Often rats build their nests in residential gardens, a location from which they can easily move into homes and garden based structures, such as sheds and greenhouses. It is necessary, once you have established the presence of a rat's nest, that you take steps to protect your home from infestation.
To begin with, it is important that all entrance points into your house remain sealed unless necessary. Holes in the walls or roof need to covered and vents must be secured. If the problem is severe, it is important that you call a professional exterminator who will begin the process of Desratizacion as soon as possible.
Smaller problems involving a few rats can, however, be dealt with at home. The amateur rat-catcher has two basic options: the first is the trap and the second, poison.
Rat poison is an effective, although not an ideal, solution. While it invariably achieves the result of killing the rodents in question, it is also poisonous to pets and humans. This makes it an unattractive option if you have small children, dogs or cats.
Rat traps are slightly less effective. Rodents tend to be wary of new objects and often refuse to go near the traps. In addition, traps, whilst not poisonous, can still pose a problem if you have pets and curious children. Their springs are very powerful and easily take off a finger or paw.
In short, rat trapping can be done without the help of a professional however it is a business fraught with problems and dangers in the home. Effective rodent extermination thus seems, on the whole, to be a job for the exterminators. Leaving it to the experts means that you can concentrate on gardening, safe in the knowledge that your pets and children can play quite happily out there too.