Rodent infestations in the Morongo Basin and Coachella Valley area have skyrocketed over the past decade. Roof rats and Pack rat infestations have become a common occurrence in our area. Ideally, exclusion measures should be taken to seal the home before rodents have an opportunity to enter. Most often, homeowners are not aware of rodents until the damage has begun.
Signs of roof rats; scratching sounds, chewing noises, and the pitter-patter of little feet in the attic (usually at night). If you or a neighbor have citrus trees, look for a perfectly round hole in the fruit where the rat has eaten the pulp. Overhanging tree limbs provide a perfect ladder for roof rats to begin probing the roof for attic access.
Signs of pack rats; chewed up wire harness on your vehicle, rat droppings inside the outdoor barbeque, nesting materials around dense vegetation areas in the yard, chewed up weather strip on garage door.
As you may notice, a common theme with rodent activity is gnawing. Rats must continually chew to keep their front teeth from growing out of control. Rats will eat through wood, PVC plumbing pipes, wiring harnesses, HVAC ductwork and a variety of other materials.
Health concerns and monetary damages
Diseases carried by rodents can also be spread to humans indirectly, through fleas, ticks, or mites that have fed on an infected rodent. Roof rats will turn your attic in to their personal litter box, urinating and defecating constantly! The airborne spores right above your head can cause severe health concerns such as; Hantavirus, Plague
Potential damage to your property
Rats eating wires in your home can create a fire hazard, rats eating the wiring harness on your vehicle can be very costly as well. Removal and replacement of insulation is a reality many homeowners face when dealing with rodent infestation after the damage is done.
