We recently reviewed Multnomah County’s web page about rats and agree with several of the tips suggested on that page:
Here are just some of the snippets from the full page:
Signs of a Rodent Problem
- Rodent droppings (poop). Rats leave small, dark brown or black pellets. Mouse droppings are smaller, like grains of rice.
- Burrows (often hidden under vegetation, a wood pile, porch or deck) or runways outside
- You see rats, hear squeaking, hissing or chattering, or find chewed up material.
Step 3: Keep Them Out of Your House
Rats can get in your home through small holes from the outside, such as your roof or crawl spaces.To keep rodents out, seal openings the size of a dime or larger in homes, buildings and sheds:
- Where pipes or wires enter the building
- Under eaves
- In attics
- Around crawl space vents, foundations, doors and windows
Step 4: Keep Them Out of Your Yard
Don’t let your yard be a nesting zone for rodents. Keep bushes and trees trimmed and get rid of clutter. Rats will nest in:
- Outdoor piles of garbage and junk
- Under wood piles or lumber—stack wood piles 18 inches off the ground
- Overgrown blackberry bushes, shrubs, vines and tall grasses
Broken sewer line. If you live in Portland and see persistent holes in your parking strip, under the sidewalk or front yard, you may have a broken sewer line.(link is external) Contact us or a private plumber for a dye test referral from the city.
Click this link if you are interested in our natural rat control services throughout the greater Portland PDX area.
We serve the following communities in Multnomah County:
Additional rodent control services can be found at this link: natural rodent control
Be sure to read the full article from the County as is has additional tips which might be of interest to you.