Safe Pro Pest | Pest Control Frisco TX

Ultimate Guide to Exterminating Dallas Texas Rats & Preventing Them From Invading Your Home Again

Rats can be a big problem and cause costly damage to your home. Learn how to identify common rats and get rid of them for good.

Getting to Know Your Live-in Guests

The dictionary defines rats as – “A rodent that resembles a large mouse, typically having a pointed snout and a long, sparsely haired tail. Some kinds have become cosmopolitan and are sometimes responsible for transmitting diseases.”

Alex Cantaboni, owner of Safe Pro Pest Control of Frisco Texas, warns “Texas rats are far better meteorologists than the well-groomed professionals on TV. When there is a slight change in the atmosphere they head indoors to prepare for winter. It’s such a predictable pattern I’ve seen over the years – when we see a huge spike in phone calls for rat infestations, I know winter is coming.”

He went on to share, “We see they tend to spend 80% of the time in the attic during the winter and only 20% of the time out foraging when it’s cold out – while in the summer, they spend 80% out foraging and just 20% of the time in the attic.”

Texas rats are a huge problem here in the greater Dallas, Texas metroplex.

If you think you may have one, do not wait, call the rat extermination experts at Safe Pro Pest Control, based in the heart of Frisco, Texas.

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Type of Rats in Texas that Cause the Biggest Problem

While there are over 70 species of rats, just three kinds give home and commercial property owners problems.

Norway Rats

Also called Brown rats because they usually have Brown fur and white belly fur, small ears, and tails smaller than their bodies. These rats usually pose the greatest challenge to remove from properties.

Roof rats (Black rats)

Known for their large ears, long tails and black or brown fur coats, are one of the most common.

Polynesian rats

These are also Brown furred rats but are usually smaller than Norway rats. Their tales may be longer or shorter than their bodies.
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Rodents In Your Home – “How Do You Know They Are Not There?”

Rodent Control

Rodent invasion in homes is a regular occurance in the United States of America and in Texas. Their presence can result in an infestation quickly and may get out of hand. 

This can be a result of environmental factors like garbage left lying in the open, dog food containers, and new construction. They are disease carriers; transmitting diseases like hantavirus, leptospirosis, plague, and salmonelosis. 

Not ignoring the fact that they can destroy your home, causing high costs in water damage, electrical, renovations and reconstruction. They gain entry into homes through openings in the building like cracks, holes, and vents. Rats find home attics to be suitable habitats.

Homeowners often adopt various methods of prevention and control, but when there is an infestation, serious measures must be taken. 

These include baiting and poisoning outside in protective boxes, destroying their habitats, and maintaining a proper hygienic environment, along with rodent-proofing your home. You may have taken all of these measures or more, but how do you know they are not there?

Using Game Cameras to Detect Rodents In Home Attics

Exterminators work to eradicate a home rodent infestation, but there is a likelihood of not getting rid of them all. Safe Pro Pest Control Company uses game cameras to detect any activity of the rodents in the home attic. It is 100% proof that your home is rodent-free.

They set a game camera in the attic area of your home in a high activity area for the rodents. Then their team of qualified exterminators monitor the activities through follow-up and checking the attic.

If they do not detect any rodent activity, the cameras are then removed. The game cameras confirm that your home is rodent-free. Dealing with matters of rodent infestation in your home is costly and time-consuming, so it is important to maintain a rodent-free environment.

Finally, homeowners must know to call professional rodent exterminators when there are signs of an infestation.

rodents rat in Texas

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Rat vs Humans… Who Wins the Fight for Survival?

Here’s at least part of the reason humans have waged war against rats for so long and don’t seem to be getting anywhere…

Rats really like to ‘get it on!’ They mate up to 20 times a day…A DAY!…can birth as many as 20 babies in a litter, who grow fast and start breeding themselves in as little as 3 to 4 months, and can crank out as many as 12 litters per year.

While they are omnivores, when food is abundant they are picky eaters…“Grey Poupon?”

Rats are cannibals, and it doesn’t take much for them to turn on their own babies when their stomachs start growling.

They are very wary of changes in their environment.

Rats are very smart, acrobatic, and can squeeze into areas the size of their small skulls – which are the only non-flexible part of their bodies.

Since 50% of people don’t know they have Texas rats living in their home for some time, they are free to breed and build huge colonies when they go unchecked.

Rats have extremely powerful noses that can easily detect the scent of human sweat, making it tough to catch them with baited traps, as they smell the human scent on them.

Rats have extremely powerful noses that can easily detect the scent of human sweat, making it tough to catch them with baited traps, as they smell the human scent on them.

Rats love to invade freshly cleaned areas, while you may have thought they only liked abandoned homes.

Rats are quite clever, far smarter than mice, making the extermination process more difficult.

Adult rats will use their own offspring as ‘test-rats’ to test new food sources and traps for self-preservation…truly scandalous creatures, indeed.

Their rapid reproduction and the increased difficulty of exterminating them the more their numbers grow is the reason why homeowners must act immediately as soon as they detect a problem.

"Oh, Rats!" The Top 10-List You Wish Dallas, Texas Did NOT Make...

Dallas, Plano and Frisco, Texas make many positive top 10 lists for the state and country. But there is one list we all wish would disappear.

Did you know Dallas, Texas came in at number 10 on the top 10 list of cities in the US to hold the highest rat population, according to a study conducted by Orkin, from September 2016 to September 2017?

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“I Think We’ve Got Company!”

The big question you’re probably wondering is, “How do I know if I have a rat problem?”

There are some telltale signs you can use to determine whether or not you have Texas rats living in your own.

Steps For Semi-Annual Do-It-Yourself Rat Inspection

Damage

1. Check your air conditioning line – 90% of houses have air conditioning lines attached to the furnace in the attic, which are the perfect highway to invading your home. Check this line outside to see if there are any holes.

Rat droppings in the attic

2. Climb the ladder to your attic and check for black droppings indicative of rats. If there is black dropping with white attached to it then it is lizard poop.

Tunneling in the insulation, similar to snow trails, is a sign of rat presence.

3. Look for tunneling in the insulation. These little tunnels will look as if rats have been walking through snow.

Grease marks left by dirty roof rats hanging out in the attic.

4. Inspect for grease marks – since rats are not clean. They have greasy paws and leave greasy paw prints all over the place.

Air conditioning line creating the perfect highway for rats to invade your home.

5. Check for paw prints on air-conditioning ducts.

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6. Search for access points as rats can go up the gutters or trees to get into the roof.

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Signs Outside the Home

Hole damage

Have Your Service Providers Look For Basic Signs of Rats

Have you your air conditioning specialist look for open areas in your A/C.

Another preventative method is to ask your air conditioning, roofing, plumbing, electrical and other home service providers report on any signs of a pest problem.

Since servicing specialists are more likely to access hard to reach areas, you can ask them to be your eyes and ears. When they visit your house provide them with a shortlist of signs indicating rat problems and have them report back.

To help fight the Texas rats problem we are educating service providers and experts pest control in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Celina, Fairview, Little Elm, Lucas, Oak Point, Paloma Creek, Savannah and the greater Dallas areas to detect red flags.

Classic Heating & Air located in McKinney, Plano and Celina, Texas has impressed us with their proactive inspection and focus on detecting potential rat issues while performing home services.

What makes us special at Safe Pro Pest Control is that when we do inspections we return the favor: we routinely look for plumbing, electrical and other issues because most homeowners don’t have the privilege to see what we see.

Why Texas Rats Are the Most Unwelcome House Guest in Dallas

 

A most presumptuous house-guest, they are known to explore food, food preparation surfaces, and dish storage spaces. While they explore, they leave invisible drops of urine behind.

Though they did carry the bubonic plague, which killed 75 million people worldwide from the 1300s to the 18th century, it’s not highly likely that they will bite humans or that people will contract disease from them – though it is possible.

Be Wary of Scare Tactics

Although disease and infection can happen, in most cases, risks of transmission are low.

When asking for advice be cautious of recommendations that rely heavily on tapping into your fears. In most cases, a basic service is sufficient and sanitization is only done if and when necessary.

Removing all the insulation is reserved for extreme cases only; and the situation needs to be properly assessed. So ask questions about why this or that service needs to be performed before a technician jumps the gun.

If the first words you hear are “sanitization” or “removing insulation” we recommend you get a second opinion.

Hole-in-heavy-duty-Hardie-board

They Party Harder Than Rockstars!

If you have detected a rat problem you should take action immediately. Far from that pet hamster you had in elementary school, rats can cause significant damage to your home, if left unchecked.

While rats will not likely give you the bubonic plague, they are highly likely to eat away at the value of your property…literally!

It’s believed that about 25 percent of wildfires that start without other explanation are caused by rats’ habit of chewing electrical wires.

Rats cause damage by chewing on your insulation, wood, wires, pipes and many other materials. They can even boar their way through siding boards.

How to Kick Rats to the Curb… For Good

The good news is you can eliminate your rat problem and take preventative measures so that they never invade your home again. Rats belong in the woods, far far away from your home, and not in your roof.
House damage 2

Some Do-It-Yourself Ways to Prevent a Texas Rat Infestation:

Consider what Alex shared, “If someone is looking to break into a car, they’ll break into the one with the wallet left out on the dashboard and the window down. Rats also look for the easiest opportunities.”

Still, these are just prevention methods that you should utilize for the future. If you believe you have a rat in your home the best thing you can do is take immediate action and contact a professional.

brown rat in wood

You Know the Deal

However, all pest control services are not created equal. As with other home service providers, some pest control companies and the technicians that work for them may be unprofessional, untrained and unequipped to efficiently exterminate rats.

The GREAT NEWS IS… Safe Pro Pest Control Can Help

There is a reason Safe Pro Pest Control has been chosen eight years in a row as the Angie’s list award winner for pest control in Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes Safe Pro Pest Control the #1 voted rat extermination eight years in a row.

When you Book Your FREE Inspection, here’s what all you get with zero-cost and zero-obligation:

Schedule a free on-site evaluation and inspection.
This means we’ll come to your home or commercial property.

a. Why is all this important to you? Workman’s compensation is important because if in the event that a technician is injured at your property, workers without workman’s compensation can actually sue YOU, the customer! We provide a risk-free experience for customers by insuring, bonding, and providing workman’s comp for all our staff and technicians.

b. If there is a theft claim there is protection and insurance.

c. We also perform background checks and drug screens on all technicians. This industry is full of unsafe people that end up in your home. Safe Pro Pest Control ensures that only quality, pre-screened staff members join our team.

d. While many companies use subcontractors, increasing the likelihood of inviting non-screened, unlicensed, non-bonded, and uninsured technicians into your home, Safe Pro Pest Control has our own, in-house full-time employees that we’ve trained to be industry leading extermination professionals.

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a. Our technicians wear shoe covers in your home at all times, to prevent tracking in germs from previous visits into your home.

b. Our technician will ask a few questions then perform a complete, top-to-bottom inspection of your home or commercial property.

c. Inspection includes all attics, as some houses have several attics. You get a complete inspection of the exterior of your property and roof. We go on 9 out of 10 roofs. Note: We only avoid going on roofs that are not safe.

d. Most companies don’t do free inspections that include going on the roof

Why You Should Schedule Your FREE Inspection Now

If you call within 2-3 weeks of hearing noises or noticing any of the telltale signs of the presence of rats, then we usually have a 90% success rate with exterminating the rodents within the first 2 weeks.

If you ignore it and procrastinate for several months, your minor rat problem could become a huge rat problem due to their prolific reproduction life cycle described above.

In conclusion, it’s safe to say that Texas rats, whether black rats, brown rats, or Polynesian rats, are here to stay.

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House damage
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Windows

That’s why Safe Pro Pest Control is here to serve the greater Dallas, Plano and Frisco area for all your Texas rat, termite, and other pest extermination needs.

We can provide a free, zero-obligation inspection of your home or office. Once we complete a thorough investigation of your pest problem, we’ll provide you with complete estimate for services.

Our technicians are knowledgeable and professional and are prepared to answer your questions regarding your unique pest control problem.

Need Help with Rodent Control?

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Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Texas rats are one of the most unwelcome rodents in Texas homes. Not only can they directly transmit over a dozen diseases but they can cause structural damage to your home. The importance of rodent prevention cannot be overstated when it comes to Texas rats.
We recommend you inspect your property at least twice a year for signs of rat infestation. This includes evidence of fur, footprints, or droppings near any possible openings or entry points.

If you discover that you have a rat infestation, you should know that do-it-yourself rat traps/poisons are not all created equal. Unfortunately, without proper care and know-how, you may be doing more harm than good.

If not handled adequately a Texas rat infestation could easily get out of control. We recommend you contact a professional rodent extermination service such as SafePro Pest Control.

An extermination expert should provide a thorough investigation of your property (inside and out) before recommending the most effective rodent control method for your situation.

Choose a reputable extermination service that has a reputation for excellent customer satisfaction. We at Safe Pro Pest Control are proud to share that we have won Angie's List award for pest control in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex for more than eight years and counting.

Don’t hesitate to give us a call even if you suspect you have a rodent problem. We offer free inspections and our experts are highly trained and certified to handle all your pest control needs.

At first, all rats may look the same, but there are significant differences in the types of rats we see here in Texas. Depending on the species and the extent of the infestation, the treatment method may vary.

The two most common varieties of rats in Texas are Norway rats and roof or black rats.

Norway rats weigh from seven to 18 ounces. They are typically 11 to 19 inches long including the tail.

Roof rats are generally smaller than Norway rats. They weigh between five and 10 ounces. Their total length is similar to that of the Norway rats, varying from 12 to 18 inches including the tail.

If you suspect you have rats on your property, we understand the desire to do something about it immediately. However, depending on the breed and the significance of the infestation, do-it-yourself methods may be ineffective.

If a particular home method only has the ability to target one or two rats at a time, you may discover that you’ve left the remaining rats to proliferate and continue to spread contagious diseases and destroy your home's structure.

The best cure for rats is to make your property unappealing to rats in the first place.

Examine your home and garden for the following:

  • Remove food sources and possible nesting places
  • Seal all possible entrances
  • Keep your house and garden clear of debris
  • Call a professional rat extermination service if you suspect you have a rat infestation

Safe Pro Pest Control is a professional rat eradication service in Texas that performs a thorough inspection of your home or commercial buildings to recommend the best eradication method for your particular pest problem.

The Norway rat and the roof rat are the two most common varieties of rats in Texas.

Norway rats have a bi-colored tail, a rounded blunt nose, prominent black eyes, and short ears. The fur on their belly is lighter in color, usually gray or white, and is speckled with black hairs.
Because of their light build, roof rats are superb climbers.

Roof rats are also excellent climbers and have been known for climbing trees to get access to houses via the roof, hence the name. Roof rats have a dark brown or black underside with a lighter underbelly. The nose of a roof rat is sharp, and the ears and eyes are larger than those of a Norway rat.

Texas has a warm, subtropical climate, which makes it a great place for rats to live. Moderate winters and long, warm summers help rats flourish as they are prolific breeders.

Since rats spend the majority of their time looking for food outside, when the weather does get cooler, they will attempt to find warmth and food indoors. Typically in the winter months, rats will spend 80 percent of their time hunkered down in warm and comfortable areas, and only 20% of their time looking for food outside. Rats generally stay away from humans and prefer building their nests in less populated areas like walls on the ground floor or in the attic.

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