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In everyday conversation, people may use the word “packrat” as “a person who saves unnecessary objects or hoards things”, acccording to a US dictionary. But in nature, a packrat can be much more insidious. They can be very destructive and can cause much more damage than you would think!
Eight different species of pack rats live throughout North America, though their common name is officially woodrats. Eastern, whitethroat, southern plains, bushytail, Mexican, desert, dusky-footed, and Stephens woodrats all hold distinct territories in the Nearctic region and have different appearances and diets based on their distribution. The rodents get the name pack rat from their tendency to collect items like jewelry, cooking utensils, cutlery, and can tabs. Additionally, they may be called trade rats because some species leave items behind, like pinecones, instead of just taking.
Since they carry diseases and are wild animals, pack rats should never be handled by untrained individuals. If there is a woodrat infestation, professionals should be called to deal with the problem. Critter Control technicians have the tools necessary to trap the rodents safely and humanely.
Means of pack rat prevention are very similar to those of Norway and roof rats. Sanitation is paramount and buildings should be regularly vacuumed. Unnecessary clutter should be removed from attics and basements. Possible points of entry should be sealed by replacing a broken window and door screens, adding barriers to chimneys and vents, and caulking cracks in the foundation of buildings. Finally, keep vegetation in yards well-maintained so as to cut down on possible nesting places.
The pack rat usually occupies densely wooded areas, which makes contact with humans rare. Nevertheless, as human expansion continues, pack rat encounters are on the rise. Furthermore, the pilfering habits of pack rats lead them into homes in search of colorful or shiny items, such as jewelry and eating utensils, which increases the possibility of entry.
Pack rats also take up residence in vehicles and farm equipment, where they build large nests and gnaw on electrical wires. Though infrequent home invaders, woodrats have been known to chew and shred upholstered furniture and mattresses to use as nesting materials once inside.
Woodrats found near farms and gardens eat growing crops such as carrots, tomatoes, corn, rice, and potatoes. Pack rats are also known carriers of commensal or parasitic organisms, such as various nematodes, fleas, mites, ticks, botflies, and roundworms, which can cause problems for humans and pets. These additional pests carry numerous disease-causing bacteria.
Animals or rodents in the attic or kitchen? Rodent droppings in your home? Those scurrying and scampering critter sounds in the attic may well be pack rats. Call Critter Control today for effective pack rat removal and exclusion services.
john roberts2025-04-13Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We called Critter Control of San Jose after Brooks Pest Control failed to handle our rodent issue. Chris came out, inspected the house, perimeter, and attic. He correctly diagnosed the issue, and set the appropriate traps in the right locations. Within a day we had caught the rat. Chris returned and set additional traps to make sure the issue had been resolved. He then closed all potential entry holes ensuring future rodents would not be able to return. Chris and Critter Control did an amazing job and I would recommend them highly. Shiri Porat2024-08-26Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We have had a fantastic experience with Critter Control and especially with Steve. Steve was very professional and took the time to discuss the rodent problem we were facing and how we can solve it. He was very easy to communicate with, friendly, and always came on time and you could see that he really cared about helping us solve our problem. He is very experienced and explained rodent behavior really well. The rodents were trapped and we are happy being without them - thank you Steve! Katrina Smallwood2024-07-30Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Highly highly highly recommend! Michael and the team over there were completely knowledgeable, responsive, and more than helpful with our raccoon problem. While we would have loved for the raccoons to leave on their own we unfortunately needed them removed from our property. Based out of San Jose the team there works 7 days a week and we're able to respond weekends as well for trap removal. They were experts in the field and provided their knowledge and expertise to making our home and yard safe again for our young children to play in J. Bradley2024-01-31Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Professional and very informative in rectifying the situation at hand. Maryann Coole2024-01-11Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very efficient Elena Beyers2022-03-17Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Good service, on time, experts. Been using them for 20 years. Highly recommend this business. Rich Wales2021-05-26Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. In spite of being pretty careful about sealing up possible entry points to my house, I heard a scratching sound from a wall in my kitchen a few weeks ago. These guys came out and quickly identified the problem and found the point of entry, as well as several other possible entry points around the perimeter of my house. They set traps and gave me an estimate for repair work, which I reviewed with them in detail and then approved. Work was completed efficiently on time and very professionally. I don't envy these guys their jobs - they work in some pretty nasty conditions. But they were knowledgeable, responsible, very professional, and seemed to genuinely enjoy solving my problem. I trust that they could deal with almost any residential pest problem. Their objective is to seal up your property so nothing can get in as opposed to coming to your house to spray it with poison every month. So far so good! Kelley Wolf2021-03-19Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This company is very well organized and thorough. You are assigned one person and that person does all the inspection and follow up. Steve was very professional and courteous. The inspection was thorough and they sealed our home from rodents. It's not inexpensive but we paid half as much a few years ago to have the house rat proofed and it didn't work so we felt the investment was worth it. I found many good reviews for them online and through Nextdoor before hiring them. Steve also built custom doors for our crawlspaces which look great. Nice guys and easy to have around. I appreciated their hard work and professionalism.Google rating score: 4.9 of 5, based on 105 reviewsVerified by TrustindexTrustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more
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