There are times of the year, especially, when you want to ramp up efforts to keep rodents and other wildlife out of your home and yard. Just because you live in a more suburbanized area instead of out in the woods or in a remote rural area doesn’t make the chances of rat invasions any less. You might be even more at risk, because the food sources that rodents love tend to be more plentiful in the suburbs than in secluded areas. There are few things mice and rats love more than the garbage that humans toss out.
Why are Rats and Mice Bad?
Rodents are small, hairy mammals that can be found just about anywhere around the globe.
As you may have realized, mice and rats, along with other uninvited wildlife (squirrels, raccoons, opossum, deer, etc.) are quite adept at finding their way into your home and garage. Rodents not only love the kind of trash you throw away (including fast food wrappers, empty food containers, etc.), but they also can chow down on stored food items.
Rodents possess large, powerful teeth with which they can quickly chew through solid materials like leather, wood, drywall, etc. Because they are such powerful gnawers, they can cause quite a bit of damage to valuables in your home, such as to furniture and throughout your home’s structure (walls, doors, etc.).
Rodents are also known to carry and spread diseases of all sorts. If not caught, so it’s even more important to have inspections by professional rodent control experts if you suspect mice and/or rat activity.
How Many Diseases do Rats and Mice Carry?
- Rodents Spread Fleas: Rodents are notorious for hosting fleas, which are also known to spread various diseases and bacteria, and can plague a household with their blood-sucking biting., even if there are no pets.
- Rodents Spread Diseases: Rodents are difficult to control, especially after they’ve gotten a foothold in a home or yard. They are also vectors for diseases, and can contaminate your stored food with their shedding hair, and leaving behind saliva and droppings. The CDC has linked some rodents to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease known to cause fatalities in nearly 2 out of every 5 cases reported in the United States. You should also know that when mice feed on stored food, they contaminate about 10 times more food than what they actually eat.
What is Considered a Rodent Infestation?
As with roaches, if you see mice or rat activity at home or in your yard, you’re probably only seeing a small fraction of the actual population. One stray rodent isn’t necessarily a cause for alarm, but two or more definitely means you’ve got an infestation. Your best bet is to contact a pest management company to inspect, and treat for other possible rodents that may be living in your home or anywhere on your property.
It should go without saying that children and pets should be kept safely away from any areas where wild rodents have been spotted at home or in the yard. Rodents are feral and are prone to bite and attack if they sense a threat.
Do NOT try to grab or hold a rodent you may find in your home or around your yard. They can inflict painful bites with their large teeth and powerful jaws, which can transmit disease.
What Kind of Rats Are in Houston?
Roof rats and Norway rats are known to be prevalent in the North Houston area.
What is a Rodent Exclusion?
Why Is Exclusion Important For Rodent Control?
Exclusion is a process of recognizing possible rodent entry locations and then taking preemptive measures to keep these invasive rodents out of your home and property.
Exclusion is a very important part of an effective long-term rodent control. You don’t just want to drown your home with chemicals meant to kill pests, because these chemicals can also prove toxic to you and your family. It’s been demonstrably proven to be more effective to take a comprehensive, long-term approach to manage uninvited rodents. Exclusion is also healthier for the ecosystem. This type of rodent (and other pest) management is also known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Rodent exclusion is an important aspect of rodent IPM, and it involves more pro-active, preventive measures involving sealing off areas of your home or business where rodents might be likely to intrude. Best case scenario, exclusion can block them off from entering your home or yard to begin with. Prevention is always the best cure!
Is Rodent Exclusion Necessary?
Rodent exclusion involves sealing off areas that you don’t want rats and mice to get in, especially the inside of your home and on your property! You want to sealcracks in the foundation, screen over vents, screen over the bottom ends of your downspouts, keep your fireplace flue closed when not in use, and seal off pipe/utility entry points with screening, copper wool, or cement.
Other pest exclusion tactics recommended by IPM experts and professionals include keeping organic materials as far away from the outside of your home or business as possible (i.e., mulch, compost, trash, leaf piles, yard clutter, etc.). Getting rid of things that attract pests, like food, entry points, and water sources, will also help you keep these sneaky rodents away. You also want to do things like keep your storage areas free of empty boxes and piles of newspaper that rodents could nest in and breed (A few rodents can turn into hundreds in a matter of just a few weeks).
Call us today at 832-898-0190 or email us at [email protected] for a free consultation. We can help you manage your rodent problems at home and yard, and show you what you can do yourself to keep them away. Save yourself money, time, and headaches.
Calling a professional rodent control service is always much more cost effective and a timesaver in the long run if you feel you are overwhelmed with rice and/or rats. This can help you deter expensive damage by getting a handle on things early on. Call our Texas pest control experts today at 832-898-0190 for a consultation. Or email us at [email protected]. We can quickly help you get your rodent problem under control, as well as other expensive pest problems in your home or business.
