Pest control is probably a need for every Evansville homeowner. Something about our enjoyable climate, our mix of comfort and countryside, or the local cuisine just seems to draw in the bugs. But, unfortunately, our pest problems don’t stop with six or eight-legged creatures. No, we have our fair share of wildlife as well, and while our four-legged friends may not be malicious, they can do some serious damage inside our homes.
Mice And Rats Of Evansville
Even though you might not have mice and rats in your house at the same time (they don’t really coexist very well), you don’t want to incur an infestation of either. Mice are around three inches long, not including their tail, so they’re much smaller than most rats that measure from six to nine inches long not including their tail. Mice are generally white or tan, while rats are a darker gray.
The smaller size of mice also comes with a smaller brain. However, they have incredibly sharp teeth and will reproduce at very high rates. Using their sharp teeth, they’ll chew through walls, insulation, food storage containers, and electrical wires, costing homeowners hundreds of dollars in damage. Plus, this allows them to get into almost anywhere inside the house.
On the other hand, rats are a lot bigger and a lot more intelligent. They’ll seize their opportunity to get in when the garage door is open or when another form of entrance opens up, and then they’ll find the perfect place to hide. Rats can do a lot of damage over time to the structures of your home as well, and their intelligence makes them very hard to capture.
Severe Health Threats
To make matters worse, mice and rats won’t just damage your home; they’ll damage your health as well. Since they usually hang out in places like landfills, dumpsters, and sewers, they carry bacteria that they can spread all over your house, leading to bacteria on your food preparation surfaces, putting you at risk for diseases like salmonella and E. coli. Their droppings are also very toxic, and the droppings are a good indication of a serious infestation. Mice droppings will typically look like larger chunks of pepper, while rat droppings are darker and about the size of a fingernail.
With the severe health risks that mice and rats pose when they infest your home, prevention needs to be a top priority. Keeping them out involves careful preventative measures like sealing entryways and clearing out the clutter that will attract an infestation. However, with the intelligence of rats and the combination of sharp teeth and the small size of mice, they are very tough rodents to keep out.
Eradicating Mice And Rats
Unfortunately, as hard as they are to keep out, they’re even harder to get rid of. Since rats are very intelligent, they’re harder to capture in regular traps. Mice, on the other hand, are easily trapped, but their reproduction rates are crazy. You might catch one or two in a day, but you’ll have a dozen more in a week. With the severity of the health risks involved, you don’t want to deal with these issues yourself. DIY rodent control methods will leave you stuck in the rat race, literally, with infestations continuing to pop up as you capture one or two at a time. To get the job done right the first time, you’ll need professional rodent control help. For total rodent prevention and eradication, contact the professionals at Action Pest Control.