rats Archives - Arizona Pest Control - Pest Management Services

All posts in “rats”

Entry Points Rodents

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Entry Points Rodents

Often times we make it easy for entry points rodents access into our homes. Rodents will seek out any opportunity to get into the warmth and rain-free of your home. Why shouldn’t they, they are looking for the same things we are in life.

What should you look for?

Any holes, once a month check your home. Things settle and change.
Feces around pool pumps or a/c.
Nesting.
Bad construction, areas of access for birds and rodents.
Check sheds for opening and space beneath, I see lots of honeybee activity in those places.
Holes in the ground, indicating something present.
Check high and low, don’t let trees touch the home.
No vines or wood in the ground and then on the home.

If you are unsure on activity, call our office to discuss a professional inspection 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176.

Snakes Good or Bad

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Snakes Good or Bad

Yes even the old man can wrestle up a snakes good or bad. OK we know its a Gopher snake and it is non-venomous. The point should be made that they are looking for food and if you have mice/rats they will be looking at your place. ProBest has this major account, 400 acres and the reptiles come into the main area in search of food. Often times its Rattlesnakes and nobody wants or needs this.

In general all snakes are good, they reduce the population of vermin. This is great except for those chance encounters in or near your home. King snakes and Gopher snakes are plentiful and will even eat Rattlesnakes. We often encounter snakes while hiking, our technicians often find them hiding out in rodent bait stations. This gives them a real start for the day, actually anything in the box will scare you.

What do you do?

Since we run across snakes frequently, we do move them for customers. There is a charge for this, especially if it is a rattlesnake. Our liability increases due to the bite factor. Another issue is if you call us, you need to keep an eye out – while we get to your place. If we arrive and the snake slithered away, they is still a fee. Time is money.

The key to living with snakes good or bad, is knowing what kinds of snakes are here in Arizona. See the guide and learn how to identify the good from the bad. As always if you have an issue call us 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176 and keep an eye on snake so when we arrive we can catch and release down the road.

Rodenticides

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Rodenticides

Rodenticide – EPA files notice – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering several changes to its regulation of rodenticides
that will jeopardize access to this critical rodent control tool.

WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED?
To make ALL bulk rodenticides RESTRICTED USE PRODUCTS (RUP)

ProBest Pest Management decided years ago to not use anti-coagulates. (The poison interferes with the blood’s ability to clot.) This may cause damage to secondary predators such as owls, eagles, hawks, cats etc. We use either Terad3 (calcium mobilizer) or RatX (sodium chloride -salt. Rats and mice cant throw up or vomit, while the predators can and will. We also offer ContraPest ( birth control).

See the attached picture on our offer, a little more expensive but better for secondary animals.

I personally have seen some bad things, bait packs throw into garages. I’ve seen certain open boxes of bait in front yards available to kids etc. Safety is the paramount concern when handling rodenticides or pesticides. How many people read the label before using a product? I would venture to say, not many. Or they might skim and do what they think is correct or right. Are you using the product consistent to the label and labeling? Have you thought about who might come in contact with the product or the remaining dead animal? Just my thoughts on rodenticides.

Use a Professional, we have the tools, the knowledge and experience to handle all kinds of situations. We are also licensed and undergo training and retraining annually.

Vents & Rodents

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Vents & Rodents

Vents & Rodents, can cause serious issues with homeowners and businesses alike. Along with sanitary issues they can also spread diseases. They constantly urinate and defecate and can also walk over food. I’ve even heard that in some places they can bite sleeping infants in cribs and beds.

What to look for?

Small openings or that matter any opening.
Garage doors that don’t close completely.
Trees that touch homes or businesses.
Screens that don’t fit properly.
Doors that don’t have seals or sweep brushes.
Don’t take into home, attic materials open in garage.

When in doubt call ProBest Pest Management 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176 and we can help, bugs to weeds and anything in-between.

Drainage Block

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Drainage Block

What do we do?

We will cover with hardware cloth 2 areas from the inside, securing it in place with hammer gun device – this limits the pest from coming in. This exclusion stops snakes, rodents and other small types of critters. Now remember snakes and rodents do climb but this should limit anything from coming in via ground level. Notice: occasionally you will need to clean this area – if a lot of water passes through – it will pick up leaves, twigs etc.

SPECIAL: 2 area cover exclusion, now only $95 limited time…………….. Special note – if you get three (3) neighbors to do it on the same day – ProBest will do all 3 at the price of $65 each address.

Gilbert Emergency Rat Service

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Gilbert Emergency Rat Service

Gilbert Emergency Rat Service – Of all the emergencies I can think of a rat in the house tops my list. A cornered rat is highly likely to panic and possibly do something weird. I have encountered animals under a crawlspace, gave me a fright. Probably as well for them. I’ve run across snake skins, thank God the snakes were gone. Cats and tons of parasites like fleas and ticks. Some animals when they are dying will hole up in crawlspaces etc and that is never fun.

People will say that its fine they are living on my land and I’m not going to do anything to hurt them. They do extensive damage to wiring for a/c lines, pool pumps, irrigation and car wires. Anyone of these will probably cost several hundreds of dollars to repair.

ProBest has also gone with Rodent Birth Control to help eliminate or reduce the population of rodents in your landscape or HOA. The info I always use is 2/3 of Europe were killed by fleas on rodents. So rodents need to be managed. Rodents carry many diseases, so be extremely careful. Call ProBest Pest Management 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176

Bugs are a realty of life. But when they show up at your home, they can make life for you and your family uncomfortable, even potentially hazardous.So, keeping your home protected from unwelcome little visitors is essential.

Rodent Control

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Rodent Control

Rant Alert – Rodent Control – Rant Alert. If you have rodents, seen rodents or seen evidence from rodents, they will not go away on their on. If someone gets rid of some, others will move in, trust me on this. I have customers that use our bait stations for a few months and then say we are good. NOT THE WAY IT WORKS. A community will have an average amount of rodents, killing a few might slow the program but they will reproduce again and the same issues will reappear.

If you see one, there are more.
If there is one inside – don’t panic – call a ProFessional.
I don’t use bait inside, use traps then you know when you have caught one.
Bait is great outside, check the picture. You know you have issues because the bait is rounded off.
You can also gage the pressure if there is activity on all 4 bait.
If there is activity don’t exclude them inside. A trapped rodent could turn nasty and vicious. Once exterminated, then exclude.
If you snap traps, place away from pets.

Search the blog for related articles on rodents, rats etc. Call us for detail on our Rodent Control Specials. 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176

Alleyways

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Alleyways

Alleyways, side streets all pose a risk of trash buildup, which allows all kinds of scavengers a chance to feed. Birds, opossums, raccoons, rodents and feral animals will somehow always find a way to get the food. Pests including cockroaches, flies, earwigs and ants will find the food and carry it away. All in all its better to keep the areas clean, but we know our neighbors, right? We also know that all of these pest pose a significant threat to the Public Health, they carry disease and other pathogens. These pathogens can cause stomach issues and affect us in many ways. Don’t get me started on flies, yuuuuuck. One minute in the garbage the next on your steak – throwing up and licking it up. Did I mention yuuuuuuuck. Even in the winter here, those bins can be nasty.

So what can we do?

Keep those areas clean, clean them frequently. Even if your not in an alleyway, keep it clean.
Keep the garbage lids down.
Recycle what you can, food can go into earth type recyclable bins and later into gardens.
I suggest bagging it, they have recyclable bags as well.
There are products like fly bags (they smell but if in alleyway its better) there are baits and things you can use near the trash sites.
Remember that fly can be in your house super fast, while it might take a few hours for the roach to make it there.

Mice Control

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Mice Control

No matter what you do they will sneak in and gain access into your place. It can be the dreaded rat or mouse, and once in they are tough to chase out. But you can’t afford to let them take over your home or business, They need to live outside while you live inside. Mice in general prefer to build nest, they may be in out of way places or walls. You may see bits of chewed paper, or plastic in an attic area. You may smell fecal or urine smells or maybe even the odor of death.

Call a Professional, they know the little secrets and they know rodents and can help with Mice Control. They can identify feces and markings and plan the strategy to solve the issues.

Here are the Top 5 Reasons to keep mice/rodents out of your home: More mice/rodents = more issues

They bite and can cause rat bite fever.
Rodents carry parasites.
Mice/rodents/rats can carry disease & bacteria on their bodies.
Their urine & feces can influence asthma and contaminate lungs etc.
They can damage your house by gnawing, or urinating in attics etc.

Rats & Cats

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Rats & Cats, doesn’t seem right does it?

From everything I have read cats are supposed to hunt mice and rodents, maybe they didn’t read the same book I did. This is the absolute reason why pest control by a Professional is important. I’ve posted before that if you have rodents in your neighborhood, they will not go away on their own. Someone in your community probably doesn’t pick up their fruit or leaves the dog food out. So take a proactive stance and check your property and if you see something suspicious inform your neighbors. Don’t accuse just point out you saw something and maybe they will become proactive as well.

My House:

My house and subdivision have been around for over 30 years, but the pest situation is in check. A year or so ago I noticed some rodent activity plus my neighbor said her cat returned with a dead rat. I installed a few rodent stations and the problem is taken care of. I’ve have not noticed any activity in the last few months but the stations remain to take care of any new rats moving into the community.

Outdoor cats and dogs:

I will also comment to say that outdoor cats wreak havoc on the environment, often killing native birds and critters. Feral cats also cause issues, like meowing at night, creating cat litter boxes everywhere to general public. They are also carriers of parasites and just like feral dogs can attack and cause harm. Keeping pets should be an indoor situation and better for them and the public. Rats & Cats, shouldn’t be spending quality time together. Feeding the neighborhood cats and/or dogs just brings continued issues to your surrounding neighborhood. Just my opinion on nature and how I think it works. Cats should be spayed/or neutered and the population reduced and this works better than just removing the excess cats. This opens up outside cats from other territories, from moving in.