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What does a rodent problem look like? It depends on the rodent. Different kinds of rodents pose different challenges, and some are definitely worse than others. Join us today as we look at a few common rodent species in our Roseville service area. We'll look at some of the problems they cause and give you five prevention tips you can apply around your home.
If you have questions about rodents in Roseville or need rodent control near you, remember that we're here to help. You don't have to struggle with pests alone. Contact Neighborly Pest Management today for assistance.
Species Of Rodents That Commonly Infest Roseville Area Properties
The world has a surprising variety of rodents. Some rodents never get into Roseville area homes. For example, you never hear about people waking up to beavers bumping around in their attics. But, some rodents are common troublemakers. Here is a short list of common rodents, from mild to worst.
Chipmunks:
If you have these rodents in your yard, you won't have too much trouble with them. Chipmunks do well outside and hardly ever find their way indoors. If they get into your home, they will not likely stay for long.
Squirrels:
These furry-tailed rodents are similar to chipmunks. They aren't going to cause too much trouble in your yard and will only stay in your home for a short time. But they'll stay a lot longer than a chipmunk. It is not uncommon for squirrels to live in an attic space for an entire winter. Fortunately, they tend to stay up in the attic and won't raid your cabinets.
Voles:
These mouse-like rodents cause a lot of trouble in the yard and can damage your lawn, landscape plants, and trees. But, while hard to deal with in your yard, they won't come into your home. A vole will not find a suitable environment in your house, even for a short time.
Norway Rats:
These are stout brown rats that create burrows in the ground. They sometimes stay outdoors, but when they get in, they create alarming problems. Norway rats go by many names, including sewer rat, which best describes them. They seek damp, unsanitary environments. In your home, they'll contaminate everything they touch.
Roof Rats:
These are mid-size black rats. They climb like squirrels and commonly enter homes through high entry points found on roofs. While certainly not clean rodents, they aren't nearly as unsanitary as Norway rats. Unfortunately, they're also more prone to living indoors. These rats can climb up and down through wall voids and explore every part of your home, including your kitchen and pantry.
House Mice:
The worst of all rodent pests is the common house mouse. These little gray rodents do extremely well indoors, where they find an environment that offers them superb protection from predators. House mice get into trash and other unsanitary environments and easily move about in kitchens and pantries.
Deer Mice:
These mice are also referred to as field mice. It is an appropriate name for them as they prefer to live in fields rather than houses. But they aren't nearly as happy outdoors as chipmunks and squirrels. They commonly get into structures. The difference between deer mice and house mice is that they prefer sheds and barns.
These are the common rodent pests of Roseville. Of all the rodents listed here, rats and mice stand head-and-shoulders above the rest in terms of their ability to present problems. Let's take a look at some of the issues you can expect.
The Many Problems A Rodent Infestation Can Create In Your Home
When rats and mice get into your home, they check out every corner. They're not afraid to look in your kitchen cabinets or inspect your pantry shelves. None of the other pests listed above do this, which is why rodent control is more about controlling rats and mice.
Another reason people single out rats and mice for specialized control is because they breed quickly. A couple of mice or rats can give rise to thousands in just one year. But it is always one or the other. It is extremely rare for rats and mice to live in the same structure. Whether you have rats or mice, you can expect them to:
- Chew on wires and present a fire hazard.
- Chew on building materials and let other pests into your home.
- Rip up insulation and contaminate your insulation with fecal matter and urine.
- Stain and chew holes in stored furniture.
- Leave urine and droppings on floors and shelves and inside drawers and cabinets.
- Bring ticks and fleas into your home.
- Chew holes in food packaging and contaminate the foods inside.
- Make noises inside your walls or attic.
We could go on, but these problems clearly show what rats and mice do inside your home. These problems increase as rodents increase their numbers. We strongly recommend taking steps to keep rodents out. Let's look at five effective tips for dealing with rodents in Roseville.
Five Simple Yet Effective Rodent Prevention Tips For Around Your House
Once again, we're going to focus on rats and mice. They don't just come into your home uninvited; they cause lots of serious problems as they move from floor to floor and check out every inch of your interior. Use the following five simple-to-understand tips to keep them out.
1. Eliminate Potential Rodent Food Sources
There are many things rats and mice eat. If you consider the food they're searching for on your property, you may deter them from living too close to your home. Here are some examples and what to do about them:
- Collect nuts or fruit off the ground as soon as possible.
- If you have fruit trees, consider installing rodent guards around the trunks to prevent rodents from getting up to the fruit on the bows.
- If you have berry bushes, consider installing fencing material to keep rodents from finding a feast.
- If you have bird feeders, guard your feeders so rats and mice can jump or climb up to access the seeds.
- Store all trash in covered containers. Rats and mice are surprisingly adept at getting into trash receptacles. But, even if they can't, the scent will attract them.
- Rats and mice eat a variety of insects. Consider installing motion-sensitive light fixtures around your exterior to keep lights off when you're not using them.
- Insects are attracted to light, and keeping lights off will help reduce their populations on your property.
Use these tips as a starting place for removing food attractants and smells that might attract rodents to your home.
2. Create an Open Space
Rats and mice don't like open spaces because they use objects to guide them. They need touch stimuli. A neatly cut lawn, free of clutter, can cause a rat or mouse to go away. The solution here is simple: Cut grass and keep your yard clear of clutter.
3. Trim Vegetation
Rats and mice like to hide underneath broadleaf plants and in shrubs and bushes. Trim your landscaping to remove hiding places for these potential pests. Pay particular attention to the space at the bottom of plants where rats and mice will crawl.
4. Seal Entry Points
Rats and mice enter homes through tiny holes. A full-grown rat can squeeze through a gap as small as a quarter. But you'll want to see holes as small as a pencil because rodents will sense these small holes and gnaw at them to get inside.
5. Keep Rodents Off Your Roof
Rats and mice can find ways to get on your roof. If they do, they can find a way into your attic. You can deter them by trimming branches that hang near your roofline or touch your roof. Use guards to keep rodents from running across power lines or climbing up pipes to get to your roof.
Now that you know how to keep rodents away, what can you do if rodents get into your Roseville home? There are many solutions for controlling rats and mice. You only need to browse an online retailer for a few minutes to realize how complicated it is to control rodents. Worse, many of the solutions offered online will not solve your problem.
Choosing The Right Rodent Control: Contact Us To Learn More
Some products don't work at all. For example, sonic devices do not work to arrest rodent infestations. Rats and mice can get used to the noise or simply move to a different area. Other products work but fall short when applied incorrectly. What we see, more than anything else, is rodent control that is half done. If you don't use a comprehensive control solution, you will keep accumulating rodents and find yourself removing them from your home without end.
When rats or mice become a problem in your Roseville home, contact your Neighborly Pest Management team for Roseville rodent control services. Navigate to our Contact Us page to request information about service options, control methods, pricing, and more. We look forward to helping.
