Rodent Tips

Key Points:

• Rodents become more active in spring, seeking food and nesting sites in homes.
• Signs of infestation include droppings, gnaw marks, tracks, and burrows.
• Health hazards from rodents include contamination of food and the spread of diseases.
• Effective tips include calling a pest control expert, avoiding leaving pet food outside, managing water sources, and keeping wood piles away from the house.

The return of robins and honeybees are not the only harbinger of spring: little furry pests are making a comeback too. If you live in a cold climate, unwanted rodents have either been surviving in a somnambulant state or were hibernating: and now that warmer weather is here they will be waking up hungry and looking for food on your property! Here are some tips for springtime rodent control.

Signs That You Have a Problem

Even if you never actually see a mouse or rat, there are some tell-signs to look for that will let you know you have unwanted visitors:

– Fresh or dried urine and feces in food pantries, cupboards, and basements
– Little tracks on newly-fallen snow or tiny muddy prints indoors
– Gnawed pieces of wood around door jambs or near your wood pile
– Burrows in earth banks and around walls

Don’t let those ‘cute’ little mouse eyes fool you: field mice are dirty little creatures.

Health Problems

Don’t let those “cute” little mouse eyes fool you: field mice are dirty little creatures that will contaminate your food supply quick as a wink and they can sometimes transmit disease as well depending on where you live. Rats are much more of a direct health hazard: they spread many diseases, have been known to bite people, and may even kill small household pets and other animals.

What to Do

– Call a pest control expert immediately: you could waste your money on pellets and traps until you find one that works, or you can nip the problem in the bud immediately by bringing in a seasoned professional who knows exactly how to deal with rodents indigenous to where you live. A pest control technician can get rid of mice in the house and keep the areas immediately surrounding your home safe too.
– Don’t feed your household pets outdoors: if you leave cat or dog food in backyard dishes, it will attract mice and rats like a moth to flame.
– Beware standing water: If you have a backyard decorative pond, keep the pump running or install a small waterfall. Rats are attracted to standing water, but interestingly, they leave running water alone. If substantial amounts of standing water accumulate after heavy rainstorms, install a drainage system.
— Keep wood piles well away from the house: mice and rats as well as many pesky insects love to make a home between the logs.

Rodents will chew pipes, drywall, insulation, wiring, and walls, often causing electrical fires.

Taking active steps to get rid of your rodent problem before it becomes severe will help keep your family healthy and will give you greater peace of mind.