3 Signs Of A Rodent Infestation
Rodents are one of the most common pests that can affect your household, and they can cause a great deal of structural damage while also carrying diseases which can be harmful to you and your family's health. Understanding what some of the most common signs of a rodent presence in your home are can help you spot infestations quickly so that you can contact a pest removal specialist before they can cause real problems in your home.
1. Droppings
Both rats and mice are likely to leave droppings around your home, which take the appearance of small black pellets or beads scattered around areas where rodents will tend to congregate – such as along the baseboards, around food sources such as in your pantry or around pet bowls, and in the back of cabinets or other areas where they may have access to holes inside of your walls. Avoid touching droppings yourself, since they can carry bacteria and other harmful particles; instead, vacuum or sweep them up and get in touch with a pest control specialist.
2. Rodent Runs
Runs act as pathways or highways that mark the path that mice and rats will take around your home, and are created by rodents rubbing their fur against surfaces as they move about your home. The oil and dirt from their fur will create dark smudges and smears that can cover a long pathway and can be used by pest control specialists to determine where to best apply treatments and traps. A single dark smudge is likely to be dirt, but as soon as you notice a dark smear along a longer stretch of your baseboards, flooring or another surface, call a pest control company straight away.
3. Gnawing Damage
Rats and mice love to chew, and a large population or infestation within your home will leave ample markings of this pastime everywhere. Keep an eye out for teeth marks on wooden furniture legs, on newspapers, on the edges of your upholstered furniture, and even in any exposed wiring or plugs that you may have.
In fact, per the last point, rodents may chew through electrical wires, damaging outlets and other appliances and preventing them from operating properly, if at all. Further, you may be able to hear the sound of gnawing and chewing in the walls of your home at night, when there is little ambient noise and the rodents, which are nocturnal, wake up.
For more information, contact your local rodent control service.
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