What are rodents?
Rodents are a group of mammals characterized by their constantly growing front teeth. This is the main characteristic that all rodents share, whether they are subterranean or arboreal, gigantic or tiny, outdoor or indoor, or anything else. They have to grind down these teeth to keep them at the correct length, which is part of what makes rodents so destructive.
Some of the most common house-invading rodents we have in our area include:
- Norway rats
- Roof rats
- House mice
- White-footed mice
- Deer mice
Note that these are just the rodents that commonly invade homes. The above list does not include rodents like squirrels and gophers, which tend to stay outside.
Are rodents dangerous?
Rodents can be mostly harmless or extremely dangerous, depending on what species they are. For instance, most of the rodents you will encounter outside might be somewhat destructive, but the likelihood of them doing massive damage to your house or transmitting diseases to you is minimal.
House rodents, on the other hand, can be extremely dangerous. Not only can they inflict massive amounts of damage to your house by chewing on things like live wires, plumbing, siding, and other building materials, but they also spread a myriad of diseases that can make you very sick. Rodents that live in your house contaminate practically everything they touch.
Why do I have a rodent problem?
Most people wind up with a rodent problem in their house because their home offers easy access to the things rodents want, like shelter, food, water, and safety. If your home is easy to enter or has improperly stored pantry foods and garbage, rodents will come running like the Pied Piper is playing his flute in your living room. This is why one of the most important parts of rodent prevention is making your home harder to invade and harder to extract resources from.
Where will I find rodents?
As a general rule, rodents do not like to interact with people. This means you probably won't find them kicking it on your couch or hanging out on your kitchen counter. In fact, even if you have a serious rodent problem, you may not see them at all. This is why you need to look for signs of rodent infestation rather than expecting to see rodents themselves. Common signs you have a rodent problem include things like:
- Rodent droppings
- Scurrying sounds in walls
- Gnawing damage
- Pets becoming agitated for seemingly no reason
- Damage to plush items like insulation or cushions from rodents seeking nesting materials
- Actual rodent nests
If you start seeing one or more of these signs, it's a safe bet that you have rodents, even if you don't see them.
How do I get rid of rodents?
Rodent control is almost impossible to do on your own once you have an established infestation for two main reasons. The first reason is rats and mice simply breed so fast that every adult you eliminate has probably already replaced itself many times over. The second reason is that rodents are clever animals and can often outsmart things like snap traps and other store-bought items.
The best thing you can do when you wind up with a rodent infestation is to call the experts here at American Pest Control. We have access to rodent control products that rats and mice cannot outsmart or outbreed. So don't wait if you start seeing signs you have a rodent problem. Contact us right away.
How can I prevent rodents in the future?
The good news is there are steps you can take to prevent yourself from ever having to deal with a rodent problem. If you make your house unattractive to them, they will likely move on to a home with easier pickings.
This means taking steps like covering your garbage with tight lids and storing pantry foods in airtight containers, as well as physically blocking things like crawl space entryways and ventilation holes, can go a long way towards making your home a hostile place for rodents and a more welcoming place for you. But if your best efforts to keep rodents out fail, we can help you kick them to the curb here at American Pest Control.
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I recently had Patrick out to service my house, after having a horrible experience with a local company and being completely left in the dark after their initial service. Patrick did a great taking care of my house with results that were visible in only a handful of days. He was also incredibly personable and friendly.
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