The best control measures are preventative and taken before there is an infestation. If you notice rat activity around your home, then you should immediately try to exterminate them by making it harder for them to come inside. This will mean blocking off any potential entry points. Rats can get through surprisingly small holes that you might think are not even big enough for a mouse. Therefore, you must seal any holes that you find around the place. Where you still need airflow to occur, fit some mesh that prevents rats from accessing your property. What are the other rat control measures you can take for yourself before calling in a professional to help you?
Remove Food Sources
As well as trying to keep rats out of your home, you should make sure that there is nothing to attract them in the first place. Consequently, you should ensure that all of your food is stored in sealed containers. Ideally, these will be made of metal or glass rather than plastic because rats can chew through certain types of plastic containers. What you want is to remove any odour traces that will inevitably bring rats into places where food is stored. When you have leftovers, for example, you should place these in a waste bin that is robust enough to keep rats out and that has a lid which can be properly secured in place.
Advice on Baiting
Even though you may have taken the necessary steps to discourage rats from making their home alongside yours, they may persist nonetheless. In such cases, you may need to lay down baits for them. The best ones to go for are tamper-resistant, which means that children and pets won't be able to get their hands on the poison inside easily. The problem with baiting that many householders find is that where they choose to place their bait stations is ineffective. This is where professional guidance can be helpful. Simply by putting your bait in a place where the rats will find it will help a great deal in getting rid of them, but this often takes a little know-how.
Guidance on Trapping
Another rat control measure to consider is trapping. This is beneficial over using a rodenticide because it means a swift dispatch for the pest. Rats which have been poisoned may die in hard to reach locations which means that they can cause problems of sanitation. When you have trapped a rat, on the other hand, it means being able to dispose of it hygienically. It is important to keep kids away from your traps, however.