Rodents can be crafty, and they have no problem settling into your home if there is food, water, heat, and shelter. Since a lot of rodents can compress their bodies they are really good at chewing through a variety of materials –naked mole rats can chew through steel mesh- they can sneak into just about any part of the home. There’s a reason you tend to find dead rats in walls, after all. With how many rodent species can enter homes, it’s important to learn more about the difference between rat vs mouse and other rodent pests. Regardless of which kind of rodent is in your home, the signs you have tend to be similar.
One common sign of a rodent infestation, regardless of the type of the rodent, is chew marks and new holes that look like they’ve been chewed into creation. Rats and mice love to chew, so if you see chew marks on wood and cardboard, it could be rodents. They can also chew through wires, so if you find one of your lights not working suddenly, cautiously investigating is advised. They may also chew into boxes of food.
Knew musky or rotten scents can also indicate rodents. The musk is the scent of the pests themselves, and it can get stronger if there are more or they’ve settled further into the home for a while. The rotten smell can be their nests, but it can also be the result of a mouse or rat getting stuck in the wall and dying. Like squirrels, they may also electrocute themselves by chewing on wires. As with living rodents, it’s advised to have a professional remove the dead ones, too, as they can still carry disease and not everyone is trained how to cut a hole in the wall and repair it safely.
As cat owners can attest, a good indication that there are rodents about is odd behavior from your pets. Cats and dogs are predators by instinct, and they’ll try and get the pests if they can. Cats will wait outside holes or other locations if they think the rodents used them to hide or travel. Pets scratching at the walls or sniffing around more frequently or in odd places can also indicate a rodent problem.
Perhaps one of the most obvious signs of rodents in the home is their droppings. Mouse droppings tend to be small and pointed, while rat droppings are larger and can vary depending on the kind of rat. The droppings will likely be in any cabinets, drawers, or commonly utilized pathways the rodents make use of to get around your home. The droppings can carry diseases, so always use caution and protective gear when handling rodent feces.
Along with their poop, if you see tiny footprints in duty areas, chances are high that rodents are scampering about. Such prints are usually found in higher areas where dust collects. If you keep your home clean because of allergies, tracks might not be found. You may, however, react to the rodent’s dander and start to experience allergic reactions you normally wouldn’t. allergies can be fiddly and variable depending on the weather, but rodents are another possibility.
Depending on where the rodents have settled, you might end up stumbling across their nest, which would make an extremely obvious sign of their presence. A pile of cloth, rags, and the like usually indicate a rodent nest. You tend to see them in basements, attics, and garages. They can be tucked into unused corners, chewed into a box, or found under big appliances, like refrigerators or old cabinets that rest on feet.
It’s unlikely you’ll see the rodents, but, along with smelling them and seeing traces of their presence, you might also hear them as they scamper about. If you hear scratching noises, especially in the attic, basement, garage, or within the walls of the home, that’s a good indication of rodents. You may also hear them chewing depending on what they’re gnawing on and how close you are to them when they do the munching.
The fur of rodents can be greasy, so streaks of grease along the walls or in cabinets, shelves, and drawers is another potential sign of rodents. If you suspect rodents are in your home, consider setting out some traps. Depending on how serious their presence, you may want to call removal experts like Frank’s Wildlife Removal. Whether they’re mice or rats, rodents can carry diseases like rabies, their droppings can make people and pets sick, and they might also have disease ridden ticks and fleas. The rodents will make themselves quite at home inside your house if given the chance. Do not give them that chance. Keep an eye, ear, and nose out for the signs of rodents in the home, because your pets will be doing that, too.
