MICE & RATS

If any creature can claim the title of nature’s perfect pest, it’s mice and rats. These rodents are found nearly everywhere humans live, and seem deliberately designed to infest human homes. They damage homes. They damage businesses. They ruin food. They have been known to bite (rats). They spread diseases. They can even wreck your garden. No matter what your concerns are about an infestation, rats and mice are a pest you should be concerned about.

The threat of rats & mice come from three main problems:

Problem #1: Rats have constantly growing incisors.

These sharp front teeth must be constantly filed down by the rodents. They achieve that by gnawing. Rats can gnaw their way through most things, including walls or food storage containers. This can make them difficult to keep out, but more significantly it can do significant damage to a building. This threat is heightened by rats’ tendency to chew through wiring, which is a significant fire hazard.

Problem #2: Rats & Mice are opportunistic feeders.

Rats and mice will eat most things they feel they safely can. This means that virtually anything in your pantry, and anything in your trash, is considered fair game to a rat or mouse. Rats and mice are also dirty due to their chosen environments. This means that even uneaten food in an infested home might be contaminated.

Problem #3: Rats & Mice are good hiders.

There is an old expression that goes “for every rat you see there are fifty you don’t.” This expression is not far off from the truth. It is very possible for you to see the signs of a rat/mouse infestation, such as droppings or damage to the walls, long before you see a rat or mouse. This can cause several major issues, but the biggest of these issues is that if you can’t find all the rats, you can’t stop them from breeding and re-infesting your home with more rats/mice. If you find rats or mice in your home, it is in your best interest to find an expert in rat/mice removal.

Why Is It So Difficult To Get Rid Of Mice and Rats?

Rats and mice are incredibly well adapted for living around humans. They are notoriously smart. A rat/mouse can, in essence, memorize a floor plan of your home that gives it an uncanny ability to hide or re-enter if its usual path should happen to be blocked. Rats are also effective communicators, and can quickly and nearly constantly warn other rats in the vicinity about any threats in their immediate area. Rats are much stronger than you would expect, and can easily be seen dragging away food much heavier than themselves. Rats & mice also have flexible skeletons that give them the ability to squeeze through incredibly small cracks and crevices.

Are Rats & Mice Dangerous?

Rats & mice have been linked to diseases for centuries. The bite of a rat, in addition to being extremely painful, can cause rat-bite fever. If bitten by a rat, wash out the bite then seek medical attention right away. Rats are also known virus spreaders. In particular, their urine can spread viruses when it dries. Rats have also been linked to another dangerous, disease spreading pest: ticks. Ticks can and frequently do switch carriers from rat to human if the rat enters a human home.

All these things come together to make a rat and mouse infestation a nightmare to deal with. Do not hesitate to call in an expert if dealing with a rat/mice infestation. These rodents are tenacious, and preventing re-infestation is critical for protecting your food, your home, and your health.