Whether they are causing damage or tracking in dangerous germs, rodents are no laughing matter. These common invasive pests can go from a small nuisance to a big problem fast. Learning how you can limit them from gaining access to your home may just help you stay protected from mice and rats.

Mice

What To Know About Rodents

The two most common home-invading rodents are mice and rats, which rarely infest the same property at once. These territorial mammals prefer to not compete for food and shelter, so it’s necessary to be able to tell mice apart from rats.

Here are features you can use to accomplish this:

Size: Mice are typically much smaller than rats, though rat pups are often mistaken for adult mice and vice versa. Mice grow to a few inches in length and rats can grow close to a foot.
Face: With their more compact shape comes a more snub-nosed appearance for mice. Rats, on the other hand, have elongated, slender faces.
Ears: Mice have ridiculously large, round ears right above their eyes. A rat’s ears are pinched at the edges and sit further back on the head.

Size: Mice are typically much smaller than rats, though rat pups are often mistaken for adult mice and vice versa. Mice grow to a few inches in length and rats can grow close to a foot.
Face: With their more compact shape comes a more snub-nosed appearance for mice. Rats, on the other hand, have elongated, slender faces.
Ears: Mice have ridiculously large, round ears right above their eyes. A rat’s ears are pinched at the edges and sit further back on the head.

What Attracts Rodents To Your Home?

Rodents, like most pests, are attracted to properties in search of food and shelter. Often, rodent populations can thrive outdoors, nesting in woody areas and only invading to rummage through a dumpster or two. However, as the weather cools rodents must find shelter, driving them into homes across the country.

Here are some common sense things to keep in mind for what attracts rodents inside, and what you can do to prevent them:

Food Storage: Rats can chew through weak plastic and cardboard packaging, meaning you need to be sure to protect foodstuffs in secure areas and sturdy containers. The same goes for pet food.
Trash Storage: Even the garbage isn’t safe from foraging rodents, which can chew through bags and crawl into open bins. Keep trash stored in secure containers.
Deep Cleaning: It doesn’t matter that your ready-to-eat foods and discarded waste are safe if crumbs and spills accumulate in the hard-to-reach areas of your home. Frequently deep cleaning for food traces, especially under heavy appliances, will reduce a rodent’s potential food supply.

Food Storage: Rats can chew through weak plastic and cardboard packaging, meaning you need to be sure to protect foodstuffs in secure areas and sturdy containers. The same goes for pet food.
Trash Storage: Even the garbage isn’t safe from foraging rodents, which can chew through bags and crawl into open bins. Keep trash stored in secure containers.
Deep Cleaning: It doesn’t matter that your ready-to-eat foods and discarded waste are safe if crumbs and spills accumulate in the hard-to-reach areas of your home. Frequently deep cleaning for food traces, especially under heavy appliances, will reduce a rodent’s potential food supply.

How Do Rodents Get In?

Once rodents make it inside, they quickly hunker down and begin nesting to bolster their numbers. Therefore, it’s important to prevent rodents from invading in the first place.

Here are some tips for keeping mice and rats out of your home:

Crack Sealing: Even if a hole or crack in the wall is too small for a rodent to squeeze through, it can still be an easy way in. Mice and rats will pick at and burrow through weak spots in the wall or foundation, so regularly checking for these blemishes is important.
Landscaping: Keeping a well-manicured yard isn’t just about your lawn looking nice, it’s about limiting areas in your home where pests can nest. Reducing cover and keeping foliage trimmed back will reduce the likelihood that outdoor rodents can easily move inside.
Vent Coverings: Chimneys and open ventilation areas are another frequent point of entry for rodents. Install and maintain grates or caps that keep pests out.

Total Protection From Pestmaster® Services

With so much to have to think about and plan for when it comes to rodent prevention, you’re likely to get overwhelmed quickly. Luckily for you, you’ve got a local resource that’s just a call away. At Pestmaster® Services, our friendly staff can give you even more tips on how to control rodent populations and keep your home protected. We’ll get started right away on an inspection of your property, determining whether rodents are nearby or likely to be a problem. Then, we’ll work with you to deliver fast, cost-effective solutions to keep your home rodent-free.

Don’t wait for rodents to invade your home before you do something about them, visit Pestmaster® Services for superior protection today.