Category: rats

Rats are a common household pest that can cause significant damage to your home because of their incessant need to chew and breed. The rodents are also adaptable and intelligent, allowing them to thrive in diverse environments and climates. If their relentless search for food brings them into your Pittsburgh, PA home or business, there are a few different types of rat trap devices that can help remove the invasive pests from your property.

4 Different Types of Rat Traps

Because of their agility and small size, rats can be one of the more difficult pests to evict. However, there are several types of store-bought rat traps that you can start using today for temporary rat relief.

1. Snap Traps –Snap traps are typically made of wood, but modern traps are both plastic and reusable. There are also plastic enclosed snap traps, which have a hard plastic shell on the exterior.
2. Live Catch Traps – A non-lethal rat trap that does not kill the rodent, live catch traps catch the rodent alive and give you the opportunity to release the pest somewhere safe. These traps come in the form of metal cages or plastic tubes.
3. Electric Traps – While lethal, an electric trap is one of the most humane rat traps because it kills the rat instantly by administering a fatal shock once the rat is lured inside.
4. Glue Traps – As the rat attempts to reach the bait of a glue trap, it crosses a thick card covered with a sticky adhesive. The lured rat gets stuck and eventually starves and dies. Glue traps are typically the least recommended of the bunch because they are so inhumane.

The Trouble with DIY Rat Traps

Although these DIY rat trap methods can work, they do not offer a permanent rat removal solution. Furthermore, rat traps require you to personally remove the dead rodent and can easily be triggered, resulting in painful accidents to humans and curious pets. The most effective way to evict nuisance rats for good is to call the rat removal professionals at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Effective Pittsburgh, PA Rat Removal Services

The experienced rat removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove nuisance rats and other invasive wildlife from your Pennsylvania property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our fast and efficient rat removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

With so many rat deterrent options on the market, it can be difficult to decide how to best combat a growing rat infestation. While most rat removal tactics involve chemical sprays and deadly raps that can be harmful and inhumane, there are several natural, non-toxic alternatives that can help you resolve your rat problem. For instance, an old household remedy involves using the rodent’s sense of smell against them by spraying garlic around your property. But, do rats like garlic or will they avoid it like online outlets would have you believe?

The Truth About Rats and Garlic

There is some truth to the claim that garlic will deter rats. Rats have sensitive noses that they use to sniff out nearby food. It’s how the species has survived for so long. However, certain scents, such as garlic, are too strong for the critters and can overwhelm their senses and disorientate them. Therefore, rats are known to avoid strong-smelling odorous plants. The smell of garlic is also potent and unpleasant to other rodents like mice and squirrels.

Is Garlic Effective Against Rats?

The most commonly used way to implement a garlic-based rat deterrent is to add diced garlic into a spray bottle full of water. By spraying the odorous solution along your floorboards and thresholds, rats may opt to nest elsewhere. If you don’t have fresh garlic to spare, sprinkling garlic powder around entryways and attic openings has a similar effect.

Furthermore, home gardens that include a garlic plant will often experience less rat activity than those without, however; some homeowners go so far as to place entire bulbs of garlic in their doorways to prevent rats (and possibly vampires) from entering their home.

The Problem with Relying on Natural Rat Deterrents

Rats do hate the smell of garlic, and if you place it around your property strategically, the pests will likely stay away. However, garlic only serves as a short-term rat deterrent and cannot be used as a permanent countermeasure to rat infestations. Not only would the garlic need to be frequently replaced to remain effective, but rats can also get used to the smell and overcome their aversion to it.

Additionally, if you spread garlic powders or sprays around too liberally, then your home will smell awful to both the rats and you. If you are considering a more eco-friendly and humane method for rat prevention that will not stink up your property, contact the rat prevention and removal professionals at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Effective and Humane Rat Removal Services

The team of licensed and trained rat removal experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh can provide you with quick, safe, and permanent services that will not only remove all nuisance rats from your property, but will also ensure that rats will not return. 

To schedule an inspection of your Pittsburgh-area property and receive a free estimate for our rat removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Pittsburgh residences and businesses are not immune to rat infestations. Fortunately, there are a few things you can try to prevent a rat outbreak from happening. For example, there are many plants that can naturally aid in rat prevention. Here are some of the plants that you can utilize to keep rats away from your Pittsburgh property.

Plants to Keep Rats Away

In addition to flowers like daffodils and chrysanthemums, you can try planting the following plants with scents that rats hate

• Garlic –Your home garden or spice rack may have a quick solution to your growing rat problem. While the pungent smell of garlic may be mouthwatering to humans, the scent is incredibly abrasive to rats. So you might want to start growing it to keep rats away from your home.
  
  
• Onions –Similar to garlic, rats despise the smell of onions. However, you can utilize onions for rat prevention without growing it in your garden. Simply place a few slices of raw onion outside around your home to help drive rats far from your property.
  
  
• Lavender –If vegetable growing isn’t your thing, consider planting some lavender around your home to keep rats away. The sweet and lovely flower is sure to leave your home smelling wonderful. However, rats will stay far away, as lavender is another one of the many scents that the nuisance rodents can’t stand.

Why Plants Only Provide Temporary Rat Relief

While these plants may help to some extent as a rat preventative, they won’t do much to get rid of an established rat infestation. If you are dealing with a rat infestation, it is important that you contact a rat removal professional to get the job done instead of risking your health by attempting to rat or remove rats on your own. For fast and effective rat relief, trust the licensed and trained experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Keep Rats Away with Critter Control® of Pittsburgh

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our pest prevention services are guaranteed to be more effective than DIY efforts. Our team of experienced rat removal professionals are equipped with everything needed to provide you with a thorough and efficient rat removal service that will get rid of rats and keep them away, permanently.

For more information on our safe and affordable rat removal services, contact Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067 to schedule an inspection of your property and receive a free rat removal estimate.

For every type of pest that you may encounter, there is usually an old wives’ tale or two on how to get rid of them with basic household items. For rats, the recommended natural deterrent is cayenne pepper, but can it really be used for rat control?

A Short-term Rat Control Solution

Like many pests, rats have a very sensitive sense of smell. Thus, anything with a really harsh scent can help to deter rats from a particular location. Cayenne pepper is an overwhelmingly pungent scent that is known to assault a rat’s senses and encourage them to relocate.

One reason cayenne pepper as a rat control method is so popular is that it is both cheap and easy to try. However, when it comes to rats, it is vital to get rid of them as soon as possible in order to limit their opportunities to contaminate your food, breed, and spread disease.

The Issue with DIY Rat Control

Ultimately, annoying rats is the only thing that cayenne pepper will do. Cayenne pepper will not eliminate a nested rat infestation, and it may not even work on all rodents. Furthermore, cayenne pepper needs to be applied and reapplied constantly in order for it to remain effective. Thus, while cayenne pepper can help manage your rat control efforts in the short term, it won’t serve as a long-term solution to a growing rat problem.

Rather than wasting precious time relying on ineffective DIY rat control methods like cayenne pepper, you should call a professional rat control expert to thoroughly and efficiently remove any rats from your property.

Effective Rat Control Methods

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our experienced rat control experts will quickly and safely remove any and all nuisance rats from your property using the following four step method:

1. Inspection: Our technicians will inspect your home to locate where the rats are nesting, identify their entry points, and assess any damages that were caused.
2. Removal: We use safe, non-toxic methods to remove all rats and ensure your home remains rat-free.
3. Prevention: Once the rats are fully removed from your home, we will repair and restore any damages the pests made.
4. Restoration: We ensure all entry points are sealed off so rats cannot re-enter your home.

Trusted Rat Control Experts in Pittsburgh

Rely on the safe and affordable wildlife removal services provided by the licensed, trained, and experienced rat control experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh. For more information on our rat control services or to schedule an inspection of your Pittsburgh-area property and receive a complimentary estimate, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

If you’ve noticed burrows underneath your Pittsburgh property, your yard may be occupied by nuisance rats. Rodents can cause lots of damage around your yard, putting you and your loved ones at risk. While smoke bombs are a rat control method that is rising in popularity, they may not be the most effective way to get rid of rats.

What Are Rodent Smoke Bombs?

Rodent smoke bombs are a method of outdoor pest control. They’re lit and dropped into the entrance of a rat’s nest or rodent burrow. The smoke will flow through the tunnels of the burrow, choke the pests, and drive them out. Smoke bombs seem effective because they offer an easy way to drive out the entire nest at once. If used improperly, however, they can be extremely dangerous.

Understanding the Risks of Smoke Bombs

The biggest drawback to smoke bombs is that it isn’t a long-term solution. If the rats escape, they will return to their nest within days. Using smoke bombs also requires extreme attention to detail, or they can cause injury. Smoke bombs cannot be used indoors because they create toxic fumes that can harm you and your household. Because of these dangers, rodent smoke bombs may be illegal to use in your neighborhood.

Other Ways to Get Rid of Rats

While smoke bombs seem like a good rat control method, there are safer ways to get rid of rats on your property, such as:

• Trying Scare tactics: Motion-activated sprinklers or lights can make naturally skittish rats run away.
• Using natural repellants: Rodents flee when overwhelmed by strong scents like peppermint oil, cayenne pepper, and apple cider vinegar.
• Removing food sources: Bring your pet’s bowls inside at night, fence in your garden, and properly seal your garbage cans with locking lids.

Ultimately, the safest and most effective way to get rid of rats is to hire an expert rat removal service. Licensed and trained professionals will have access to the necessary tools and techniques to remove rats from your property quickly and humanely.

Get Rid of Rats with Critter Control® of Pittsburgh

If you’re dealing with nuisance rats, rely on the experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh. Our experienced technicians offer safe, efficient, and affordable rat removal services to permanently get rid of rats on your property. To schedule your inspection and receive a free rat removal estimate, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Noticing rat activity in your yard may be difficult to pinpoint at first. Signs of rats in your yard may present as small tracks in your flower beds, scratched and gnawed siding, dark stains on exterior walls, and eaten produce in your garden. However, an outside rat infestation should be addressed immediately. Because if rats are outside your home, then they will soon find their way inside.

Here are some tips to get rid of rats outside before they get inside your home and cause extensive damage and contamination.

Tips to Get Rid of Rats Outside

• Remove Rat Attractants

Rats are in search of food, water, and shelter, so a great way to turn the pests away from your property is to remove the things that attracted them in the first place. Start by removing debris,  wood piles, or clutter that rats often use to nest within. Regularly trim your lawn, bushes, shrubs, and overhanging branches. Also, tighten leaky water spigots and loose trash can lids, and remove bird feeders, bird baths, and pet food bowls.

• Install Rat Barriers

To get rid of rats outside, you will need to limit their access to reliable food sources on your property. One way to prevent rats from accessing your yard is by installing a barrier around your lawn or garden. A wire screen and steel mesh fence burned three inches deep will be effective at keeping rats out.

• Try Baiting and Trapping

Rodent-specific baits, traps, and rodenticides can easily be found at your local hardware store. However, these methods are not only inhumane, but they can put you, your family, and your pets at risk if not administered properly. These tactics also require removing dead rodents by hand. If you lack the training and safety gear for such a task, then it may be in your best interest to call a wildlife removal specialist to get rid of the rats outdoors for you.

The Trouble with DIY Rat Removal

Most DIY rat removal methods only offer temporary relief from rats and often end up being ineffective, costly, or harmful. If you’re dealing with a troubling rat infestation on your property, rely on the experienced rat removal professionals at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh to get rid of rats outside for good using safe, non-toxic, and eco-friendly methods.

Get Rid of Rats Outside with Critter Control® of Pittsburgh

At Critter Control® of Pittsburgh, our team of licensed and trained technicians are equipped to permanently resolve a rat infestation of any size, inside or outside. To schedule an inspection of your property and receive a complimentary estimate for our rat removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh today at 412-767-4067.

Rats regularly infest residential properties in search of warm shelter or accessible food and water. If your Pittsburgh-area residence is currently infested with the large rodents, here are some ways to get rid of rats and keep them away.

Get Rid of Rats with Traps

One of the most well-known strategies for getting rid of rats is setting traps. From live traps to snap traps, there are many different rat traps to choose from. Most types of rat traps can easily be purchased at your local hardware store.

Before you opt for this DIY method of rat removal, you should know that rat traps need to be regularly checked and maintained until your rat issue is gone. Therefore, you will need to be dedicated and attentive throughout the rat trapping process.

Successful rat trapping will also require rat handling on your part. Be sure to have the appropriate protective gear when removing rats, alive or dead, as they can carry parasites, diseases, ticks, and fleas. If you’re not comfortable handling the rats yourself, you may want to try a different method.

Try Peppermint Oil to Get Rid of Rats

If you simply want to deter the creatures, investing in peppermint oil is a good option. Many pests, including rats, hate the smell of peppermint. By spreading peppermint oil around your home, rats will likely leave on their own.

There are two common ways to apply a peppermint oil-based rat deterrent:

• Dab cotton balls with peppermint oil, then place them in areas where you’ve noticed rat activity.
• Dilute peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle. Then spray the mixture in areas disturbed by rats.

Keep in mind that some pets may also be negatively affected by certain oils. Be sure to research if your pets are allergic to peppermint oil before trying out this rat removal method.

Why DIY Methods Won’t Get Rid of Rats

While the above DIY rat removal methods may be able to successfully reduce the overall scale of your rat infestation, they won’t provide a clear path toward eliminating your rat problem for good. This is because rats are cunning and adaptable critters that will learn to navigate around traps and oils to get to their growing nests and your food supply.  

To effectively and permanently get rid of rats on your property, the best thing you can do is rely on the safe and affordable services provided by the rat removal experts at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Licensed and Trained Rat Removal Experts

When you’re ready to get rid of rats that are terrorizing your Pittsburgh-area property, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh.

Our experienced rat removal technicians will quickly and thoroughly inspect your property to locate and  isolate the rat infestation, humanely remove all unwanted pests, and decontaminate any messes they left behind. We will also ensure that your rat issue does not return by installing preventative measures that will keep rats gone for good.

To schedule an inspection and receive a free estimate for our rat removal services, call Critter Control® of Pittsburgh at 412-767-4067 today.

When rats infest your home, you will search for any available method to get rid of the invasive rodents. Fortunately, you may already have a handy rat removal solution in your kitchen. Ammonia is a commonly found pest repellent that’s often used on rats. If used correctly, ammonia can be an effective method to keep rats away from your home.

Does Ammonia Keep Rats Away?

Rats have a strong sense of smell that they heavily rely on. Ammonia is a chemical that mimics the smell of predator urine. When rats smell ammonia, they will think danger is nearby. Additionally, ammonia is a toxin against rats. The strong scent is overwhelming to their respiratory system. Because of this, ammonia is one of the strongest repellents against rats.

How to Use Ammonia Against Rats

There are several ways to use ammonia to keep rats away from your property. Start by looking for places where rats can enter your home, such as cracked drain pipes or other openings in your home’s exterior. Some ways ammonia keep rats away include:

• Ammonia-soaked rags – Mix two parts ammonia with one part water, and soak rags or cotton balls in the solution. Place the ammonia-soaked rags around any discovered rat entry points and replace them every few weeks until the rats are gone.
• Ammonia spray bottle – Spraying the ammonia solution around your home may be a safer option because the smell can be overwhelming for humans and pets. While you’ll need to spray frequently for it to effectively keep rats away, sprayed ammonia won’t be as pungent as the rags.

Keep in mind that ammonia can be toxic if inhaled too often. Only handle it in areas with proper ventilation, and use gloves and eye protection. It is also a flammable substance that won’t mix well with other chemicals including bleach, so be careful when handling the solution.

Call a Rat Removal Expert

While ammonia may serve as a temporary solution to keep rats away, it won’t fix any long-term rat problems. To ensure your rat infestation is taken care of permanently, you’ll want to hire rat removal professionals.

The experienced rat removal technicians at Critter Control® of Pittsburgh will quickly and safely remove any invasive rats from your Pennsylvania property and keep them from returning. To schedule your inspection and receive a free estimate for our efficient rat removal services, call us today at 412-767-4067.