How more rain could spur on rat infestation

More rain is on the way, and could potentially bring unwanted visitors.

"They climb up on the trees onto the roof, they go down the pipe vents if there are any openings on the roof," Mr. Beez Pest Control Owner Barrett Toohey said.

Toohey has worked in the business for over a decade. He says rats will go through any opening they can find. The rodent problem tends to spike between the months of October and March, especially when it rains.

"Basically floods them out of their habitats, they’re looking for shelter. The colder it gets the more rain, they come inside homes. They’re looking for a warm place to nest," Toohey said.

Rats are also known to chew through walls and pipes.

"They always have their incisors growing so they’re always looking to chew things," Tammy Gordon, with the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District said.

Despite the pesky problem, there is a silver lining.

"Southern California does have some health risks with rodents. Our region does not," Gordon said.

Gordon says the center used to continuously do testing. It was discontinued years later because there weren't any issues with rodents and diseases. She says it's because the region in the desert is dry, and doesn't pose many health threats to people.

"The best thing you can do is just exclude what they can find. You want to go around your home, around the foundation and look for quarter-sized holes. So you want to cover those up with a mesh, a metal mesh," Gordon said.

Gordon also says do not leave cat food, dog food or bird feeders out because they also attract rats.