Why is Longview Rodent Control So Important?
However, seeing a rodent inside the home is rarely the first sign of a problem. In many instances, people will see rodent droppings long before they actually see an animal. You can determine what type of rodent you are dealing with just by looking at their droppings. Mice will leave droppings that are long and pointed at the ends, resembling grains of rice. Rat droppings are much more blunt and are about the size of a raisin.
Why is Rodent Control in Longview So Important?
No one wants to live with rodents and for good reason. When rodents make their way into your home, they will contaminate everything they come into contact with. Mice and rats both spread diseases such as rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, and E-coli. Mice can also transmit the hantavirus, a respiratory disease that is fatal for humans. Mice do not have to bite you to transmit these diseases. Contamination can happen through droppings, the bodily fluids of a rodent, and indirectly, by parasites.
Contracting a disease from rodents in your home is a worst-case scenario for many, but these pests will also do a great deal of damage to your home. They will chew through materials such as insulation, wiring inside the home, drywall, siding, and wallboards. Rats teeth never stop growing and so, they need to constantly chew to keep their teeth filed down. This constant chewing can result in the destruction of personal belongings, walls, and even the foundation of the home.
Prevention is Often the Best Longview Pest Control
The best way to ensure you never have to deal with rodents is to prevent them from ever getting into your home in the first place. Some of the best prevention strategies that will keep rodents away include:
- Seal access points: Both rats and mice can fit through very small spaces. When they are young, mice can fit through a space no larger than a pen and when they become adults, they only need a space the size of a dime to make their way inside a home. To prevent them from doing so, examine all floors, ceilings, walls, and areas around wires and pipes and seal any holes you find.
- Store food properly: Like all pests, rodents enter homes to look for shelter, food, and water, especially as the weather starts to turn cooler. To eliminate as many of the attractants in your home as possible, store food in airtight containers.
- Repair leaky faucets and pipes: Again, it is not just food rodents are constantly looking for, but water, too. They will often find this around leaky faucets and pipes around the home. Repair any leaks around the home so they do not attract rodents.
- Keep it clean: Even the smallest scrap of food can attract rodents, so always wipe down counters and other surfaces when you are finished eating. Also keep your home clean in general. Rodents will use cluttered spaces to hide so tidying up can remove those places of shelter.
