Rodent Control

Where do they come from?

Rats and mice are generally very small and can easily enter a residence through small, obscure openings. In fact, mice can enter a home through an opening the size of dime, where rats only require an opening as small as a quarter. Point of entry may include entrances, windows, and through the cracks and crevices along walls and floors. Rats and mice are attracted to warm places with easy access to food and water and they feed on a variety of organic material, including both plant and protein-based products. As a result, an occupied residence is an ideal place for them to survive and breed rapidly.

Will they cause any damage to my home or business?

Rats and mice are notorious for causing damage in a home or business. Tooth marks from gnawing or chewing can be found on various surfaces and items they come in contact with. The primary reason for damage is because a rodent’s front teeth does not stop growing. As a result, it must continuously gnaw on objects to keep its teeth filed down. Without rodent control, these pests will continue to feed and nest, causing damage to your property. Their jaws are very strong and can chew through walls, soft concrete, wiring and pipes. These activities may lead to structural damage and create electrical and fire hazards. Droppings and urine left behind contaminate surfaces and food exposed to these rodents are no longer safe for human consumption and must be thrown away.

Will they cause me or my family to become sick?

Yes. Proper rodent control is needed to protect yourself, as they are a well-known carrier of diseases which may be easily transmitted to humans. Diseases they are associated with include, but are not limited to, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, lestospirosis and rat-bite fever. These diseases are transmitted through direct contact, or the inhalation or consumption of contaminated items. Infected ticks carried by these rodents may also spread diseases to humans with devastating effects. For example, rats carrying infected ticks caused the spread of the bubonic plague, otherwise known as the Black Death, in Europe that killed half the population during the Middle Ages. Other than physical illness, infestations have been known to affect the emotional and psychological well-being of the home owner or tenant.

Where will I generally find them in my home or business?

Rats and mice are primarily nocturnal creatures by nature. They tend to nest or sleep in dark and quiet corners and crevices of a building’s structure, such as in the roofs, basements, attics and walls. Storage units or cluttered areas are also ideal hiding places for these rodents.

How to identify damage caused by rodents