3 Signs that you have Rodents and How to Treat them.

Posted November 18, 2020 by Sarah Malone
Category: Rodents

The idea of sharing your home with rats and mice is a horrible thought. They leave droppings around the house; they can cause damage to wiring and internal structures and sometimes the smell can be quite unpleasant.

Due to the recent rain and excess in vegetation in our area the rodent population is quite larger than usual which means a lot of households are experiencing a higher than usual infestation as they are coming in for shelter for the harsh heat of the day and looking for more comfortable places to set up home for their families.

Do you think you may have a rodent problem in your home? Here are a few signs to look for:

Rodent Droppings

One of the first signs you may noticed is their droppings. Depending on where you find them can give you a clue on what type of rodents are present and where they are hiding within your property.

Mouse droppings are commonly found in the back of a cutlery draw, under the sinks or deep in cupboards. They are 3-8mm and spindle-shaped. They are black when fresh and go a greyish colour when old. Mice tend to leave quite a large number of droppings around anywhere from 70 to 150 a day.

Rat droppings are found where ever they pass by which is away from humans. Rats like low damp areas or in dark roof voids etc. They are around ¾ inch long and are sausage shaped with pointy ends. They are dark and soft with a shiny wet surface when fresh and go dull and dusty as they age. Rats tend to leave 40 to 50 pellets a day. You may also notice a strong musky order which is caused by rat urine.

Holes, chew marks and damage.

Rodents will chew holes into your walls and various areas inside your homes to help get around and create more hiding places. Mice will create a small hole with a smooth edge and rats have rough edges. You can look for chew marks around the visible areas of your home in areas like under sinks, in cupboards or in the roof void.

Noises and Nests

Mice like to make their beds using materials such as paper, string and other soft things that they find around your house. Rats can also be found in such nests also or will create a burrow outside but most still do like the protection and shelter of your home and roof.

As both rats and mice are nocturnal, its at night when it is the quietest that you can hear them running and scratching around in the roof and along your floors which is a good tell-tale sign that you might have a rodent problem.

Get Rodent Control

If you think you may have a rodent problem you should call a professional straight away. Female rats can give birth to around 10-12 babies every month. If you notice one rodent there is a high chance there is more hiding.

Contact Pest Alert for a free quote today.