Rat or Mouse Infestation Indicators

Rat or Mouse Infestation Indicators

If you’ve heard the faint pitter-patter of feet on your roof or floorboards despite not having a pet in your home or furnished apartment, those must be rats or mice. We all know where there’s one rodent around, you’re guaranteed to find another.

Managing a rat or mice infestation is no easy feat. However, it’s not impossible to accomplish.

You may DIY or hire a professional to deal with the situation. Only a professional will have adequate equipment and expertise to completely eliminate the presence of rats or mice in your home.

If you’re still unsure if you have an infestation, we’ll enumerate some signs that pests have invaded your home.

Rat or Mouse Infestation Indicators

An infestation of pests like rats or mice can deteriorate your home entirely. Not only are they unsanitary, but they will destroy your home structure by gnawing, nest-building, and defecation.

This is why it’s vital for you to be aware of the signs that an infestation is taking place.

1. Rodent Droppings

Rat and mouse droppings are dark and moist in appearance. It then crumbles as it dries with age.

These droppings may be located in cupboards or cabinets where food is stored. It may also be located under sinks or in areas that are hidden or hard to reach.

If you find an area with a large number of rodent droppings, chances are you have found their feeding or nesting area.

2. Foul Urine Odor

Pets such as dogs or cats become more active if they smell the odor of urine that does not belong to them. Watch the behavior of your pets.

If they have been circling or pawing at an area they had no interest in before, you should check it out. When a dog spots the presence of mice, your dog may run near walls and get giddy randomly.

Rodent urine also has a strong, musky odor. If you have a large infestation, it’s pretty hard to miss.

3. Gnaw and Scratch Marks

Compared to rat and mouse droppings, their gnaw marks are lighter in nature and darkens as it ages. Be on the lookout for gnawed areas of your walls or puncture marks on the packaging of your food.

One tip to detect if you have a rat or mouse infestation is that if there are large gnaw marks present, it’s the doing of rats.

4. Runways and Tracks

Look for common rodent pathways that the rats or mice would use. These can be along the interior of your walls, building foundations, pipes, ledges, electrical wires, railings, and tree branches.

These rodents leave tracks that fade over time. Be observant of small footprints, urine stains, and smudges on the flooring or walls.

Try putting a thin layer of flour or traps along these pathways so as to lessen their numbers. After you’ve called a professional to handle the infestation, you may also call a handyman to help repair everything the rats and mice destroyed.

5. Scratching Noises

These rodents are nocturnal, so they will make a lot of scratching and scampering sounds at night. Maybe you might even hear some squeaking.

Make sure to check out the areas that your pets have taken a recent interest in, as they might’ve just found out their nesting place.

6. Nests

Rats and mice may shred paper, string, and other materials that they can use to build their nests indoors. Take note that the type of rats or mice that live in your home will depend on where they would nest.

Some rodents would nest outdoors while some would nest in roofs or attics. These places can be a starting point for looking for these pests.

Inspect for rodents

Now that we have provided a list of signs for rat and mouse infestation in your home, try using a flashlight to examine dark areas of your home. These places can be behind appliances or in cupboards and closets.

Take into consideration all the places we have listed where the rodents might be hiding.

Inspecting your home for a possible infestation would reveal:

  • The type of rodent — Is it a mouse or a rat?
  • Locations of nesting and feeding areas
  • The cause of the problem
  • The severity of the problem
  • What methods and procedures to take in dealing with the problem

Knowing where to look and how to deal with this tricky situation would make things easier for you. If the task proves to be too difficult, you can always contact a pest control company to help you out.

You may also contact cleaning services regularly to avoid an infestation, to begin with. Rodents are attracted to dirty rugs and carpets, so you won’t always spot the presence of one immediately.

For more tips on maintaining and cleaning your home, feel free to visit this page.

More resources on home services:

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