Rats and mice are notoriously tough to get rid of – human civilization has been trying to give these pests the boot for the last 15,000 years and we still haven’t been able to do it. However, just because rats and mice are probably going to be with the human race for all eternity doesn’t mean you have to have a houseful of them.
These pests are not just gross and creepy – they’re also dangerous to both your property and your health. Let’s talk about a few of the things you can do to keep these disease-spreading, destructive vermin out of your house.
Why Do I Have Rodents In My Home?
Rats and mice invade human homes and businesses because we have all the things they need – water, food, and shelter. Unless you have a cat, your house has a lot fewer predators than outside, meaning it’s also a safe haven for rodents, though your home becomes much less safe for mice if you get rats. If you have mice, you’re unlikely to have rats because rats are bigger and more aggressive than mice. If rats move in, mice move out – meaning you’ll have one or the other but rarely both.
Are Rodents Really All That Dangerous?
Rodent infestations present a twofold threat: destruction and disease. Rats and mice both destroy property. Sometimes they’ll rip up furniture and insulation to create nesting materials. They may also chew through walls or tear up appliances and long-term parked vehicles to make nesting spots. Mice and rats also have to grind their teeth down to a practical length because they never stop growing throughout their whole lives. That means they’ll chew on just about anything to file their teeth, including electrical wiring, plastic containers, and wooden furniture.
Disease is the other major danger of rats and mice. Rodents spread dozens upon dozens of different illnesses, some of which are quite dangerous. Rats and mice are also wild animals, meaning they’ve got the potential to carry all the parasites you’d find on any other wild mammal – fleas, ticks, scabies, mites, worms, and more. That means they can bring secondary infestations into your house and even infect your pets.
What Can I Do About Rats & Mice?
Mice and rats are tough to get rid of once you’ve got them. Snap traps only kill a few individuals and typically don’t do much beyond make room for more individuals to move into the territory of the dead ones. Poisons can also backfire because they take so long to kill rodents that many of them have hours to crawl into your ventilation system, attic, or crawlspace to die. That means you could be stuck with a bunch of stinky, rotting rat corpses you can’t find to throw out. That’s why prevention is so important.
A few general best practices to follow to make your home less attractive to rodents include:
- Cover all indoor and outdoor trash cans with tight lids.
- Keep pantry foods in airtight, plastic containers.
- Seal off cracks and holes in your home’s exterior. Remember, mice are tiny, so the fact that a potential entry point seems too small doesn’t mean it is.
- Eliminate outdoor water sources like pet bowls, birdbaths, etc.
- Have an ongoing professional service plan.
Sometimes, it’s just too difficult to get rid of rats and mice on your own. If you’re stuck with a bunch of rodents in your home and just can’t seem to get them to shove off, Next Generation Pest Control can help. We’ve got the tools and know-how to send your rodent squatters packing for good. Reach out today for effective rodent control solutions! We also offer commercial pest management services.
