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Preparing For Fall Rodent Problems In Tulsa
September 7, 2018
You may see rodents outside your home this summer, and though they may startle you at first, if you take a closer look, you’ll realize that they are actually quite harmless, or at least they are when they’re outdoors. When they’re out in the wild where they belong, mice are actually quite cute with their tiny furry bodies and quivering whiskers. However, that is not the case when they find their way into our homes. As soon as they enter your home, these rodents seem to morph from cute little creatures into disgusting, destructive terrors that must be eradicated.
While that may be a bit of an overstatement, it’s true that when rodents enter your house, they must be dealt with as swiftly as possible. Mice and rats can cause a host of problems when they decide to take up residence in your home!
First of all, they’re chewers. Rodents must constantly chew on things to keep their incisors at a manageable length. If they invade your home, they will chew on your walls, insulation, storage, and wiring. This not only causes damage, but also can also be a fire hazard.
Secondly, they leave urine and droppings wherever they go. This is disgusting enough as it is, but it gets worse when you realize that rodent excrement can harbor dangerous pathogens that may contaminate your food and food preparation surfaces and make you and your family members become very ill. Mice and rats have been known to spread a variety of harmful diseases including salmonella, hantavirus, leptospirosis, murine typhus, rat bite fever, lymphocytic diseases, tapeworm, and even the plague!
Finally, rodents carry parasites around with them. Fleas and ticks are two of the common parasites that are found on mice and rats.
Clearly, these are pests you don’t want in your home. Well, luckily for you, this is the perfect time to make sure your house is protected from them! During the fall months, especially in October and November, rodents begin actively looking for shelter and a food source for the winter. There are certain steps you can take to help make your home less inviting to these pests before they have the chance to invade!
- Keep your yard free of debris. Mice and rats love having places to hide. If you don’t provide them any, they will be less inclined to invade your property.
- Do walk around the perimeter of your home, inspecting for cracks, holes, or gaps in your foundation, walls, windows, and doors, and fix.
- Trim back any vegetation and branches that touch your home. While some rats remain on the ground, others are excellent climbers and you don’t want to allow them easy access to your roof.
- Speaking of your roof, it is important to make sure all your shingles are secure, cap your chimney, and cover any vents to prevent rodents from using them as entry points to your home.
- Remove or tightly cover all food sources, both inside and outside your home. This includes garbage cans, pet food, and any food left on counters.
- Declutter your storage and living spaces. The fewer hiding spots available, the less likely a mouse or rat is to choose your home as its dwelling place.
Even if you’ve taken precautions against them, it’s still possible for mice and rats to invade. It’s important to know the warning signs of a rodent infestation so that you can take immediate action against them. Some of the warning signs include:
- Droppings and urine. Mice and rat droppings are small and black and they leave them almost everywhere they go. They do the same with their urine, which has a strong smell.
- Holes. As we previously mentioned, rodents chew all the time, so if you start finding holes in the items around your home, you probably have rodents. Some of these things may include wood, cardboard boxes, books, and upholstered furniture.
- Grease marks. Rodents stick close to walls as they scurry from place to place, and their fur is typically quite dirty. If you see greasy dirt marks along your baseboards, you may have a rodent problem.
- Nests. If you go up in the attic to grab a box out of storage and find a nest, that’s a pretty sure sign that you have a problem.
Once you’ve seen the signs that mice or rats have invaded, you’ll need to call Montgomery Exterminating as soon as possible. We have the expertise needed to eliminate your rodent problem safely and thoroughly. At Montgomery Exterminating, we offer both one-time rodent control or year-round protection plans that will ensure that you have peace of mind in every season, no matter what pest is trying to invade!
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