Do you have rats under your decking? If you suspect there are rats under your deck, then it’s important that you confirm this and deal with it quickly. Rats cause stupendous amounts of damage and can quickly tear your deck apart. If you have any of the following signs, you probably need rat control measures. But what are the signs of rats under decking?
Droppings
There are several common signs of rats under decking. The first is rat droppings. You may see these scattered around your deck. Either on top of the deck or below. These droppings are usually dark brown in colour. They are spindle shaped and taper towards the end and look similar to mouse droppings, but larger.
Gnaw marks
Another one of the signs of rats under decking is gnaw marks and damage. Rats teeth never stop growing. This means they must constantly gnaw in order to wear their teeth down.
Examine all parts of your deck for gnaw marks. If you see these marks, then you more than likely have rats beneath your deck. They may also tear you deck apart when scavenging building materials for their nests. So look for signs of damage accompanied by gnaw marks.
Sounds and sightings
Also keep your ears open for strange noises, especially at night. From roof rats to sewer rats, these rodents are very communicative, so you will probably hear the rats before you see them. These noises take the forms of scurrying, scratching, screeching and squeaking.
The most obvious indicattion is visible sightings of rats. If you see lone rats scurrying about, then you more than likely have a rat problem. Take a look under your deck with a torch and see if you can spot their nests.
Rats nests look almost the same as larger birds’ nests. They are usually constructed from materials like leaves, twigs and grass. Rats also build their nests from manmade materials like cardboard, and – in this particular case – parts of your decking. Also think about how much space is beneath your deck. The more space, the greater the chances of rats. Rats build nests anywhere, including lofts and garages where they can damage your car.
If you spot any of these signs of rats under decking, then it’s a good idea to call us out. Remember, rats cause huge amounts of damage and the longer they are present, the more damage they create. If rats have been damaging your decking through the winter and spring, you might get a nasty surprise when summer comes and you want to restart your outdoor lifestyle!