattus) | Norway Rats (Rattus norvegicus) | |
|---|---|---|
| Other Names | Common name: black rat. Also known as the palm rat, ship rat, house rat, fruit rat, citrus rat, gray rat | Common name: brown rat. Also known as the sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norwegian rat |
| Characteristics |
|
|
| Size | Adults can grow to 12–14 inches long (30–36cm) and weigh 5–10oz. (150–250g). | Adults can grow to 17–20 inches (43–51cm). Weight can range from 5–18oz. (140–510g). |
| Habitat | Arboreal (tree dwellers). Nests up high in trees, shrubs, attics, eaves, rafters. Dependent on human habitats. | Ground-dwellers. Burrows and nests down low in basements, crawl spaces, in tunnels, under piers. Loves to gather near garbage and woodpiles. Dependent on human habitats. |
| Diet | Omnivore. Loves citrus fruit, vegetables, and grain. Eats grease. Also eats pet food, pet feces, birdseed, meat. | Omnivore. Loves cereal grains, fresh meats, fish. Will eat nuts, fruit – but eats almost anything, including decayed food. |
| Behavior | Great climbers with padded feet and long tails. Can climb pipes and walls. Climbs vines, limbs, utility lines, fences to get into attics, overhead garage storage, etc. Great swimmers. | Social animals. More aggressive than roof rats. Will gnaw building infrastructure to get to food or water. Can climb pipes and walls. Great swimmers. Occasionally gets into buildings via toilets. |
| Activity | Nocturnal. Starts foraging after sunset. | Nocturnal. Most active an hour after sunset. |
| Disease Potential | Can bite sleeping children who may have bits of food on them. Can carry a variety of diseases including bubonic plague, murine typhus, spirochetal jaundice, leptospirosis, rabies, rat-bite fever, and bacterial food poisoning. Can bring fleas. Contaminates food. |
|
| Damage Potential | Nests in walls and attics, bringing fleas. Chews wires – sparks can cause interior walls to catch fire. | Gnaws to find food. Can gnaw building foundations. Known to create 6-foot-long burrows that damage property and landscapes. Blocks sewer lines. Chews wires – sparks can cause interior walls to catch fire. |
Diseases Spread By Rodents
There are also diseases that can spread through indirect contact (being bitten by a flea, tick, mite, or mosquito that has fed on an infected rodent). These include diseases like flea-borne (murine) typhus and Lyme disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
A clean and tidy environment: Rats are attracted to food sources. Store food in tightly sealed containers, clean up spilled food promptly, and secure garbage bins with heavy and/or tight lids.
Sealed entry points: Find gaps, cracks, or openings that rats could use to enter your home. Seal these entry points with materials like steel wool or caulk.
Strong scents: Rats have a keen sense of smell, so strong scents can deter them. Consider using peppermint oil, citronella, or ammonia-soaked rags in areas where rats are active or likely to enter. Scents may need to be reapplied regularly.
Natural predators: Encourage natural predators of rats, such as owls, hawks, and snakes, to frequent your property. Providing shelter, nesting boxes, or perches can attract these predators and create a deterrent for rats.
Trimmed landscaping: Trim tree branches and bushes that are close to your home, as rats can use them as pathways to access your property. Additionally, keeping your lawn free of debris can discourage rat nesting.
Motion-activated devices: Motion-activated lights or sound devices can startle rats when they approach. This can disrupt their activities and discourage them from frequenting your property.
Remember, while these natural deterrents can be effective, they may not provide a foolproof solution to eliminate a rat infestation. If you suspect a rat problem, seek professional help from a pest control expert for a comprehensive and targeted approach to rat control.
Rats are hard to get rid of because:
They’re great swimmers – They can tread water for days! They travel easily through canals, rivers, water elements in landscaping, sewers, and pipes of all kinds.
They’re great climbers and jumpers – There’s no part of your house they can’t reach. Trees, vines, fences, wood beams, walls, pipes, wires… They’re all rodent runways.
They reproduce exponentially – Florida’s rats typically live about 1 year and can start reproducing in 3–5 months. Roof rats have 6–8 young per litter and up to 6 litters a year. Norway rats have 8–12 young per litter and up to 7 litters per year. So, on the high end, if one rat has 48–84 rats, then about 3 months later, each of those has 48–84 rats…
They’re suspicious of new things – Rats, unlike mice, know not to approach new traps or bait stations. Sometimes it takes tactics like leaving unset traps in place until they get used to seeing/smelling them.
All rats love whole nuts, peanuts soaked in water overnight, bacon pieces, or cotton wads (which they use as nesting material). Roof rats love raisins or grapes. Norway rats love sardines packed in oil.
Why Call Kish for Rat Control?
Not only are we your local pest control company, we are your neighbors. Our staff lives in the areas we service, so we are naturally familiar with the local ecosystem and infrastructure. We can anticipate where pest rodents tend to appear, how they interact with local elements, and how they’ll behave from season to season.
This expertise allows us to create customized pest control solutions that are tailored to your specific locale, seasonal needs, and more. We also pride ourselves on providing personal, reliable, hassle-free service in order to build lasting relationships with our customers.
Finally, as a local company, we are invested in the well-being of our community. We take pride in serving our neighbors and providing high-quality pest control services that keep homes and businesses safe and healthy. When you choose us as your pest control provider, you are supporting a local business that cares about our community.
Thank you for considering our services, and we look forward to the opportunity to serve you.
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