Roof rats in Las Vegas

Rats (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Roof rats in Las Vegas

Is there an increase in roof rats in Las Vegas? Are they “taking over” the Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas?

Let’s face it.  Many people are horrified by rats however they are found in many cities and that includes Las Vegas.

Recently there have been reports of an increase in roof rats in Las Vegas.

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The truth is that roof rats have been around for a long time and their existence in the Las Vegas Valley have been documented by the Southern Nevada Health District since at least 1990.

The good news is that it is rare to see the roof rats in Las Vegas during the day since they are nocturnal and come out at night.

The roof rats in Las Vegas are not native to Las Vegas and are thought to have “hitched a ride” in  imported Palm trees.  The scary thing is that if the rat population is left unchecked they reproduce rapidly and the rat population quickly swells.

Reports of roof rats in Las Vegas are most often associated with areas that are near washes as well as areas with heavy vegetation and standing water.

The Southern Nevada Health District has said that most of the reports were from the south and eastern parts of the Las Vegas valley, however, there are people from all parts of the valley that are reporting the roof rats.

With all the foreclosures that we have had, there are properties that are unattended and in disrepair which is another factor in attracting rats.

The roof rats in Las Vegas and elsewhere like to be up high, hence the name roof rats.  It is important to keep trees trimmed so that they do not touch the roof which can provide an easy access point to your home.

The Southern Nevada Health District has a Rodent Checklist that will walk you through inspecting your property.

Also, please see our roof rats prevention tips to help prevent an infestation in the first place.

If you are experiencing a problem with roof rats in Las Vegas, or see signs that you may be having an issue,a professional exterminator is highly recommended.

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