When rodents find their way onto your property or even into your home, the results are often more than just annoying. These critters can squeeze through even the smallest of holes in your roof soffits or the siding on your home, and once inside they quickly set out to nest and reproduce. Here’s what you need to know about rodent infestations to keep you, your family, and your home safe.
Types of Rodents in Port St. Lucie
The critters most commonly found inside Port St. Lucie homes include:
- Squirrels – As the largest of the most common rodents we see, squirrels can do a lot of damage when left alone in your walls or attic. They commonly chew on things like insulation, wiring, and wooden structures – resulting in expensive damage.
- Mice – Don’t let their small size fool you, if mice are left alone to nest, they can almost triple their size in a matter of weeks. The larger your infestation grows, the harder it will be to get them out.
- Rats – They love your attic because it’s safe and warm, and has plenty of nesting materials for them. Unfortunately for you, those materials are hard to get to, so rats need to chew through your drywall and other obstacles to rip it out.
The most likely place to find rodent infestation is in your attic. But wall voids, areas behind kitchen appliances, inside cupboards are all favorite rodent hiding spots.
Signs of Rodent Infestations
- Droppings– often the first sign of an infestation, rodent droppings tend to be dark in color, with rat, mouse, and squirrel droppings being about the size of a grain of rice.
- Chewing marks– rodents have teeth that must be trimmed continuously to prevent overgrowth, so you will find gnaw marks on personal items and cables
- Scratching noises-rodents scurry around in attics, crawl spaces, under floorboards, and anywhere else they can get into
- Tracks– rodents don’t have good eyesight and tend to use the same paths to get around your house, so you may find dark marks or smudges along walls and floorboards
- Nests and burrows– rodents build these with organic or man-made materials, such as newspapers, to shelter their young
- Ripped up materials like cardboard, paper, insulation, or other nesting materials
- Bite marks or holes in food packaging
Rodent removal has to be a priority in your home. Rodents are dangerous pests that lurk in many areas of homes and businesses. They can remain hidden and hard to spot for a long time until their population grows to higher levels. When this occurs, it puts you and your family at a high risk. It’s important to recognize the risks of a rodent infestation and to take action immediately to rid your home of unwanted and dangerous rodents.
Why Are Rodents So Dangerous to You?
Rodents of all types (mice, rats, and other varieties) are one of the highest risk pests that invade homes. What makes them specifically dangerous is the risk of the diseases that they carry. They carry a variety of parasites and diseases that are very hazardous to humans. This includes salmonellosis, rat bit fever, listeria, and hantavirus. Each of these causes long-term health complications and may be fatal in some cases.
Of course, rodents can also damage your home including damaging your home’s wiring and structural integrity. They can reproduce very quickly and leave you and your family at risk. A few other things you need to watch out for when it comes to rodents includes:
- Rodents carry deadly diseases
- Rodents can be especially harmful to those with allergies
- They can damage your home leading to thousands of dollars in losses and repairs
What Can You Do About a Rodent Infestation?
If you suspect, you have rodents in your home – even if you have only seen them once or perhaps just the evidence they leave behind – it is always best to call a professional to trap and exterminate them. Rodent removal should always be done by a professional like the ones at Critter Control®. Our experts are trained in not only removing the rodents from your home, but also keeping them out for good.
Professional Rat Rodent Control
Rats breed throughout the year, reproducing seven or eight times yearly with seven or more offspring per litter. It doesn’t take long for your home to become infested with rats. The more rats you have, the more damage occurs. Calling a rat rodent control expert at the first sign of rodent activity is crucial.
Trying to control a rat problem yourself can lead to mistakes that worsen the situation. Using the wrong traps, insufficient traps, or the wrong bait can mean the rat population in your home will continue growing. Placing a trap in the wrong place may lead to a rat dying within your walls. The smell of decay can be intolerable.
Rat control experts devise a comprehensive plan consisting of an inspection, trapping, removal, exclusion, prevention, and sanitization. They have the proper tools to assess and implement the rat control plan so that you and your family are safe and do not have to worry about future rat problems.
Professional Rodent Inspection
The rat control process starts with a thorough inspection from a certified professional, like our Critter Control service technicians, who will look for signs of rats in your home, such as:
- Entry points that can be as small as a quarter
- Cracks and openings around doors and windows
- Droppings and urine trails along baseboards or appliances
- Nesting activities
- Gnaw marks on wood, plastic, vinyl, wires, etc.
Based on the inspection, we implemented a custom extermination and rodent control plan.
Rodent Trapping and Removal
Trapping is the most effective method of rodent control. The size of the population will determine the number of traps, the types of traps, and the bait to use. Infestation size also determines the process’s length, which can range from a few days to weeks. With a large colony, other control measures, including tamper-resistant bait stations, may be required around the perimeter of your structure.
The sooner you call the professionals for help, the sooner trapping and rat removal can begin. They take care of everything, including proper disposal and sanitization, so all evidence of rats is removed.
Post-Removal Cleanup
After removing the animal, the wildlife service technician applies sanitization agents to ensure the area is clean and won’t affect you or your family. Any traces of rat feces or urine can lead to unwanted consequences, including attracting more rodents and growing mold spores. Technicians will thoroughly disinfect where necessary, including removing dead rats. With that, you can breathe easier in your own home. Beyond sanitation, our specialists will help with certain repairs, such as replacing damaged insulation.
Rodent Exclusion for Rodent Control
If you successfully remove every rat in your home but do not implement exclusion and prevention techniques, your home is at risk for future rat activity. One of our technicians’ first exclusion methods is to seal up all quarter-inch or larger entry points.
A few common entry points include:
- foundation cracks
- loose-fitting screens
- holes for pipes
- chimneys
- loose soffits
Rats will likely gnaw through materials like plastic, wood, and caulking to enter your home. The professionals will use sealants, wire mesh, and other rat-proofing structures to safeguard your home.
Recurring Rodent Control Solutions
The rat removal steps above will give your home a much-needed reset. However, rats are clever and persistent and may try to reenter your home. Their search for food, water, and shelter may lead them back to your home, where they may try to create new entry points.
You can take management steps after completing the rat rodent control process to ensure your home maintains safety. For instance, regularly scheduled monitoring appointments with a professional can ensure you don’t experience future rat problems. Technicians search for new entry points and any signs of rat activity inside and outside your home. If they find something, they can fix the problem right away.