Telltale Signs of a Rodent Infestation

A small mouse can be cute when contained in a cage, but thinking about a whole family of mice scurrying around your home is enough to send chills down your spine! Sure, to many, mice or rats may seem harmless compared to other pests, but the truth is a rodent infestation can lead to damage to your home and health risks to you, your family, and your pets.

You may have suspicions that you have a rodent or two inside your home, and where there is one mouse or rat there is almost always more. Here are a few of the telltale signs that you have a rodent infestation in your home:

Droppings: It probably goes without saying that droppings are a clear sign that there are rodents in your home. Though easily recognizable, if you aren’t looking for droppings you may not notice them for weeks or even months! Droppings are especially helpful evidence to exterminators, as they indicate what kind of rodents are in your home, the size, the age, the general amount, and the areas of your home in which they like to hang out (and where traps should be set most densely).

Urine odors: While not as easy to detect as droppings, rodent urine has a strong musty smell that you will start to notice in your home when there is an infestation. If you have pets, you may often mistake this smell as your cat or dog having indoor “accidents”, but if you continue to notice a problem, you should consider the possibility that you may have acquired a few more animal inhabitants in your home.

Gnaw holes: Depending on the size and type of rodents in your home, you may start to notice coin-sized gnaw holes through pages and boxes in your kitchen and bathrooms, and even along the bottom or your walls. These holes will appear with rough torn edges, and can lead to food contamination and eventually structural damage to your home if the infestation is not properly treated.

Scampering noises: Keep in mind that most rodents are nocturnal, so they’ll be asleep during the day and awake at night. If you have an infestation, you’ll see or hear rodents moving throughout your home in the evening.

Unusual pet behavior: Pets will often act unusual when there is a rodent infestation in your home. They may seem to bark or meow at nothing, be on high alert at all times, or start to paw under doorways and pieces of furniture. If you happen to notice your pet acting out of the ordinary or like they’re seeing something that you can’t see, they may have caught onto a few pests before you have!

If you are experiencing a rodent infestation, give us a call at (800) 229-2888 or visit our website to schedule an appointment. An infestation will only get worse and become more detrimental if not properly dealt with. Don’t delay in calling in the professional pest experts!