Rodent Identification Guide
What are rodents?
Rodents are mammals that have great species diversity. There are more than 1,500 species of rodents living throughout every continent except Antarctica. Rodents are everywhere! Rodents come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and colors, and display unique behaviors. However, one thing that makes a rodent a rodent is their constantly growing front incisors.
Rodents use these teeth for feeding, gathering nesting materials, chewing their way into areas, and self-defense. Common examples of rodents include rats, mice, porcupines, chipmunks, squirrels, and voles. Mice and rats have developed a one-sided relationship with people and have adapted to living with us — much to our dismay!
The most common species of rodents we find living in and around our homes and businesses include house mice, field mice, and Norway rats.
Are rodents dangerous?
The presence of rodents makes your home unsafe and a place you can't relax. Rodents are dangerous and damaging pests and should not be allowed to live with people. While rodents are much more afraid of you than you are of them, they are still dangerous pests. They spread bacteria and other pathogens to food and surfaces in your home by way of their feet, saliva, and excrement. Rodents also carry parasites into your home on their backs.
In addition to the health problems rodents cause, they are also damaging pests. They wear down their continually growing front incisors by chewing on things like wires, ducts, pipes, drywall, furniture, books, and boxes. We can help remove dangerous rodents from your Oklahoma area home or business.
Why do I have a rodent problem?
The most common reason for a rodent problem is that there are ample sources of food located inside and outside your home. Rodents are omnivores and feed on a variety of foods. They won't hesitate to forage for food in gardens, pet food bowls, trash cans, compost piles, pantries, cabinets, counters, and tables. If there is food present, they will take advantage of it.
Rodents also like to choose properties that offer them plenty of hiding spots. Rodents are prey animals and want to stay hidden from view. Woodpiles, brush piles, overgrown shrubbery, fallen trees, tree stumps, and areas under decks and sheds are some of their favorite hiding spots.
Where will I find rodents?
After gaining entry into your home through openings, they discover they will nest in quiet, out-of-sight areas close to food sources. Typical indoor nesting spots for mice and rats include basements, attics, wall voids, cabinets or closets, and behind large appliances.
If rodents are nesting in your home, you may begin to notice some of the following signs:
- Holes chewed in cardboard boxes and food containers
- Holes chewed through pet food bags
- Electrical shorts
- Hearing running or scratching sounds behind walls or above ceilings
- Droppings (dark, rice-like in shape) on floors, in drawers, or cabinets
- Grease marks along walls of furniture left by rats
How do I get rid of rodents?
Rodents are difficult pests to control and eliminate. If you are experiencing problems with rodents in your Oklahoma, Kansas, or Arkansas home or business, let the professionals at BugBros Pest Control help. We take pride in offering the consistent and convenient services needed to eliminate pests and prevent them from returning. We dedicate ourselves to providing our customers with a pest-free environment that can be enjoyed by family and friends. We kill bugs and create #CrazyHappyCustomers!
How can I prevent rodents in the future?
Let the professionals at BugBros in conjunction with our helpful prevention tips help you avoid problems with rodents:
- After eating, clean up food and drinks immediately.
- Limit eating to the kitchen and dining areas in your home.
- Once pets finish eating, pick up their food bowls.
- Store food in plastic containers with sealing lids instead of the original packaging.
- Rodent-proof the outside of your home, sealing any spaces you find. Both rats and mice can squeeze their bodies through the tiniest of spaces.
- Make sure screens are tight, and there are no spaces around windows and doors.
- Trim back tree branches from your home's roof and overgrown shrubbery from your home's exterior walls. Rodents will hide in them and use their limbs to gain easy access to your home.
- Get rid of water sources by repairing leaky pipes, hoses, and clogged gutters.
For more information about our rodent control services, reach out to BugBros today. We would love to work with you to ensure that your residential or commercial property is free of rodents and other pests!
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