Protect Your Home in Florida from Palm Rats
The fear of rodents is also known as musophobia, and if you’ve ever experienced a rat or mice infestation in your home, you can understand where the fear of these pests come from. You may not be aware that rats are a particular problem for property owners in South Florida, specifically the Palm Rat.
If you suspect that your home may contain these creatures, it’s best to contact a pest control services provider immediately to help handle the situation. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of what exactly are Florida Palm Rats and how to get rid of Palm Rats if you do suspect that you have an infestation.
What are Florida Palm Rats?
Florida Palm Rats are known by many names: citrus rats, black rats, ship rats, or roof rats – they all belong to the Muridae family of the rodent species. The Florida palm rats are more commonly found in places with more tropical climates and are known to be particularly adept at climbing. These pests in Florida like to build their nests above the ground in trees, especially the palm trees, hence their name “palm rats”. Florida palm rats usually measure between 12- 14 inches in length and are black, grey, or brown/grey in color with lighter colored bellies.
As mentioned above, Florida palm rats have a light build and a sleek body which allows them to easily climb trees and other objects in order to gain access to a home. Once they get on the roof, they will find any small opening that they can squeeze through to invade your home. Roof rats are typically found nesting in attics, ceilings, and living behind walls in the upper levels of homes.
Florida palm rats can be especially dangerous, not only because they can carry germs and diseases like other rodents, but they also love to nibble on the wiring inside walls. They will short-circuit electrical devices in your home, contaminate the food in your kitchen, and damage a garden (if you have one) by feeding on your fruits, vegetables, and other plants. There are a few ways to identify Florida palm rats if you think you may have an infestation:
- Check for gnaw marks on the eaves or roof of your home. You may even find bite marks on electrical wires or furniture.
- Hollow fruit in your kitchen or outdoors if you have fruit-bearing trees.
- Be on the lookout for long ½ inch droppings with pointed ends
- Sounds of scratching or movement around your home. Particularly from the attic in the evenings.
- Grease trails or foot tracks from them moving around your home.
How to Get Rid of Palm Rats
As mentioned earlier, the most sure-fire way to get rid of any pests is by using professionals that have experience in professional pest control. Companies that specialize in integrated pest management services will know how to get rid of small rodents and put preventative measures in place to ensure that you don’t get re-infested at a later date. Professional pest management services use a variety of tools to remove them from your home including rodent trapping, rodent monitoring, exclusion services, removal of feces, replacement of contaminated insulation, and sealing of rodent access points.
The best way to prevent a palm rat infestation is by taking away their preferred method of gaining entry to your home – palm trees. Keeping palm and tree branches trimmed will prevent them from climbing and using the fronds and branches as an expressway into your property. You can also try eliminating any tantalizing food stored securely away in cabinets instead of leaving anything out on countertops.
If you’re looking for experienced pest control and landscaping services, then Cutters Edge is the company for you. At Cutters Edge, we promise to deliver professional services such as landscape maintenances, irrigation, fertilization, outdoor pest control, tree care services, landscape designs and new Construction. Our expert team at Cutters Edge has serviced many cities throughout the South Florida area, including Deerfield Beach, Pembroke Pines, Lauderdale Lakes, Margate, Coconut Creek, and Pompano Beach. Contact us today for a free quote or to discuss your landscaping or pest control needs!
