Understand Your Enemy
Two types of rodents invade homes more than any others, rats, and mice. To help you better understand these two pests, along with rodents in general, here are a few of their features you should know.
Sharp Teeth: All rodents have sharp teeth that never stop growing. To keep these teeth at a reasonable length, rodents chew almost constantly. This wouldn’t be such a big deal if it wasn’t for the fact that some rodents, including mice and rats, have teeth strong enough to chew through wood, plastic, fabric, vinyl, rubber, and low-gauge aluminum. In short, rodents are one of the few pests that can make their entry points in and through your home.
Nimble Bodies: Did you know a house mouse can squeeze through holes the size of a nickel, or that a roof rat can jump over four feet from a tree branch to the roof of your home? More often than not, rodents use their nimble agile bodies to jump, squeeze, and scurry their way into homes.
High Intelligence: Rodents, and more specifically rats and mice, are considered to be some of the most intelligent creatures on the planet. When inside homes, these pests quickly adapt to their environment to learn where is safe and what times to avoid coming out to avoid people. In some cases, rats and mice figure out ways to steal bait off of traps without getting hurt.
The Dangers Of Rodents
Rodents are not just annoying pests, they are also incredibly dangerous. Rats and mice specifically spend a lot of time around filthy areas and eat dirty foods, causing these pests to contract disease-causing organisms. When inside homes, rodents spread these sickness vectors through their fecal matter and urine. Keep this in mind if you ever have to clean up after one of these pests and use the proper safety equipment to avoid contamination.
How To Prevent Rodents
For rodents to invade a home, they need two things: a way inside and a reason to stay. As long as your home is properly defended and the resources rodents need are sealed away properly, you will have a good chance of winning your war against these pests. To help with this, here are five great places to start:
- Make sure your home’s exterior is sealed. Start by filling gaps and cracks in its exterior using a caulking gun. Follow this up by repairing damage to siding and shingles. Finally, make sure your home’s door sweeps and window/door screens are in good condition.
- Address moisture issues. Do this by fixing leaky piping and fixtures, repairing broken gutters, and eliminating sources of water buildup around your property.
- Keep your home clean. When doing this, do not neglect to get beneath large kitchen appliances, under furniture, and around other hard-to-reach areas.
- Store food properly. Specifically, store leftovers and food stored in plastic bags and or cardboard into rodent-proof containers. Glass and metal containers work best.
- Invest in professional rodent control services.
Implementing prevention is a great start to preventing rodents. However, to ensure these pests stay away for good, your best bet is to get a professional involved.
At The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc., we offer comprehensive plans to both eliminate and exclude rodents from your home. Contact our team today for any questions about our services or to schedule a detailed pest inspection for your South Carolina property.
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