The Daily Grind of a Rat Exterminator

In the hidden areas of our homes and businesses, a 1000’s year-old war is being waged against nature. A dedicated professional is on the front lines of this battle. This unsung and under appreciated hero is the rat exterminator. We are the guardians of your sanctuaries and businesses as we prevent rats from entering homes and commercial facilities. We help protect food, property, electrical wiring, and your mental and psychical health from the impacts of a rat infestation. “Hero” might seem like a word reserved only for our military, first responders, doctors, nurses, teachers, or parents. However, if you’ve ever had a rat inside an area where you live or work, we are the heroes you’ll want at your doorstep. It might sound a bit dramatic, but if you’ve ever caught a rat running loose in the bedroom of parents who have kids like me, you might feel differently. Many people have an intense fear of rats, and the emotion and thankfulness they show at that moment will make you feel extremely valued and fulfilled by your career. Below, I’ll shed some light on the question of “What does a rat exterminator do” and provide insight into The Daily Grind of a Rat Exterminator.

The Call: “We Have Rats”

This part is pretty standard. “We have rats in the house.” “We have rats in the attic.” “We have rats in our commercial facility or business.” As we take the call and gather your information, we put you on the schedule at our first available appointment. We explain how the process typically proceeds and gather your contact information. We’ll also provide you with answers to any of your questions.
Common Questions and Concerns Include:

• How long until we can start?
• How much does rat extermination cost?
• Where are you located? I’m looking for a rat exterminator near me.
• Are you locally owned? I don’t like using big companies.
• Are the rats going to attack us in our sleep?

Performing Rat Inspections with Empathy & Truth

Something you’re not trained for when beginning this career is that you’ll be a part-time therapist. Rats in someone’s comfort zone are a stress-inducing situation for most people. While yes, we are a paid service, we are not without empathy for your situation. We see our own parents, siblings, grandparents, and children in each customer. When rats are present, understanding the emotional toll it takes on a person, family, or employees at a business while inhabiting it is essential. Every customer has their own level of concern and fear. Some are concerned for themselves, while others worry about their kids, pets, or business inventory, and we must gather that information first. We try to balance the facts of what’s going on with how we present the information so as not to induce more concern. Our job as a rat exterminator is to give you an accurate picture of your situation without pressuring you to hire us through fear tactics. We aim to provide the comfort of knowing that we can exterminate even the worst rat issue and prevent them from returning. Our goal is to let you know that we will be there to support you throughout the process. During the initial visit, we will provide you with a “Help Us, Help You” list so you know how to protect yourself and your possessions as we work through the rat extermination process together.

Walking Into the Unknown

At each appointment, we are walking into the unknown. That unknown is typically the attic. Often, we enter a sweltering, cramped, dark attic looking for signs of pests that most people fear. Nothing about an attic was designed to make it easy to investigate. Trusses supporting the roof require us to contort in different uncomfortable directions while ducking under and climbing over AC ducts. We must also watch our steps, as the only areas safe for our feet are the narrow sides of a 2×4. Nails from the roof deck and sharp truss brackets are everywhere, looking to cut our legs, poke our heads into, or catch on our clothes. On top of those fun things, the smell of urine and rat feces isn’t a delightful experience.

A Responsibility to Public Safety

It’s well known that rats are vectors for many zoonotic diseases. It’s a danger that rat exterminators except when performing this job. Our job as professional exterminators is to remove that concern (rats) as quickly as possible. Yet another issue we take seriously is customers doing things that can endanger themselves or their families. Educating customers on what not to do is as important as explaining what they should do. That list can include:

• Cleaning up rat feces inside the home with an inside vacuum
• Not decontaminating food preparation surfaces while rats are present
• Sweeping up rat feces with a broom without first moistening it
• Cleaning up rat feces with no PPE at all.
• Leaving rat traps out unprotected while also having small children or pets

This starts at the top with me. I am Zoonotic Disease Certified by the National Wildlife Control Operators Association. Part of my job as a professional rat exterminator is implementing programs for my staff to educate customers on the dangers of rats when needed. Another vital part of my job is to keep my team safe through continuing education on the dangers rats can pose. I also must provide them with the proper decontamination equipment, PPE, and training to keep them safe while performing their duties.

The Pursuit of Excellence

We strive to perform the best rodent exclusions at each home or commercial facility. Exterminating rats, which have years of survival evolution engrained into their DNA, can be challenging. They are elusive and relentless, and sometimes they don’t act as you’ve experienced them in the past. At the end of the day, they are wild animals. Sometimes no matter how much experience you have, “this rat” will make you work harder for a win. Rats are ever-evolving and often adapt as any of us would in order to survive. Our team takes solving rat issues as a personal challenge.

We Are More Than Just “The Rat Guy”

• Our technicians have many skills outside of just “catching rats.”
• Rat infestations require us to be part mental health therapists to keep our customers calm as they are in crisis mode when rats have invaded their homes and businesses.
• Sometimes, we are even thrust into being marriage counselors as wives often blame their husbands for failing to handle the rat issue, claiming they could do it themselves.
• Sealing up buildings to prevent rats requires knowledge of construction. This is highly overlooked and is something that only the best rat exterminators can do. The technicians at Rodent Solutions are well-trained in many areas, including Roofing, Plumbing (Rats can enter from breaks in the vent or sewer side), rough framing, soffit installation, finish carpentry, fall protection, aerial lift use, and more. All are helpful at times when exterminating rats.
• Our team is educated in adequately using chemical control methods for rats, including rodenticides and the groundbreaking method of Rodent Birth Control.
• We are well educated on the health risks of rats. We are owner certified in Zoonotic Diseases by the National Wildlife Control Operators Association.
• We are essential. When COVID shut down many businesses, we were still in the community helping customers stuck at home and dealing with rats in the house. Rat exterminators went out every day. Imagine being stuck home all day, knowing you had rats inside your house. How unnerving, right? The “AC repair guy” still gets the nod over us, in my opinion, anyhow (Man, it’s hot outside!).

Have a Higher Opinion of the Rat Extermination Profession Now?

I hope you have enjoyed learning about some of the nuances of our job. There’s so much more that wedeal with. This is just the first of many potential pests or nuisance wildlife issues we handle for our customers so they can enjoy their sanctuary. If you have any questions, call us at 941-704-0063. We are always happy to help. If you “might” be interested in a career as a rat exterminator or a pest control technician, please contact us today using this link. “Apply Today”.