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As winter rolls in, pest control concerns shift from bugs to mammals. While you won’t have to worry much about mosquitos and flies this time of year, rats and mice are more likely to enter your home to escape the cold. These rodents can carry unwelcome diseases with them as well as cause damage to your property and belongings.
Oftentimes you won’t encounter a mouse, but you’ll be able to pick up some clues that let you know if one has taken up residence. Here are a few telltale signs you can look for to tell if you have mice on your property:
The surest sign that you have rodents besides seeing one in the flesh is the presence of droppings. Rodent droppings will stick out like a sore thumb since there are few other explanations as to why they might be there in the first place.
Most mice and rat droppings are cylindrical in shape. You canuse this guide to determine what species of rodent you might have in your house, but the specifics aren’t always necessary. Most species can be caught in the same traps.
Droppings can be found all over your house, so they won’t tell you exactly where rodents are hiding out. Droppings in the kitchen or in food storage might indicate that rodents are coming there to snack while hiding out and building their nests somewhere else. Still, it will give you an idea of where they’re frequenting.
While not as obvious as a pile of droppings, there are other physical signs that can point you toward a rodent infestation. For example, you might come across a crude nest that will indicate that a rodent had made its home there recently.
Other signs include gnaw marks and scratches on walls, floors, and baseboards. These will be harder to spot, but if you start to notice more markings without an explanation, it could mean that you have rodents.
In some cases you might be able to spot some tracks. Using a flashlight or blacklight you might be able to uncover frequent trails that mice have been using to get around your property.
Signs of rodents aren’t always visible. What you hear and smell can be just as effective of a way of uncovering a rodent infestation.
Rodent urine does not smell good. It’s quite foul and should be easily distinguishable from other smells within your house. Besides, anything that smells that bad should be investigated whether it’s from a rodent or not.
Finally, unnatural noises could very well be from a rodent. If you’re heard scratching noises in the attic or on a wall, a safe assumption is that you have an unwanted critter that needs to be evicted.
If you fear you have mice or rats in your home, grab a pest control solution at PF Harris. They haveall kinds of traps and baits you can use to get rid of them as well as arodent repellent spray to keep them from returning.