It’s not always pleasant when your home is terrorized by rodents. Rodents will stick to hanging around your home as long as there is a point of attraction. Although they look seemingly harmless, rodents can cause property damage and pose serious health risks.
Consequently, every homeowner must understand the consequences of having rodents around and how exterminators help to keep them at bay.
There are different types of rodents invading homes, destroying properties, and foodstuff. There are also experienced professionals who are ready to help you battle them. You may want to check them out.
Some common rodents include:
1. Roof Rats
Even though they can be found in the coastal states of the U.S., roof rats are mainly thought to originate from Southeast Asia. They mostly dwell in colonies and prefer nesting on trees or a structure’s upper area. They are otherwise known as black rats and are good swimmers.
Since they’re mostly attracted to food, you’d want to keep your surroundings clean, get rid of food particles and crumbs within your home and keep garbage in well-sealed receptacles.
The presence of fruit trees within your vicinity can attract roof rats. So ensure to always clean fallen fruits otherwise you’ll be drawing attention to your home.
2. House Mice
House mice are undoubtedly the most often encountered rodent species. As the name implies, they nest and breed in dark, secluded areas around it inside houses.
Their ability to jump and climb helps their adaptation in the least expected areas in the house. Interestingly, house mice can fit into the least expected openings. Although they’re color blind and have poor vision, house mice have other enhanced senses with which they cause damage to properties.
As they gnaw on wires around houses, house mice can spark electrical fires. A more touching concern for humans is their ability to pose serious health threats including spreading diseases like salmonella and also contaminating human food items.
House mice prefer to live and take cover in dark areas around homes, and household clusters. To send them packing it is imperative to ensure that storage areas are well-organized and clean. If you have boxes, do not leave them lying on the floor. Make sure your food items are well kept, preferably sealed in rodent-proof containers.
3. Norway Rats
For adaptation, Norway rats are nocturnal rodents mostly burrowing into piles of garbage or beneath concrete slabs. They can make a home in your house thanks to their ability to fit into holes and spaces as tiny as half an inch. When food sources become hard to find, Norway rats would begin to enter homes.
The presence of this species in your home brings with it a lot of worry and danger.
Apart from gnawing through lead pipes, plastic, and other materials, Norway rats are known to carry diseases like jaundice, plague, cowpox virus, and rat bite fever. Also, they could introduce mites and fleas to your home.
If you constantly watch out for gnaw marks, droppings, and damaged foodstuff, you’ll be able to deduce if your house has welcome intruders and ingestible invaders.
4. Deer Mice
Deer mice are rodents with bicolored tails (half brown and half white) predominantly found in the United States. They’re known to nest in rural areas. Naturally. Deer mice don’t cause problems in residential environments; however, their search for food and shelter can make them wander indoors during the winter.
Deer mice are dangerous because they commonly transmit a group of viruses (hantavirus) responsible for blood, kidney, or respiratory problems.
Conclusion
Rodents are rapid reproducers. You’d be amazed at the number of rodents you find in your house after one gets into your house over a short period.
For this reason, it is imperative to act as quickly as possible when you discover or see any signs. It’s hard to completely get rid of rodents by yourself. So contacting professional rodent exterminators would save you the risks of health threats and infections.