Signs You Have a Rodent Infestation

Hearing scratching noises in your walls or noticing droppings around your home? You may have a rodent infestation. Rats and mice aren’t subtle pests—sometimes, it can be easy to tell when you have them on your property. Getting rid of rodents, however, isn’t so easy. Not only are they gross, but they can also spread filth and transmit diseases. To avoid dealing with a rodent infestation, it’s important to learn how to recognize the signs of a mouse or rat problem.

Mouse & Rat Infestation Signs

There are many things that indicate a rodent problem inside your home:

• Gnaw marks: Tiny holes or gnaw marks on food packaging is a sign you have rats and mice feasting on your food.
• Nests or nesting materials: Rats and mice will chew up and shred paper or other materials in your home to create nests.
• Droppings: Droppings are one of the most common signs of rodent infestation damage. They have a foul odor and are potentially hazardous.
• Burrows or tunnels: Check under boards, in the doghouse, weedy spots, and near garbage cans for signs of burrows. These could mean that rats and mice are tunneling into your home.
• Foul odors: A stale smell that you can’t explain or foul odor from droppings and urine are big indicators of an active infestation.
• Unexplained noises: Hearing scratching or gnawing noises inside your walls could indicate that rats or mice are living inside your home’s structure.
• Runways or tracks: One test to see if you have rodents is to place talcum powder along countertops and baseboards to see if you notice their prints.

What are the differences between rats & mice?

If you suspect that there are rodents living in your house, you’re probably wondering which kind you’re dealing with. In truth, although they are different species, rat and mice infestation signs and the rodents themselves are very similar if not indistinguishable. All rodents have the common feature of incisor teeth in the upper jaw. They use these teeth to tear through our walls, wires, food packaging, and more. Both rats and mice breed at a rapid pace, but mice typically have larger litter sizes than rats. Mice are also typically smaller and less cautious in temperament than rats. Whether you have a rat or mouse problem, it’s important to enlist the help of a professional pest control company to remove them.

When Rodent Infestation Signs Mean You Need Help

If you at all think you have rats or mice in your home, it’s best to call a professional rodent exterminator. The rodent removal team at Ja-Roy can thoroughly inspect your property to locate any further rodent infestation signs, find the activity, control the population, and prevent them from ever returning!