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If you hear scratching noises during the night, you may have a rat problem. There are other signs you can watch for if you think you have rats. Below are some of these signs, as well as what you can do to get the rats out of your house. 

Signs to Watch For

Besides the scratching sounds, you should look for rat droppings. These droppings could be anywhere in your home as rats tend to venture out at night looking for food. The first obvious place to look is your kitchen. Check the floor around your cabinets, under your refrigerator, on top of your cabinets, etc.  Rats will also leave their mark behind. For example, you will likely see dirty or greasy marks along baseboards or any dark area of your home.

Rats will chew on things, such as wood and plastic. You may even see large holes in your floorboards if you have had a rat infestation for a long time. Check your attic as rats will chew through insulation. They will also chew through wires and drywall.  They may damage your personal items, such as carpets, clothing, and furniture.  Rat teeth marks are generally large and hard to miss.

Things You Can Do

If you want to try to remove the rats yourself, you can try trapping them. This is a good choice if you do not want to use any type of rodenticide in your home. You can purchase these traps at pet stores. Place them in areas where you see signs there are rats.

There are snap traps which will kill the rats. If you do not want to kill them, you can purchase live traps. Live traps are metal cages that are baited with food, such as peanut butter or cheese. When the rat walks in, the door will automatically close.

Make sure you put enough traps around your home to ensure you get all the rats. If you kill the rats, only handle them with gloves as they could be diseased.

If you catch them live, take them to a place that is far from any residential homes, such as a large field in the country.

If you continue to see signs that you have rats, or you think your home is infested with them, the best way to get them out is to contact a pest control company like A-Alert Exterminating Service Inc in your area.