How to reduce menace of rats
Rats constitute a health and environmental hazard to many homes. In fact, they have assumed such a notoriety that people ascribe some demonic powers to them.
Rat trap
Some Nigerians regard rats as witches sent by their adversaries to undo them. But the truth is that rats have no respect for both the rich and poor, so long as you have a home.
In some slummy neighbourhoods, the rats are so hefty that if they invade a home, they leave behind a wide range of destructions. Apart from the environmental hazards, the dreaded Lasa fever is said to be caused by rats. Rats also destroy things in the home and even start electrical fires by gnawing through wires.
Rita Templeton writing in doityourself.com noted that rats love to gnaw on wood, so you may discover gnaw marks on baseboards or door frames. “They will also chew through food packaging – people and pet food alike.
Droppings are a surefire sign that your house is inhabited by rodents; small and dark, they tend to show up in drawers and cabinets. If you have a keen ear, you may also hear them rustling in food sacks or scurrying back and forth behind walls”.
Rats are also attracted to easily accessible garbage cans and compost bins, animal droppings, uneaten birdseed, and berries or other fruit that have dropped off their vines or trees. Once they have found a consistent source of food, the rats will make themselves cozy inside the house.
While they’re not eating, they’re taking up residence (and, most likely, breeding) in their favourite areas: attics, basements, and crawl spaces; behind cabinets, shower stalls, hot water heaters, or furnaces; and in the insulation.
There are many ways to get rid of rats. Some of these methods are however harmful and should be used with extreme caution, especially if there are children or animals in the home. The best method is to set a trap as opposed to using poison. Poison also leaves the potential for the rat to die in an inaccessible location – such as behind a cupboard – and stink up the place as it decomposes.
