It is estimated that there is one rat for every person living in the United States, and no state is excluded from having them. Rats and mice can be found in large urban centers, on country farms, and even aboard boats, far out to sea. Their commensal nature--which means they prefer to live off what other creatures leave behind--has earned them the title of domestic rodent. In fact, when you hear the word rodent, you don't think of squirrels, beavers, porcupines and other rodents; you think of mice and rats. But do you really know them? Let's find out.
Which do you think breeds faster, a mouse or a rabbit? While mice and rabbits can typically have between three and fourteen young, the gestation period of your average mouse is a mere twenty days, while a rabbit requires thirty days to gestate. That means mice have babies ? times faster. Those babies also breed faster. It takes a rabbit six months before it begins to breed more rabbits. A mouse can begin breeding as early as four weeks.
Are mice and rats nocturnal? Yes. These creatures prefer to come out at night, but it is not unheard of to find them running around in the day. If you work the graveyard shift, the mice living in your house will work the day shift.
Can mice and rats see in the dark? No creature can see in the dark. But many creatures can see very well in low light situations. Mice and rats do not fall into this category. Though their eyes poke out, allowing them to see motion from all sides, they have very poor vision. Mice and rats actually use their whiskers to get around quickly in the dark. These whiskers can sense breezes, temperature changes, and help them navigate through obstacles.
Can mice and rats climb walls? You'd think so, considering they can get up high into some hard to reach places. Though mice can do an amazing job of scaling rough surfaces, they don't have anything on the cockroach or the millipede. You're not going to find a mouse or rat climbing across a ceiling any time soon, but most mice and rats can jump up to twenty times their height, walk across a thin rope, and climb 13 inches up a smooth vertical surface. This allows them to get up into the rafters with ease.
Mice and rats are amazing creatures, but if you're having trouble with them in your home, you need a Lexington, KY pest control company that can stop them from breeding faster than rabbits, getting into your food at night, and gaining access to hard-to-reach places. A certified pest technician can safely remove mice and rats from your home and help you seal your walls from future infestation. When it comes to a sneaky and versatile pest like this, that is all you need to know.