Rodent Treatment
How Do I Identify A Rodent Infestation?
Appearance- Rats and mice are the most commonly problematic rodents in houses and businesses. Deer mice, house mice, Norway rats, and roof rats are all found in the United States.
Behavior - You may see a mouse or rat scurrying away when you open a garage door, shed, or cabinet. At times rodents will be brazen enough to run right across the floor in front of you. Seeing rodent droppings is often the first sign that a rodent has taken up residence in your home.
Why Could I Have Rodents?
Rodents are looking to make their way inside, away from the elements. The time of year and temperature could play a role in why they are taking up residence in your home, either to keep warm or cool or to find a place to nest during mating season. Rodents will also seek out food sources in your house, garage, and shed.
Rodents also need to find places and objects to grind their constantly growing teeth down on, as they are always growing, and the wood in or around your is the perfect material to do so.
Why Should I Treat My Rodent Problem Immediately?
While some rodents may be less physically threatening than others based on their disposition, all rodents pose a threat once inside your home. They may be carriers of diseases, bacteria, and viruses and the presence of rodent feces and urine can also pose a health risk to you and your family members if it ends up on your countertops, floors, and cabinets.
Also, some rodents such as mice or rats can procreate at a very alarming rate, in which you could end up with thousands of new creatures in your home within just a year by how quickly they can reproduce if left untreated, necessitating professional rodent control.
How to Get Rid of Rodens
The most common rodent pests are rats and mice. But they are not the only rodents that can infest your home. In fact, there are a lot of types of rodents in the United States. Squirrels, chipmunks, gophers, beavers, and guinea pigs are all rodents. Rodents are not a pet you want to allow in your home. They can spread disease and contaminate food. Some rodents, like beavers and gophers, are destructive to your yard as well.
To keep your home free of rodents, you need to learn how to spot their signs and then take steps to get rid of them.
How Do I Spot A Rodent Problem?
Rodent problems provide many signs. The more of these signs you notice, the more likely it is that you have a rodent issue.
- Spotting a rodent.
Spotting a rodent is a clear sign that the pests have invaded your home. If you see a rodent, you likely already have a rodent problem. The many rodent species each look a bit different. However, they all have continuously-growing incisors. The incisors are extremely sharp. - Seeing rodent droppings.
Rodent droppings are all pellet-shaped, small, and dark. They tend to leave groups of droppings in areas they frequent. So, look for rodent droppings in cabinets, near food or water sources, or in basements or attics. - Chew marks on food containers or furniture.
Because rodent incisors constantly grow, the animal has to wear them down. This creates a lot of chewing. You will find rodent bites on food containers. They are likely trying to open the container to get at the food. Rodent bite marks will also occur on wooden furniture or baseboard. - Finding rodent nests.
Most rodents make nests. If they live inside your home, the nests may be found in basements, attics, crawlspaces, or inside walls. Rodents make their nests from available materials like insulation, cardboard, or anything else soft.
How Do I Get Rid of Rodents?
Unless you have a pet hamster or gerbil, you don't want rodents living in your home. Their constant chewing can cause damage. Plus, they are known for spreading disease, which is a big problem if they get into your food. The following tips will help you get rid of rodents in your home.
- Keep food sources secure and fix any leaks.
Most rodents come inside looking for food and water. If you remove the sources of these necessities, then your home will be much less attractive to rodents. - Keep piles of leaves and mulch off your property.
Rodents are shy and skittish. They will happily hide in piles of leaves or other yard debris as they make their way to your home. without the cover, they are less likely to want to risk the run to your house. - Use rodent traps.
There are many mice and rat traps on the market. Finding traps for other types of rodents can be a challenge. - Call an exterminator.
Let us at GoLocal Pest Control find you a great rodent removal company in your area. Just put in your zip code and let us do the rest. Professionals have a greater success rate in getting rid of rodents than any over-0the-counter product.
How to Prevent Rodents
Rodents are clever animals that love to enter our homes. They can cause a lot of damage though, so it is important to outsmart these clever pests. Prevention is key when it comes to rodent control.
Here are a few of the best ways to prevent rodents.
Why Do I Have Rodents?
There are a lot of animals that fall in the rodent category. Rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, these are all rodents. The most common rodents to invade your home will likely be rats or mice. However, you may find the errant chipmunk or squirrel in your house as well.
No matter what type of rodent is invading, they are attracted to similar things.
- Warmth:
The season with the most rodent infestations is the fall. This is when many rodents seek out of our homes for their warmth. So, watch for the signs of a rodent problem as the weather turns cold. - Food:
Rodents are especially attracted to homes that have easily accessible food. Most rodents are scavengers. They will eat anything. The food that may be attracting the rodents could be in your pantry, in your trash can, or your pet's food. - Water:
It is easy to see the effects of rodents raiding your pantry. But rodents need water just as badly as food. If you have leaks or other sources of easy water, that could be attracting the rodents. - Hiding places:
Rodents like nothing better than to hide. They want a secure place to live. This is why they often make their nests in your walls, attics, or basements. If your home is extra cluttered, that just gives rodents more hiding places.
How Do I Prevent Rodents?
Preventing rodents can be hard. These annoying pests can fit through some extremely small spaces. In fact, a mouse can fit through a crack the size of a dime. However, that doesn't mean the situation is hopeless. There are some things you can do to keep rodents out of your home.
- Keep your home clean.
Keeping your home and yard clean are good ways to prevent rodent infestations. Clean homes and yards do not have as many hiding places. This will make your home much less appealing to a rodent. - Keep your food put away properly.
Many rodents enter our homes looking for food. The best prevention tool you have then is to store all food properly. This means using plastic, lidded containers. It also means using trash cans with secure lids. - Seal all potential entrances.
Seal all cracks and holes in your home. If the rodents cannot get in, they cannot cause problems. Remember to seal the cracks in your roof, as many rodents can climb. - Contact an exterminator.
Your best bet for rodent prevention is to call a good local exterminator. At GoLocal Pest Control, we can help you find the top companies in your area. They will tell you what steps to take to keep rodents out of your home for good. Contact us today and get started making your home rodent-free.
What Do Rodents Look Like?
We have pages that look at specific rodent species like mice, rats, and squirrels. But there are so many varieties of rodents in the world and the United States, it is important to describe them more generally.
All rodents share characteristics, which makes them easy to spot. The most common identifying trait is their continuously growing teeth. In fact, the name rodents come from the Latin order, which means to gnaw. All rodents have continuously growing teeth.
It is not hard to identify a rodent once you know what to look for. So, keep reading to learn more about what rodents look like.
How Many Species of Rodent Are There?
Rodents are from the order Rodentia. This is the largest group of all mammal species. It is estimated that 40% of mammals are rodents. There are about 4,660 species of rodents in the world.
North America has about seventy native rodent species. These include animals like the Brush mouse, Desert pocket gopher, Eastern deer mouse, North American porcupine, Prairie dog, and Fox squirrel. This number does not include the non-native rodent species that are now common throughout North America. Some examine are the Norway rat, Black rat, and House mouse.
What Do Rodents Look Like?
Squirrels, pocket gophers, voles, mice, rats, lemmings, porcupines, and other equally diverse animals are all categorized as rodents. It can be hard to come up with just one description of the rodent. But we're going to try. Then we will discuss the appearance of the most common rodents in more detail.
All rodents are small mammals. Their continuously growing teeth make them a part of the Rodentia order. Most rodents eat plants, but some are scavengers who will eat anything. Most rodents have sturdy bodies and long tails.
Now let's look at a few of the most common rodents more closely.
- Beaver:
Beavers are the largest rodent in the United States. They can weigh up to 40 pounds and are typically around three feet in length (including their tail). They are semi-aquatic rodents, which means they live in the water and on land. Their tail is wide and long, typically measuring fifteen inches in length and six inches wide. - Chipmunk:
Chipmunks are a type of squirrel. They have stubby legs and long, bushy tails. They are brown with white and black stripes. Most chipmunks range from 4-7 inches long. - Gopher:
Gophers are another small rodent. They typically range from 5-14 inches long. Their full name is the pocket gopher because they have fur-covered pockets on the outside of their cheeks. - Mouse:
Mice are typically 1-7 inches long. They have round, furry bodies; large ears; and tails that are longer than their bodies. They come in a variety of colors. - Rat:
Rats are larger than mice. They can be 5-7 inches long. They are usually either brown or black. They have longer and thinner bodies than mice. - Squirrel:
Squirrels have long, slender bodies and big, bushy tails. They can be many different colors, including red, brown, black, gray, and yellow. They are typically 2.8-5 inches long. - Vole:
Voles look a lot like mice. They are usually 3-9 inches long. They have a stout body and are usually brown or gray.
If you have a rodent problem, contact GoLocal Pest Control today. We can help you find the best rodent removal services in your area.
How to Find an Exterminator to Help with Rodents
There are a lot of rodent species in the world. In fact, rodents are one of the most populated families of mammals. Beavers, hamsters, rats, mice, squirrels, and even capybaras are all rodents. While we may never have to deal with a capybara infestation in the United States, there are a lot of other rodent species that can invade our homes.
Rodents are very good are damaging wooden structures, wires, and spreading disease. You want to solve a rodent problem as soon as possible. Your best bet for long-lasting rodent control is to hire an exterminator.
What Should I Look for in a Rodent Exterminator?
Most exterminators will specialize in rodent removal. Rodents are an extremely common type of pest, especially mice, rats, and squirrels. But experience does not always mean expertise. You need to find a pest control company with lots of experience handling a variety of rodents. This is especially important if you don't know what type of rodent you have in your home.
Sifting through the top rodent exterminators is a matter of asking the right questions. Here are a few of the best questions to ask during the interview process.
- When was the last time you treated a rodent problem?
- What types of rodents do your technicians specialize in?
- How do I know what type of rodent is invading?
- What does your rodent treatment look like?
- Do you guarantee your services?
What Should I Expect from Rodent Exterminators?
The treatment the exterminator chooses to use for your rodent problem depends on the type of rodent. There are some common elements, however. Here is the general plan for most rodent treatments.
All pest control begins with the inspection. The technician will determine what kind of rodent infestation you have. They will also attempt to locate the nest and decide how many rodents are currently living in your home.
After the inspection is done, the technician will discuss their results with you. They will provide an estimate that covers their recommended treatment plan and the cost. You will have a chance to discuss this estimate with them before treatment begins.
Rodent treatment often involves killing the existing animals in your home. To do this the exterminator will use a combination of traps and chemicals. They will also destroy the nest. Full-service rodent plans will involve the technician sealing all entrances to your home as well. At the end of treatment, your rodent problem should be solved.
How Do I Find an Exterminator to Help with Rodents?
Not all rodent solutions are created equal. Rodents are notoriously quick breeders, and their infestations can get out of control extremely quickly. A great local exterminator is your best bet for good rodent control. Contact GoLocal Pest Control to find the top companies in your area.
At GoLocal Pest Control, we have fully screened exterminators all over the country. When you use our location finder, you can trust the results are qualified and quality. You can learn more about how we work here.