Do you have rats or mice attempting to co-exist with you in your home? It’s a bone chilling thought; and often a common misconception that homes that are well maintained and properly cared for are immune from infestations of mice or rats. The truth is that any residential property or commercial business can become home to these unwanted intruders at any time. While you may not always see them, they do leave behind some tell-tale signs of their occupancy; some of these signs are immediately obvious while others are much more subtle. The experts at Remedy Pest Control have provided the following information to help you determine if you have a rodent problem within your home or business.
How Can You Tell if a House has Mice or Rats?
• Droppings: Rat droppings are generally black shiny and blunt looking at both ends, size varies from ½ to ¾ of an inch in length. Mice droppings on the other hand are smooth, with pointy ends and generally ¼ of inch in length or shorter.
• Check areas along baseboards and food sources for the tell-tale signs of track and tail trails: If you see smear marks along your baseboards, these are most often caused by grease and dirt on the rodent’s fur.
• Check to see if the wood has been gnawed along building materials: Tooth marks that are approximately 1/8 of an inch long typically indicate rats; small marks that look like scratches generally indicate mice.
• Have you noticed a heavy odor that smells musky in certain areas of your home? Both mice and rats have a strong and unpleasant odor
Are Rats Harder to Get Rid of than Mice?
The knowledgeable experts at Remedy Pest Control understand that for most people it really doesn’t matter if its mice or rats that are making nests in the basement or attic of their homes. After all they are unwanted guests that they just want to see gone for good. To a layperson, rats pretty much look the same as mice but both rats and mice can be completely different creatures in terms of behavior for example, did you know that rats and mice will rarely occupy the same living space at the same time? Other interesting facts about rats and mice include:
• Both mice and rats will forage for food but mice prefer plants and cereal grains while rats prefer almost any grains and will even eat meat.
• On average, a mouse can give birth to up to 60 young per year. Those young can begin to reproduce within as little as six weeks of age. Rats on the other hand can give birth to up to 70 babies per year who will begin to reproduce at 12 weeks of age. Rodents multiply quickly so it’s extremely important to contact Remedy Pest Control as soon as you suspect that you have a rodent problem.
• Mice can live up to one year; rats can live for as long as one and a half years.
• Rats are excellent swimmers unlike mice who avoid large bodies of water.
• A mouse can slip through a hole as tiny as the width of a small fingernail. Rats can squeeze through a space the size of a quarter.
• Mice are colorblind and rely on their sense of smell, hearing and taste to compensate for what they may not see.
• Mice are typically easier to trap than rats as they are more apt to explore new places. Rats are more cautious, taking longer to trap. Their differences will also determine how Remedy Pest Control gets rid of them from your home.
Mouse & Rat Rodent Inspections, Control & More in Bessemer & Greater Birmingham, AL | Serving Jefferson, St. Clair & Shelby Counties, Alabama
The thought of mice or rats within your home is disturbing enough but even worse is the fact that both rodents have the capacity to spread illness and disease. If you suspect that you have a rodent problem within your home contact the professionals at Remedy Pest Control to arrange for a comprehensive rodent removal and treatment plan.
