Creatures may stop stirring in the night for the once-yearly visit of Ol Saint Nick but the rest of the time they are getting busy. Busty eating scraps of food, tearing holes in walls, consuming wires, and well, making more beady-eyed progeny to continue the trend.
How do you know if you have a rodent problem in your house? That’s the question to be answered. There are some tale-tale signs and some not-so-obvious ones to learn.
As a bonus, we’ll also explain a bit about some rodent varieties to help you figure out what creatures you have stirring at night.
Rodent Problem?
The first difficulty in identifying if you have a rodent problem is getting past the excuses that you CAN’T have a problem. That is if you live in a newer home.
Newer homes are thought to be air-tight fortresses built tight as a drum and able to keep pests out.
Both newer and older homes have many small access points for rodents to infiltrate. Many mice infestations start with mice following pipes in the understructures of homes.
Types
Seeing signs of activity is only one part of the puzzle. Of course, any rodents in the house are a problem but some are more of an issue than others. While there are hundreds of species of rodents there are only sixty species of rats.
Rats get bigger and leave behind nastier waste. Mice are smaller and less of a threat to pets but more prone to disease spread.
Floor Signs
Pellet-shaped waste is the most obvious sign of rats and mice. The rat droppings are elongated while mouse droppings are found with flecks and rings of partially digested matter.
Smudges are also common as they don’t stop moving when defecating. They travel regular routes to help with navigation, so check areas you suspect for further accumulation.
Odors tend to stay close to the source. Sniff around for ammonia near walls that connect pipes. Urine also leaves behind a trail that is greasy and attracts additional dirt. This will collect touches of hair and fur as the rodents drag their bodies along.
Damage
Rats chew through things. Lots of things. Anything between their nest and their food source. If you see holes and lose some power to a lamp, you can blame rats.
Mice squeeze through openings but destroy packaging to get at food. Routinely inspect pantries and food storage for damage.
Sound
Skittering in the walls is hard to catch with other house noises. Listen more for scraping and rustling in the food areas as the shapes help amplify the noise.
Master Your World
Of course, you want to deal with any rodent problem as soon as you find it. Rodents carry a variety of diseases as well as fleas. Their waste can lead to rashes and infections both of which can also harm pets.
Keep your eyes open and get help from a professional pest control service ASAP.
For more tips and ideas about how to navigate this topsy-turvy world of ours, keep coming back here.
