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How To Tell If You Have A Rodent Problem In Your Aiken Home
May 14, 2020
Few things are more disconcerting to a homeowner than a mysterious sound coming from the walls. Maybe the scratching, scrabbling noises just started, or maybe pests have been toiling away within your walls for weeks. Only a proper pest inspection can answer such questions. Knowing what you can do to stay on top of these measures will help keep your Aiken home protected from common invasive rodents.
Common Home Invaders
Rodents are a family of mammals that share a common trait: their ever-growing front teeth. They must file these incisors down by gnawing and chewing on hard surfaces, including household materials and personal property. While all rodents can be a nuisance or a danger inside your home or out in the yard, the most common household rodent pests are mice and rats.
Both types of rodents are extremely territorial, so the good news is that your home will never have both mice and rats at the same time. The bad news is that either type of pest can create hazardous or troubling problems. Here’s how to tell mice apart from rats:
Mice
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Size: Mice are typically much smaller than rats, only growing to about six inches or less in length. Their long, trailing tails, however, are typically longer than the length of their bodies.
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Shape: Mice have large round ears on top of their heads and short, pointed faces.
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Behavior: Mice tend to be solitary creatures, only interacting regularly with their immediate offspring. They are, conversely, more curious creatures and will explore new areas of a home in search of food and water.
Rats
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Size: Rats are generally larger than mice, frequently growing to around a foot in length.
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Shape: Rats have pointed snouts like mice, but their faces are more elongated, with ears tucked on the sides of their heads rather than right on top of their skulls.
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Behavior: Rats are incredibly intelligent creatures and have unique social interactions. While they will actively engage with other rats, they are very good at staying out of sight and will generally not risk falling prey to traps or predators by leaving their brooding areas and food sources.
Signs Of A Rodent Infestation
Rodents are typically nocturnal and can hide in the parts of a house that people can’t reach or see very easily. That means spotting them is a difficult proposition. You’re more likely to see the signs of an infestation than you are to see the rodents themselves. Some signs are obvious, like the scrabbling sounds in the walls we mentioned earlier. Other signs are less noticeable, like the grease marks or trails that mice and rats leave when they traverse your home. Other signs include:
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Bite marks: Rodents chew on anything and everything that will keep their teeth to a manageable length. That means electrical components, wood, furnishings and any other household items might have distinct bite marks on them.
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Odor: As rodents hunker down in their nesting areas and rear their offspring, their animal odors can permeate a house, particularly since they hide inside of walls, roofs, vents and other areas where musty odors can spread.
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Feces: Speaking of odors, part of the buildup of stench is from rodent droppings, and if you see these crescent or rice-shaped feces around your home, it’s a sure sign of infestation.
More Than Just A Nuisance
While the smells and sounds of a rodent population in your home can be unpleasant, there’s more to worry about than just the nuisances of a pest problem. Rodents can cause all of the following:
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Property damage: When they chew and scratch on everything in sight, this can result in mounting repair bills and the loss of priceless heirlooms.
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Disease: Rodents are purveyors of several kinds of bacteria and parasites, including plague, salmonella and tapeworms.
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Proliferation: Rodents can have several litters of pups every year, meaning an infestation can quickly grow out of control.
Partners In Pest Control
Rather than panic at the presence of rodents in your home, turn to your local pest experts at Jury Pest Services. Our technicians can inspect your home and determine if rodents have moved in, and provide helpful tips on how to make your home less attractive to pests of all kinds. If a rodent problem has taken hold, we can act quickly with effective elimination methods that fit your schedule and budget. Reach out to Jury Pest Services today for prompt and professional assistance!
Call Jury today!