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If mice or rats have gotten into your Tulsa home, there are a few things you can expect. Those rodents are likely to chew holes in the building materials of your home. They will take the opportunity to chew holes in stored furniture and other items you have in storage. They will leave urine and feces everywhere they go. They'll reproduce like crazy. They'll gnaw on food packages and contaminate/rodent-control the food inside when they feed. They'll spread ticks, fleas, lice and other parasites around your home. We could go on, but you get the point; rodents are a big problem. But, of the two, rats are the bigger problem. They are able to do more damage to your home and to your belongings because they have bigger, stronger teeth. They can chew their way into your stored foods more easily. And since they are larger animals, they are able to carry more parasites on their bodies. So it is helpful to know which rodent is gnawing on your Tulsa home.
There are many ways you can discover that rodents have invaded your home. You may notice black dropping under your kitchen cabinet or in an attic space. You may find a hole in a door or window frame. You may smell urine under your stove or refrigerator. Your dog or cat may be acting strangely in the kitchen. Here are a few specific ways you can tell that you have rats:
- Rat droppings are larger than mouse droppings, as you can probably imagine. Rats leave droppings that are about three-eighths of an inch long. Mice leave droppings that are about a half inch long.
- Do an inspection of your exterior and see if you can locate the hole the rodents came in through. If you find a small, dime-sized chew hole, you may conclude that you're dealing with mice. If you see a larger, quarter-sized chew hole, you could have rats. If you see a gap, crack or hole that does not look like it was chewed to that size, it is impossible to conclude which of these two used it to get into your home.
- The mice that invade Tulsa homes don't create ground borrows. If you're seeing holes in your yard or near your home, especially under piles of wood or stacks of items in your backyard, you may have Norway rats getting into your home.
Understanding which type of rodent you have will also help you with rodent control. Rats and mice behave differently. For example, if you lay traps down for a rat and move them around, rats will not take the bait. They are suspicious by nature. Mice, on the other hand, are curious creatures. You can move your traps around all you want and still capture mice. There are several ways your pest control methods will change, depending on which pest you're dealing with, and figuring out which rodent you have in your Tulsa home is the first step to being rodent-free.
What if I have both inside my home?
It is rare for mice and rats to inhabit the same dwelling. Rats hunt and eat mice. If a mouse senses the presence of rats in your home, it is going to find another place to live.
When is it time to call a professional to get rid of rodents?
Since there are so many ways rodents can impact your health and your property, we recommend calling a pest control professional immediately. It just isn't worth it to take the chance that your DIY pest control failed to eliminate those critters. It is also important to get help no matter what time of year it is. These pests are active all year long.
If you live in our Tulsa service area, we hope you'll give our team the opportunity to help you resolve your rodent problem. Get started by scheduling a free, no-obligation, pest control estimate. We'll help you figure out what you're up against.