Roof Rat Wire Damage and House Fires

Click here to see photos of how a lack of Rodent Control led to wire damage in an attic.

What does NOT work to get rid of roof rats:

Roof Rats Memphis - Ultrasonics

Ultrasonic Pests Repellers to get rid of roof rats / attic rats? - Federal Trade Commission pest control product inspectors asked the FTC to ban electronic ultrasonic pest repellers because they do not work. Learn More (Click Here).

Roof Rats Memphis -mothballs Mothballs in the attic to get rid of roof rats / rats in attic? - Using mothballs in the attic to get rid of roof rats is illegal in all 50 states because it is toxic to humans and pets. Learn More (Click Here)

Roof Rats Memphis - Rat Traps

Rat Traps to get rid of roof rats / rats in attic. Roof rats are not stupid. You can used rat traps to kill norway rats and mice but roof rats are completely different - they are Neo Phobic (afraid of / avoid new things in their environment). You have to have a serious roof rat over population problem to catch any in traps. Plus there are other problems with rat traps that many persons wish they knew about before they started setting rat traps. Learn More (Click Here)

Rat Poison to get rid of roof rats / rats in attic? The Phoenix Arizona metropolitan area has a serious roof rat problem. Several years ago the Phoenix government placed out 6,000 rat poison bait stations to try to get control of their roof rat problem. The 6,000 bait stations were place in areas of high roof rat infestation ad check one mont later - less than 1 percent of the rat poison had been touched by the exploding roof rat population. Learn More (Link Coming Soon)

Roof Rats Memphis - secondary pet poisoning Rat poison to get rid of roof rats - Secondary Pet Poisoning. Learn More (Link Coming Soon)

Roof Rats Memphis - Baby rats

Using rat poison and rat traps to get rid of roof rats / rats in attic could leave baby rats to die and smell for weeks in your attic or walls. Learn More (Link Coming Soon)

A Radio in the attic to get rid of roof rats? Learn More (Link Coming Soon)

Plastic Owls to get rid of roof rats? Learn More (Link Coming Soon)

Odor / Predator (fox, wolf, coyote) Urine Repellents to get rid of roof rats? Learn More (Link Coming Soon)

Get Rid of Roof Rats - Rats in Attic and House Fires

Roof Rats Memphis - Roof Rat chewing wire

Roof Rat Gnawing on High Voltage Wire

Roof Rat Wire Damage and House Fires

Roof Rats, aka. Rats in Attic means wire damage:

Did you know that 25% of house fires of "unknown cause" are attributed to Rodents in Attics- Roof Rats, Norway Rats and Mice chewing on wires?

Learn more:

Roof Rats Memphis - Rodent wire damage The word “rodent” derives from the Latin verb rodere (to gnaw). Roof Rats are constantly gnawing on wood and wiring because their teeth are continually growing. For instance, the grey squirrel’s teeth (squirrels are rodents) grow a half a foot in length each year. Rodents, such as Norway Rats / Brown Rats and Roof Rats / Black Rats need to chew and gnaw constantly to keep their teeth’s length in check otherwise their teeth would grow too long - rendering the Norway Rat, Roof Rat or Squirrel unable to eat and thus starve to death.

As a result of rats constant need to gnaw twenty-five percent of fires of “unknown cause” are attributed to rodents, such as Roof Rats, Attic Squirrels and Mice, chewing on electrical wires. A lack of Roof Rat Control could lead to your house catching fire in the middle of the night.

Roof Rats Memphis - Attic Fire According to the US Fire Administration, a house fire occurs every 79 seconds. There are usually about 50,000 – 60,000 residential fires of “unknown cause” each year in the US. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security estimate that they receive reports from fire departments on only half of the actual number of fires that occur each year. This means that the number of fires of “unknown cause” each year could be double the 50 to 60 thousand average. That’s possibly up to 120,000 fires of “unknown cause” each year in the US. And remember that 25% of these fires are attributed to rodents such as roof rats chewing on attic wiring. Therefore, based on government statistics and statements made by government authorities, the number of residential fires cause by the failure to get rid of Attic Squirrels, Roof Rats, Norway Rats and Mice are approximately 15,000 fires annually and could be as high as 30,000 fires. If you have rodents, such as roof rats, in your attic – you probably have wire damage too.

Roof Rats Memphis - What Roof Rats Eat

Integrated Pest Management aka. IPM calls for reducing the roof rats food sources in order to get rid of a roof rat problem.

Roof Rats Memphis - Roof Rat's Favorite Food

A Roof Rat’s favorite food is dog manure.

Roof Rats Memphis - dog manure Dog droppings are a gourmet meal for a Roof Rat. A roof rat will pass by a food source for several days without eating it - unless it smells another roof rats breath on the food. One of the odors given off by dog manure is the same as in a roof rat's breath. The Roof Rat smells this and knows the dog droppings are safe to eat. If you or your neighbor(s) have dogs you could have a nasty Roof Rat problem in no time. And Roof Rats smell bad – no wonder!

Roof Rats Memphis - Clean it up! Get Rid of the dog manure in your neighborhood -

and you move a step closer to getting rid of roof rats in your neighborhood.

Get your neighbors together to gather up your neighborhood's dog manure. This will eliminate a roof rats' favorite food source - a nutrient rich, moisture filled roof rat safe food source.

You will be a step closer to achieving long term rat control.

Pet Food Left Out Becomes a Roof Rat Control Nightmare.

Roof Rats Memphis - Pet Food is roof rat food too Neighborhood Roof Rat Control can be helped by getting rid of left out pet food and water. Roof Rats will flourish with an abundant source of food and water. And if it is on your back porch or in your back yard you have a ready roof rat food source right next to your house! And, Roof Rats like to live near their food and water source - your attic. I have had homeowners (whose neighborhood is starting to have roof rat problems) tell me that "My yard and home is safe from roof rats because my dog will chase them away".

Well -

I have spoken to a vertebrate pest control expert who has watched a roof rat sitting on a fence - waiting for a pet dog on a back porch to go to sleep and not until the dog was in a deep sleep stage did the roof rat then go down to the dog's food and water bowls and feed with the dog sleeping soundly right next to the roof rat. This was observed happening night after night - every night. Fido was clueless. Another thought, a roof rat often will not sit besides your pets food dish and politely eat. Instead, they will sit in the middle of the food dish and urinate and defecate into your pets food dish or water bowl as they eat or drink.

Roof Rats Memphis - Trash cans If you do not keep a close guard on your garbage - your roof rats will. Keep your trash can tightly sealed. Lids on tight. Trash cans that are in good condition - a roof rat can get in through a hole the size of a quarter. Keep the outer surfaces of the trash cans clean. Periodically thoroughly clean your garbage cans and garbage can area. If you want to get rid of roof rats then keep your garbage secure. A pest control strobe light in your garbage area will help to get rid of trash feeding roof rats. This is only advisable if the garbage area in enclosed by walls, partitions or sufficient plants to keep the strobes from bothering other animals or neighbors.

Get rid of Memphis roof rats' food sources and you accelerate your roof rat control program - Why? Because roof rats are cannibalistic. When rats fight the winning rat often eats its defeated foe.

Roof Rats Memphis - injured rat Rats will kill and eat each other. Getting rid of Roof Rats' food certainly does accelerate efforts to get rid of roof rats for good. Norway rats are the natural enemies of roof rats and will hunt and eat roof rats. A roof rat will eat another roof rat that it kills in a fight. Roof rats have developed resistance to poisons because roof rats will eat a roof rat that has died from eating rat poison. Get rid of roof rats food sources and roof rats will get rid of themselves.

Female roof rats are good mothers. They will care for their young. Move them from one nesting site to another if a nest site is deemed dangerous. After feeding her young she will lick their bellies so they can urinate - But if a mother roof rat is hungry - her normal food source removed - she will eat her young without hesitation.

Identifying roof rats signs helps in your fight to get rid of roof rats.

Roof Rats are filthy creatures. They will regularly mark other roof rats with their scent by defecating and urinating on each other. This leaves their fur coat coated with a black greasy covering (body oils, dirt, urine and feces) that gets deposited on the surfaces that they come in contact with.

Black smudges - Black Roof Rats!

In this picture the black smudges on the walls, where the roof rats have been climbing, are very evident.

Roof Rats Memphis - Roof Rat signs

Roof Rat Dropping

Roof Rats Memphis - Roof Rat Droppings

Get Rid of Roof Rats - Ultrasonic Electronic Pest Repellents

Roof Rats Memphis - Pied Piper

Pied Piper

Federal Trade Commission Pest Control Device Inspectors Asked the FTC to Ban Ultrasonic Pest Repellers Because They Do Not Work.

Been there, done that too! I wish I had my money back. That ultrasonic thing was expensive and the owner of the company told me how great it would work. Yeah buddy. Did you know that several of the leading vertebrate pest specialists - PhD. Professors, experts in the field have tried to get the Federal Trade Commission to ban ultrasonic pest control devises because they do not work? The Federal Trade Commission has published a warning to all ultrasonic pest repeller manufacturers and retailers. There may be an initial effect but research shows that the pests return and become habituated (get used to the noise). How long do ultrasonics work? Research shows that the repelling effect last for 1-3 days, but after 3-7 days the pests become habituated to the noise and continue living in the space not bothered enough to leave their home. Additional research confirms that ultrasonic pest repellers may have a partial or transitory effect, but have no persistent effectiveness. Most academic researchers urge legislatures and consumers to view ultrasonic pest repellents with skepticism. The New York State Consumer Protection Board cautions against using ultrasonic repellers. In addition to this, contrary to the claims of many ultrasonic pest control device sellers, there is scientific evidence that some of these devices cause hearing loss in pets, most especially dogs . Even the US Army does not approve of ultrasonic pest control devices.

The Federal Trade Commission has product truth claims investigators that test products, for sale in the United States, to see if their product claims are true. The Federal Trade Commission uses only expert academics from leading Universities to perform product claim test. FTC vertebrate pest control experts tested Ultrasonic pest control devices to see if they actually repel pests such as rats, mice, cockroaches etc.. Ultrasonic pest control devices failed every test and the pest control device inspectors asked to FTC to ban ultrasonic because they felt the public was being mislead by the manufacturers and retailers of electronic ultrasonic pest repellers.

The Federal Pest Control Device Inspectors actually believed that the devices were so non-repelling to the pest that the pests could be trained to come to the ultrasonics sound emissions. The Federal Pest Control Inspectors believed that they could train rats to come to the devices by using them as a sort of dinner bell. They proposed a university experiment where food would be placed next to an ultrasonic pest control device only when the device was turned on and that the pest would come to the device - being trained that the devices sound emissions was a sort of dinner bell. In the folk legend of the pied piper the town was being over-run with black rats aka. roof rats. They rats followed the sound of the magical flute out of town as the pied piper played and walked.

The FTC turned down the proposed experiment and did not ban Ultrasonic Electronic Pest Repellents. The FTC explained that as long as the pest control devices were not physically harmful to the public the FTC would be overstepping in banning ultrasonic pest control devices.

The Federal Trade Commission Takes Action!

Roof Rats Memphis - FTC

The FTC has started (in 2002) to prosecute companies that claim these products work to repel pest.

Roof Rat and Norway Rat behavior towards Rat Poison and Rat Traps

Roof Rats Memphis - Rat Traps? Mice tend to investigate new objects in their home range. Rats, especially Roof Rats, are suspicious of objects that suddenly appear in their midst. Roof Rats are Neo-Phobic (afraid of new things). Norway Rats and Roof Rats typically ignore Rat Poison and Rat Traps for 3-5 days or even weeks, especially if other food continues to be routinely available to them. Many Roof Rats will not consume a food source even when placed in its regularly traveled path unless it smells another rat’s breathe on the food source. Roof Rats are much more cautious than Norway Rats. Norway Rats seem to be as dumb as dirt and thus are much easier to entice to a Rat Trap or Rat Trap bait station. Norway Rats like to stay at ground level. They are low level rats. They mostly travel along the ground. Norway Rats follow regular paths next to walls. They do this for several reasons. First, Norway Rats and Roof Rats have very poor eye site they rely on their whiskers to feel their way along a wall. Secondly, Norway Rats and Roof Rats are incontinent - no bladder control. Norway Rats' and Roof Rats' running movements cause them to urinate in small amounts everywhere they go. An infant Roof Rat will die if its mother does not lick its belly. The licking motion on the belly is the only way a baby Roof Rat can pee. The urine constantly left by running rats leaves a scent trail that the rats follow. These scent trails can last for two years. The average Roof Rats and Norway Rat live for about one year. So, the scent trail left by a single rat will be followed by other rats, and other rats etc.

Roof Rats are accomplished climbers. Roof Rats prefer to live in trees or attics where it is safe. Roof Rats are incredibly cautious and intelligent and thus hard to entice to rat poison or a rat trap. Roof Rats are cannibalistic. A roof Rat wile at another dead Roof Rat. This cannibalistic behavior is one reason why Roof Rats are becoming immune to rat poisons, because at times a dead rat will have died from eating a poison and the secondary poisoning that occurs to the cannibalistic rats will not be enough to kill them but instead helps them develop a resistance to the poisons which is passed down to their offspring.

Roof Rat Control and Disease

Rodents can carry infectious diseases. The roof rat, also known as the black rat and the ship rat, spread bubonic plague through Asia and Europe hundreds of years ago. As much as 50 percent of the populations died. Most rodents are resistant to the effects of the bacteria that cause plague. They become infected and carry the disease as host. On a visit to the Grand Canyon years ago, the group I was with was told by our guide not to feed the ground squirrels because if you were bitten you would be taken to the hospital and treated for rabies and bubonic plague.

In northern Arizona, California, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico plague, aka “the black death”, has been found in the rodent population. In the Phoenix, Arizona area the local prisoners have been put to work making bait stations for the roof rat problem. This makes me wonder if the Phoenix area health authorities are worried about the roof rats of Arizona becoming infected with bubonic plague. If this occurs, via fleas, the plague could quickly be spread to pets (dogs and cats are also resistant carriers) and then humans in rapid succession.

Moth balls in the attic to Get Rid of Roof Rats in the Attic is illegal and toxic to humans.

Roof Rats Memphis - Mothballs The use of moth balls in an attic or other spaces to get rid of roof rats in the attic is illegal in all 50 states . If you use moth balls to get rid of roof rats / Rats in the attic or any other vertebrate pest or even suggest their use to someone you are committing, at least a misdemeanor, and even a felony in many states. If you are considering using Moth balls to get rid of squirrels in the attic then you need to read this - Moth balls are toxic to humans and pets. Most moth balls are made from naphthalene which is derived from coal tar. The gas emitted from moth balls is heavier than air and will seep from your attic into the lower levels of your home – your living areas. Many people will recommend moth balls to get rid of roof rats in the attic and other pests. In states such as Arizona, California, Florida and New York this simple recommendation is a felony. Moth balls take oxygen out of the air. Their purpose is to suffocate moths in a contained environment. It is similar, very similar, to running a car engine in a garage with the garage door closed. Several years ago a friend had a yard man tell her to put moth balls in her attic to drive out the squirrels. It worked for a while but the amount of moth balls she had to put in the attic spaces to drive out the squirrels made her house stink of moth balls. Now, my friend could not smell the moth balls after several days, but everyone who entered her house was over-whelmed by the odor. I have asthma and when visiting her it greatly bothered my asthma. Two years later the lowest places in her house, such as bathroom cabinets, linen closets, etc. still smells of moth balls. Many people who make this huge mistake then spend years trying to get the moth ball smell out of their house. Good luck! To this day, freshly laundered towels that have been placed in her bathroom cabinets soon acquire the smell of the moth balls. Again, my friend could not smell the moth balls but everyone who entered her house could. Same thing with squirrels and mice - they get used to the smell - unless you use so many moth balls that the toxic vapors are so heavy that the squirrels or other rodents can’t stay – which means these heavier than air toxic vapors are seeping down into your living areas and into your lungs and into your blood stream. Did you know that babies that have been wrapped in blankets which were stored with moth balls have been found to have high levels of naphthalene in their blood streams? Moth balls for rodents in attic control, been there – smelled that, in most cases it is illegal and very toxic.

Roof Rats Memphis - Mothballs are toxic Symptoms of MothBall Exposure:

Nose, eyes, and lung irritation.

Difficulty breathing, asthma worsening, asthma attacks.

Headaches, nausea, dizziness.

Cancer – moth balls are possible carcinogens.

Effect on babies- skin rash, anemia, jaundice.