Rat Trapping - Considerations Before You Hire Someone for Rat Control

We own a business that deals with all kinds of Nuisance Wildlife and the conflicts incurred with homeowners. This includes: squirrel trapping, raccoon trapping, beaver trapping, bat control and also Norway Rat & Roof Rat trapping. So we have definitely had a lot of experience with the issues concerning rat trapping & rat control.

I can tell you this - every customer that calls me acts as if they should be embarrassed that they have nasty dirty home. Rats do not seek out dirt or filth. They seek out food, shelter & water. You have to provide one of the three to have a rat situation.

When I talk to potential customers I could get rich from betting that either they have dogs or one of their neighbors have dogs. Then I ask if the feces is left on in the fenced yard. 99.5% of the time they say YES - then ask... "How did I know"? Then I have to go into this long dissertation about how the dog food these days has a base of CORN. Corn is non-digestible by the dogs so it is passed right through to their feces. Rats love corn!!!! Disgusting, YES but factual. If they or the neighbors cleaned up the feces right as it occurred then this problem with rats "Might" have been avoidable.

Regardless when you are hiring someone with a wildlife license it is imperative that the traps are checked daily. Here in the State of Georgia it is the law. Unless it is a Pest Control company that uses poison then they do not have to do daily trap checks.

The reason it is important is because it makes the most out of your trapping dollars. A trap with a rat in it will NOT catch another rat. It is occupied. Plus if the rats eventually associate the dead rats with this trap then they will learn to avoid it. It is called "trap smart".

We used all kinds of traps to catch rats. Lice cage traps, snap traps (different appearances) to mix it up. Regardless of the type or appearance of the trap, any trap left inside a building or home is concealed. Concealed by an outer box so the client does not see the rat - alive or snapped. No matter - no one wants to see any of the unpleasantries.

One thing that I want to discourage is the use of poisons (bait stations). More often than not we see inexperienced pest control companies, the only ones legally allowed to use poisons, set them improperly and causing more of a problem with dead animal removal than creating the solution. Terrible! When bait stations are set at improper locations the rats find it easier to run into your attic or walls to suffer from internal bleeding and possibly DIE inside you walls or attic. Yucky!

If you need help figuring out the right questions to ask when hiring someone to resolve your rat problem we developed a website dedicated to consumer awareness called rat control dot biz.

Flight Of A Lifetime: The Bald Eagle's Lifespan

The Bald Eagle's Lifespan

Being the national bird of America, the eagle has become the global symbol of freedom and bravery. It can be easily identified in photos as an eagle with a white head and a golden beak. But being a bird of prey that eats other animals for food, not many people name it as their favorite bird. A lot of information about this bird is not very known to the public; details like actual diet, habitat, and the lifespan.

The Eagle's Diet

All animals, including bald eagle, live in habitats in which there is a rich source of food. Even though it is a predatory bird, the common misconception is that it eats roosters and little mammals,although it actually eats carrion (dead or dying fish); particularly salmon. The eagle is more of a scavenger than a real predator. They are rarely observed to prey on hen and other livestock, but they do take advantage of the most available food source around them.

The North American Bald Eagle

The bald eagle is the only bird which is recognized to be uniquely found in North America. Their boundaries stretch from down south to Mexico and way up north to Alaska and Canada. Their natural habitats are near their food sources; near waters rich with salmon, making the western half of North America it's ideal home.

The Bald Eagle Lifespan

All living creatures' lifespan depends on lots of elements; their diet, habitat, food source, their place in the food chain etc. Bald eagles can live up to the age of forty, but most eagles living in the wild have a lifespan averaging between fifteen to twenty years. The oldest identified of this species lived up to the age of forty-eight. In the past, their lifespan was much shorter due to hunting. However, since hunting them is prohibited and considered a serious crime, bald eagles can now live up to their full age potential.

The Hoax About The Eagle's Rebirth

Some stories tell the rebirth of the eagle, allowing it to live for yet another thirty years making the eagle the longest living bird. The story talks about a time in an eagle's life when the eagle will lose its beak, talons and feathers providing way for new ones to grow; thus it is reborn to live an additional life. Although this story revolved around the internet raising questions from bald eagle lovers about the reality in it, professionals announced that the story is an absolute hoax. Professionals say that the story lacks scientific and logical proof on the possibility of the eagle's survival without its beaks. It could have died of starvation way before the new beak could have sprouted. The story is no more than an allegory about life starting at the age of forty and moving on as authorities suggests, and not to be taken seriously.

The Symbol

According to experts, parrots and other birds can live longer than the bald eagle. It is not the longest living bird around, unlike the tale of its rebirth suggests. This bird may not be the all time crowd favorite; however, it will remain as the trademark of the USA and a symbol of freedom and bravery.