LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – If you live in Henderson, you may have noticed more rats.
A pest control expert says the population of the rodents has exploded post-pandemic. They are impacting businesses and homeowners alike, as the unwanted visitors make their way inside buildings.
A doorbell camera sensor was set off from 3 AM one morning in March when a rat climbed a wall in front of an apartment in the South Valley Ranch neighborhood. The resident was left stunned by the video. Rats often find a way inside, especially into the attic.
“I’ve seen rats popping up from toilets from the sewer system as of lately,” reported Trevor Lavancher, owner and operator of Dr. Death Pest Control. When it comes to unwanted rodents, Lavancher has just about seen everything.
“I had a lady call me on Russell and the 95 because she had a rat pop out of her empty car stereo bracket and run across her dashboard and she had to pull over and get out of the car and wait for me to get there… I’ve also a doctor in Seven Hills have his wiring harness in his Lamborghini shredded by rats,” Lavancher recounted.
Lavancher has been answering calls for help in Henderson and Boulder City for nearly two decades and there’s a lot more of them now.
“When I first got into the industry, I’d get the occasional call rats in an attic or backyard, as of lately, post-pandemic it has exploded exponentially,” Lavancher revealed.
Why is the rat population booming? Lavancher believes it mirrors the increase in the number of people.
“I think that is pretty much tied into the massive growth we have had in residential structures,” Lavancher asserted.
Lavancher says rats are smart. Leaving a door open, they can sneak in even during the day so make sure you are proactive to keep them out, for instance, by keeping your BBQ clean.
“You have all these cinder block walls… that are superhighways for these rats, and they are going from property to property looking for resources. The main resource being food, so if you would clean your BBQ, clean that grease trap, have an outdoor trash receptacle with a lid on it, they wouldn’t be interested in your yard,” Lavancher advised.
The pesky pests aren’t only a problem for homeowners, they’ve plagued all kinds of businesses from grocery stores to casinos.
Back in October 2020, people were trapped in elevators and the entire Paris property lost power for two plus hours because of rats. NV Energy says the rodents are notorious for eating wires, pipes, even drywall.
Dr. Death Pest Control says you only have to look at major cities like New York or Chicago to know as the population density increases especially the amount of trash produced, the rodent population will increase as well so he suspects it will keep growing in Southern Nevada.
Rats can quickly reproduce. They have 4-7 breeding cycles per year and 10-12 babies each time so if you suspect you have rats at your home or business, you should immediately address it.
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