It is amazing how much of a difference there is between a pet rodent and a pest rodent. The only thing that sets the two apart is free will. Pet rodents inside their cages can only cause minor trouble within the confines of their enclosed environment. Pest rodents, on the other hand, are able to travel freely inside homes. This causes issues. To find out what those issues are and to learn some simple things you can do to keep rodents out of your Mobile home this winter, keep reading.
Why Pest Rodents Are A Problem
Unlike a cage meant for containing rodents, your home can not be easily taken apart and cleaned after rodents have left their droppings and urine everywhere. This, combined with the fact that rodents are filthy creatures with a propensity to carry and spread diseases such as salmonellosis, hantavirus, and rat-bite fever, you have a real cause for concern. Rodents are also known for the destruction they cause inside homes. Most commonly this destruction is caused by their teeth when they chew through walls, bite through electrical wiring, and gnaw into utility piping. This behavior can lead to serious issues within the structure of a home.
When Rodents Are Most Likely To Invade
Although Mobile, AL, does not get too cold during the winter months, it gets cold enough to drive rodents to seek shelter within our warm homes. This means, as we head further into winter, more and more rodents will be looking for ways to get into homes. The question is, will you be prepared for them?
How To Be Prepared For Rodents
Your home is a paradise for rodents: there is plenty of hiding space for shelter inside of your walls, plenty of materials to build a nest (such as paper, fabric, and insulation), and plenty of food to scavenge. With this in mind, here are some practical ways you can put a stop to winter invaders this year.
- Make sure your exterior and interior trashcans are tightly sealed.
- Keep your yard clutter-free and your landscaping trimmed and well-kept.
- Inspect the exterior of your home for gaps, cracks, or holes. Fill in small openings using a caulking gun and wire mesh (some rodents only need a hole the size of a nickel to squeeze inside). For larger damage, more significant repair work may be required.
- Wherever you feed your pets, pick up their bowls immediately after they are done with them.
- Store leftover food items inside plastic containers.
In the same way, repackage food stored in cardboard boxes into larger plastic containers. - Talk to your local pest control provider about rodent control options for your home.
If rodents have gotten past your home’s defenses, there is something you can do IF you act quickly enough. Start with a few store-bought traps baited with peanut butter. If it seems rodents are gone within a week, awesome, get an inspection just to make sure. If your problems continue, however, it is time to give the professionals here at Havard Pest Control a call. The last thing you want is a couple of rodents turning into a hundred. To stop this from happening, we are here and ready to lend you a helping hand.