Signs of a Rodent Infestation
Probably no one likes the thought of having rats or mice in their home. Rodents damage your home’s interiors, contaminate foods, and may cause health conditions such as Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, plague, and salmonellosis.
Rodents may take refuge in your home. Rodents are stealthy creatures, so you may never see them unless you have a severe infestation. Your best bet in identifying a rodent infestation is looking for the signs rodents leave behind in areas they frequent. Discover signs that indicate a rodent infestation.
Scratching Sounds
Rodents are agile climbers and may crawl into roof spaces and upper areas in your house, such as the attic. Other times, rodents may hide under floorboards and behind cabinets. If you hear scratching or scurrying sounds at night in these areas, you may have a pest problem.
Running Tracks
You may observe tiny footprints rodents leave in dusty areas as they move around the house. You may also see tiny scratch marks along that area.
Allergies
Droppings may cause allergies and asthma flare-ups in some people. Therefore, consider inspecting your home for a rodent infestation if your allergies and asthma symptoms suddenly flare up after a long time.
Rodent Droppings
You may find a large number of dropping in areas rodents have infested. Common areas in which you may find rodent droppings include underneath sinks and drawers and near food packages. Areas with rodent nests will have the highest number of droppings. So check such areas for an active infestation. Rodent droppings are black or brown and have a shape similar to a grain of rice.
Nests and Burrows
Rodents build their nests in dark, hidden areas where they can hide easily. Rodents will build their nest with shredded materials like paper, fabric, and string. Rodents may also chew holes through walls and thin materials like cardboard to create entry points and passageways to move around your home. If you find a rodent nest or burrow alongside fresh droppings, you may still have an active infestation in your home.
Foul Smells
Rodents may have drops of urine in places they occupy to mark their territories. The urine may leave a pungent ammonia smell in areas many rodents occupy. Other times, you may have a dead rodent stuck in the walls. In this case, you may detect a rotten smell. The smell may be sharp and pungent and may permeate a specific area.
Erratic Pet Behavior
If your pet keeps pawing at certain areas or acts alert in some rooms in your house, you may want to check for rats or mice. Even if you have a pet rat or mouse, they may get excited and move around in areas other rodents occupy.
Gnaw Marks
Rodents tend to gnaw on surfaces such as wood, cardboard, and food packets. Rats have larger teeth than mice. So if you find large gnaw marks on surfaces, you may have a rat problem. On the other hand, teeth marks by mice will look like small surface scratches.
Dirt and Grease Spots
Rodents tend to use the same runways, and they like to stick close to the walls as they move around. The oils on rodents’ furs may leave grease marks in the areas they frequent. Additionally, rodents may leave dirt spots from their paws as they move around. Check your walls for these marks when inspecting for rodents.
If you have observed any of the above signs of a rodent infestation in your house, you need to call a pest exterminator before the problem gets out of hand. Contact us today to get rid of any pesky rodents that may have invaded your home.