What are rodents?
Rodents are a class of mammals all related to one another thanks to their teeth. These mammals have a pair of upper and lower incisors in the center of their mouths that never stop growing and that they must constantly grind down. This identification method is why a 150-pound capybara and a 1-ounce house mouse are in the same family.
Are rodents dangerous?
All rodents are dangerous to a property because they all have to chew on hard things to grind down their constantly growing teeth; this can be as innocuous as chewing up garbage to as destructive as chewing through live wires that ignite a house fire.
On the other hand, not all types of rodents spread diseases at the same rate. Mice and rats are the most dangerous when it comes to spreading communicable diseases. These nasty creatures carry dozens of different pathogens that can make you seriously ill. Diseases often spread by these rodents include:
- Hantavirus
- Hemorrhagic Fever
- Lassa Fever
- Leptospirosis
- Rat-Bite Fever
- Salmonellosis
Rats and mice may also indirectly spread diseases by introducing breeding populations of external parasites, such as fleas and ticks, onto your property. These parasites can expose you to conditions such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Why do I have a rodent problem?
Most of the time, you wind up with rats and mice because your house is simply the most attractive place for them to nest. Your home has all kinds of goodies that rodents want, including abundant food, easy water, and climate-controlled shelter. Your house is naturally attractive to rodents no matter what you do.
However, there may be things you don't realize you're doing that can make your home even more attractive to rodents. For instance, rodents will come running if you're leaving your garbage uncovered or pet food bowls full and open all the time. Most of the time, you wind up with rats and mice because your house is simply the most attractive place for them to nest. Your home has all kinds of goodies that rodents want, including abundant food, easy water, and climate-controlled shelter. Your house is naturally attractive to rodents no matter what you do.
However, there may be things you don't realize you're doing that can make your home even more attractive to rodents. For instance, rodents will come running if you're leaving your garbage uncovered or pet food bowls full and open all the time.
Where will I find rodents?
Rats and mice do everything in their power to avoid people, so you might not find them at all, even if you have a significant rodent problem. If you do spot live rodents, it will be in dark, out-of-the-way places like crawl spaces, basements, garages, and the like. You might even find rodents crawling around inside hollow walls, as they can chew right through insulation.
How do I get rid of rodents?
It isn't at all easy to get rid of rodents. In fact, it can be next to impossible to eliminate a rodent infestation once you have one. Things like rat baits and snap traps cannot keep up with the breeding speed of rats and mice. Every individual you kill may have replaced itself multiple times by the time you eliminate it.
The ineffectiveness of store-bought rodent control products and the dangers that come with uncontrolled rodent infestations mean you should contact a professional rodent control company without delay. Here at Solstys Environmental, our rodent experts know exactly how to eliminate infestations and protect you from all the diseases that rodents can expose you to once they invade your house.
How can I prevent rodents?
The good news is even if you can't get rid of rodents on your own after you wind up with an infestation, you can do plenty to prevent them. All you have to do is follow a few best practices:
- Cover indoor and outdoor garbage at all times.
- Store all pantry foods in airtight, hard containers.
- Seal potential entryways with metal rodent mesh.
- Never leave pet food or dirty dishes sitting out.
- Consider using scare tactics like fake owls and hawks.
Following these best practices can help prevent you from needing rodent control services, but if you do, don't hesitate to contact the best in the business. At Solstys Environmental, our home pest control experts can protect your property from damage and your family from disease. So if you're ready for the peace of mind that only comes from a rodent-free home, give us a call or visit our contact page today!
Schedule Your Inspection
Complete the form below to schedule your no obligation inspection
