Though they may be cute these critters can cause major damage by chewing on housing materials and eating stored foods.
Roof rats citrus damages.
What you ll want to look for are any signs that the rats are present including droppings tracks gnaw marks burrows runways and rodent sounds.
In late fall roof rats seek out warm nesting sites like the upper levels of your home or garage.
You are pretty sure you saw a roof rat near your patio.
Noises in the attic and walls especially at night gnawing sounds and gnaw marks around roof eaves.
Install rat guard around the trunks of the citrus trees.
Roof rats are a health hazard being one of the oldest transmitters of diseases.
Although roof rats have not been found to have disease they are known to be very destructive gnawing through wiring and causing other damage if they make their nests inside your home.
Use a sheet metal or aluminum flashing that is at least 18 inches tall and wrap it around the base of the tree overlapping it by 2 or 3.
These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus.
Roof rats often feed on orange avocado and other fruits sometimes leaving hollow fruit skins hanging on the tree.
Hollowed citrus and other fruit.
Record the date and location of problem spots such as by marking a map of the grove using colored flagging or spray paint in the grove or by using a hand held gps global positioning system.
Fruit rats or roof rats as they re commonly called thrive in warm fruit bearing areas.
Just thinking about it probably gives you the heebie jeebies.
You ve also seen some of the common signs of a roof rat infestation such as.
Damage to plastics and covering on electrical wires.
After harvest they damage fruit and nuts in bins by chewing them and leaving excrement.
From rat bites and scratches to saliva and urine rats can cause many diseases.
Erick johnson who lives near central and northern avenues points out that roof rats love north central because there s plenty of food here especially ripe citrus that is left on the ground.
Look regularly in and around groves for vertebrate pests and their damage.
Roof rats frequently enter homes and garden sheds through any opening larger than a nickel.
According to the university of california statewide integrated pest management program roof rats are especially fond of avocados and citrus and often eat fruit that is still on the tree.
Rats are active throughout the year and mostly at night.
Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered.
How do roof rats get into a house.
Look especially for ground squirrels pocket gophers rabbits and roof rats.
What are common signs of roof rat activity.
Step 1 in order to assess the severity of the rat problem and to get a better idea of where to bait and trap you will first need to perform a thorough inspection of the premises.
