Rodents account for over 20 billion dollars in food and property damage every year in the United States. They are the most populous and diverse species of mammals, with extreme differences in size and appearance but united by a single common trait; the teeth in the upper and lower jaws that grow non-stop throughout their lives. These teeth are one of the main reasons for their destructiveness. Rats, mice, and other North American rodents have to gnaw on surfaces (which, if they make it into your home, include your walls and furniture) to keep the length of their teeth under control. Add to that a number of deadly diseases they carry and the mouse's unfathomable taste for live electric wiring (mice are the second most common cause of house fires), and it's plain to see why rodents don't make good roommates.
Let's take a look at the types of rodents you're likely to encounter around your home, problems they bring with their presence, how to keep rodents away from your house, and if that fails, where to find reliable pest control in Somerset.
How To Identify Common Types Of Rodents
With thousands of species of rodents around the world, we are fortunate that only a few show interest in living with humans. You're likely to run into the following culprits trying to set up camp in your Somerset home:
- House mice are small rodents, 2 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches long, not counting the length of the tail, with dusty gray fur and light-colored bellies.
- Deer mice are 5 to 8 inches in total length, including the tail. They have light brown fur and white feet and undersides, reminiscent of a deer.
- Roof rats are 6 to 8 inches long with brown fur and gray undersides.
- Norway rats are 7 to 9 1/2 inches long, not counting the tail, with brown fur and white or gray undersides.
Different species of rodents have different habits and require a different approach to keep them out of your home. Being able to correctly identify the type of rodents infesting your Somerset home is an all-important step in an effective rodent control strategy.
Rodents Can Spread Disease And Damage Property
Besides their incessant need to gnaw on walls, furniture, and just about anything else in the vicinity and the fact that they contaminate every surface they come across (rodents spend most of their time in some of the most unhygienic places and are not shy when it comes to spreading the bacteria they carry everywhere they go), rodents carry and can transmit a number of serious illnesses. Among them are:
- Leptospirosis
- Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM)
- Tularemia
- Salmonellosis
- Rat-bite fever
- Jaundice
Rat and mouse droppings and saliva can also cause allergic reactions and trigger asthma episodes.
How To Make Your Property Less Inviting To Rodents
Once inside your home, the number of invading rodents can grow exponentially, with a single mouse becoming a colony of hundreds. Making them move on once they make their way inside is not an easy task. The following tips will help you keep them out in the first place.
- Seal openings in the outside walls over 1/2 inch in size.
- Store food in sealed containers.
- Dispose of garbage regularly.
- Don't store firewood next to your house.
If you're starting to see signs of a rodent infestation, despite your best rodent prevention methods, it's time to get a professional involved.
Contact The Professionals For Total Rodent Control
When you need professional rodent control in Somerset, call Guardian Exterminating Company. One of our experienced pest control professionals will start with an inspection of your property to determine the type of rodent you're dealing with and the pathway they took into your home. Once that's taken care of, they will unceremoniously show rodents the door and develop a plan to prevent future infestations.
If you have encountered a rodent infestation, give us a call today to get started and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Somerset.